Save The Morrisville School

Show Some Pride!

2009-09-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

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Morrisville Pride

Morrisville's Future

Goodbye and Thanks For All the Fishes

2009-05-19T19:55:00.009-04:00

It's 8:00 P.M. in the East, and the polls are now closed. For better or for worse, the votes are in and shortly we'll have nominees for four school board and four borough council positions, and the mayor's job.

Which direction did Morrisville move in? I don't know yet.

There's never a good time to say goodbye, but that time is here for me. After nineteen months of daily blogging on the political misadventures of tiny Morrisville Borough, Pennsylvania, it's time to hang up the digital quill pen. I'll probably post some responses and comments to this post, but this is the last post on Save The Morrisville School. The blog will remain for a time for research and reference.

Before anyone tries to tie my departure to the election results, stop. This decision was made long ago, before our deadbeat government was discovered, before the 2009 electoral silly season went into overdrive, and before the six point plan was exposed as a fraud and scam. It's just a good time to go, no matter who might win.

I remember when Gary Larson and Bill Watterson retired "The Far Side" and "Calvin and Hobbes" and how much I would miss them.

That was before I found how hard it is to keep writing going on a daily basis. Sometimes our friends on the "Stop the School" "Stay on Track" side would provide hours and hours of entertainment just by opening their mouth. Most times, they were silent, and I relied on posts and articles culled from a lot of internet time.

I hear the cheering coming from the secret meeting hideout where the Holy Morrisville Tell All Manuscript is locked away and decisions are made out of the public eye. The hot tub will have extra bubbles and champagne tonight, and the accounting emporium will gleefully declare an extra dividend. I understand that and I accept it. I also know a day will come when their electoral defeat and departure from the Morrisville political scene will be equally cheered. I hope that time starts tonight.

While I do not want this to be an Academy Award winning "thank you" speech, quite a number of people need to be thanked.

For those of you who have read this blog faithfully and contributed, both in agreement and disagreement, I thank you. Without you, this would have been just an exercise in expository writing. I do not have all the answers. You do not either. But together, WE can find the answers.

For those of you who were silent readers, I thank you too. Discounting people who stumbled onto this little slice of cyberspace and backed out, this site was visited by people in 47 countries outside of the USA. All fifty states are represented. Fourteen state departments of education read regularly as well as the federal DOE. I am humbled by the amount of time these distant friends spent here and the number of pages viewed.

Some friends in Greenland, Arkansas visited regularly. I truly wish them well on their journey through state takeover and rehabilitation. They have responded to their emergency with a communal pulling together to save their school system. If only Morrisville could somehow profit from their example.

I thank the Bucks County Courier Times, whose work I clearly credited, but liberally quoted. I suspect that they gained just as much from my frequent reposting of their articles as I did.

I thank Manasee Wagh, Kate Fratti, and the other BCCT reporters and columnists who stopped by to experience the Wednesday Night Follies on Palmer Avenue and then write about the frustrations they saw firsthand.

I thank the late Ed Frankenfield, who showed us all what a servant leader is. Well done, sir. Well done.

I thank the administration, teachers, and staff of the Morrisville School District. Without you, the future leaders of tomorrow could not be trained today. Time after time, you have found an empty pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and somehow wrung out one more "do more with less" moment. They may be our children, but you have proven time after time that they are your children too.

I mentioned Gary Larson and Bill Watterston earlier. Their original work is gone, but a host of works that were inspired by that original work live on today.

That's what I'm going to ask of you: It's time for you to get involved.

The shenanigans chronicled in these pages can only occur when you stand aside indifferently and let them occur. That's where you come in.

Find out what your school board does. Find out what your borough council does. They are the ones who set the town's priorities and direction, and your taxes. They're not unchallengeable gods just because they sit up there. They're just neighbors of yours. They take out the garbage, shop at Acme, and occasionally even pay their taxes.

Don't stop there. You have three Bucks County commissioners in Doylestown. You have a state representative, a state senator, and a governor in Harrisburg. The issues get larger and more complex here, but these are just more neighbors.

Don't stop there. You have one U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators in Washington, along with a skinny kid with a funny name in the White House.

They ALL work for YOU. It's not the other way around.

Stop and read that again, this time out loud: They work for ME, not the other way around.

Empowering, isn't it?

They are just like the plumber, carpenter, or painter that you hired to redo the house. If the job was not acceptable, you would complain, right?

Mark Twain said it best: “Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason.”

Challenge them early and consistently. That also means that you need to learn about the issues as well. Politicians who rely on lies and misdirection also rely on a poorly informed or indifferent electorate. Make the effort to find out if they're lying or telling the truth. After a while you can spot the lies while the words are still forming on their lips.

Attend the council or board meetings. Maybe you can watch them on the cable channels to get an idea of what the hot button issues are before you actually go down to Union Street or Palmer Avenue.

Stand up and express your opinion. You don't have to be a Churchillian speaker. Just plain folks do pretty well too. Write out what you want to say beforehand and read it.

Call your elected official's office and tell them what you're thinking. Check their website and send them an email. With the internet, there's no reason for not keeping in touch with them.

Hold them to their promises. Just because you've always voted Republican or Democratic, that doesn't mean you need to continue to. If that official you gave your vote to last time disappointed you, you are not obliged to vote for them again. In fact, you're obliged to vote AGAINST them.

It's been more fun than not. I've enjoyed this journey with you.

Until we meet again, may the road rise to meet you. May the wind be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

It's Up to YOU now!

2009-05-19T06:55:00.000-04:00

Election Day is TODAY. The polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM

It doesn't work unless YOU get out, and VOTE!

Not sure how this works? BucksCounty.org has a "Voting 101" website.

Not sure how to use the machines? Check out the explanation and video from BucksCounty.org.

Not sure who is running? Here's the Bucks County ballot. [See pages 35 and 36 for Morrisville]

Not sure where to vote? VotesPA.com can show you the way. Enter your address, and one of the four Morrisville ward polling places will appear.

Morrisville 1st, Morrisville Senior Citizens Center, 31 E Cleveland Ave
Morrisville 2nd, Morrisville Library Building, 300 N Pennsylvania Ave
Morrisville 3rd, Capitol View Fire Company, 528 N Pennsylvania Ave
Morrisville 4th, Grandview Elementary School, Grandview Ave

What should I bring with me? All voters who appear at a polling place for the first time must show proof of identification. Approved forms of photo identification include:

* Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card
* ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
* ID issued by the U.S. Government
* U.S. Passport
* U.S. Armed Forces ID
* Student ID
* Employee ID

If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address. Approved forms of non-photo identification include:

* Confirmation issued by the County Voter Registration Office
* Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth
* Non-photo ID issued by U.S. Government
* Firearm Permit
* Current utility bill
* Current bank statement
* Current paycheck
* Government check

If you do not bring your ID on Election Day, vote with a provisional ballot.

Don't leave without voting!

In addition to proper identification, you may choose to bring the following items with you to the polls:

* A list of the candidates on the ballot and who you plan to vote for

What NOT to Bring:

* Weapons or firearms
* Alcohol or drugs

Having problems? Ghostbusters can't help, but here's where you can get assistance:

Bucks County Board of Elections
55 E. Court St.
Doylestown, PA 18901
Board of Elections - 215-348-6154
elections@co.bucks.pa.us

Lower Bucks County
7321 New Falls Road
Levittown, PA 19055
Phone: 215-949-5800

Now the only thing missing is you.

Borough Council Meeting Tonight

2009-05-18T07:44:00.000-04:00

35 Union St, 7:30 P.M.

It should be a rather taxing meeting.

I'm told that a new oath will need to be taken by every council member before the meeting starts.

Uninviting image: Sending the wrong signals

2009-05-18T07:01:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

Uninviting image: Sending the wrong signals

As a taxpayer advocate, Citizens for Equitable Taxation (CET) is supportive of finding ways to contain or reduce costs. Residential property owners in Morrisville are currently carrying a huge tax burden and relief is a broadly desired goal. Cost control, however, is not all there is to achieving affordable, quality public services, including a solid education for the borough’s children.

The bigger picture includes the generation of tax revenues from sources other than home owners. A healthy balance of these elements creates an economic picture that reflects the overall health of the community. Focusing solely on one element without considering its impact on the others can drastically distort the economic picture and bring about devastating results.

The Morrisville school board has made good on its promise to reduce property taxes — the only local district to do so. Arguments can be made endlessly by both sides as to whether the cuts are appropriate. The perception here, however, is that the school board’s promise to reduce taxes was going to be met regardless of the consequences. Throughout all of this there has been talk of closing schools, combining schools, relieving administrators, eliminating interscholastic sports, and busing students to a distant district — all of this creating great uncertainty and none of it helping to enhance the perception of Morrisville as a good place to live.

Coincidentally, on the revenue side, the borough council amazingly turned down a proposed office building in the business district which would not only have produced significant tax revenues, offsetting those now paid by residents, but would have put about 200 office workers on Bridge Street. All of them would have been potential customers for local businesses and a shot in the arm for meaningful revitalization.

This action was presumably taken to spare a small slice of unused green space between Bridge Street and Williamson Park. Some people were up in arms about this, but bottom line is that this space is not being utilized, nor is it the type of space that would be utilized for recreation. In addition, parking spaces provided by the building could have been utilized for park users during traditional recreational periods.

So now we have a picture of a local school district making drastic cuts and considering radical operating plans to meet campaign promises with apparent disregard for the educational lifestyle of the district’s children. Then we have a borough council sending out clear signals that investors in revitalization are not welcome here. Property owners save a hundred dollars or so in taxes and property values drop by tens of thousands.

Who in their right mind would buy a home or open a business in this political environment? Wake up Morrisville. We need leadership that can see the big picture.

Ted Fletcher, Morrisville Citizens for Equitable Taxation

Baseball-Softball Congrats

2009-05-17T16:07:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to the Baseball Bulldogs on their second straight BAL Constitution Division championship and the Lady Bulldogs on their Constitution Division championship.

Morrisville wins BAL division
By: Todd Thorpe
Bucks County Courier Times

Morrisville clinched the Bicentennial Athletic League Constitution Division for the second straight season, as it scored 18 runs on 16 hits to pound Lower Moreland, 18-8, in baseball action on Wednesday.

Morrisville 18, Lower Moreland 8

Lower Moreland 001 25-8 7 1
Morrisville 103 4(10)-18 16 2

WP: Steve Driscoll (1-1); LP: Goodman

Doubles: LM- Leonard; MV- Anthony Reyes

Home runs: LM- Vega; MV- Marty Murray 2,Kyle Schnee, Chad Demi

RBIs: LM- Leonard 2, Licht 2, Maddick, Grimaldi, Vega; MV- Marty Murray 5, Kyle Schnee 4, Anthony Reyes 2, Chad Demi 2, Tyler Quill, Eugene Figueroa, Matt Evans Multiple Hits: LM-Leonard 2-for-3; MV-Matt Evans 3-for-4, Eugene Figueroa 2-for-4, Marty Murray 3-for-4, Kyle Schnee 2-for-3, Matt Cookson 2-for-3, Anthony Reyes 3-for-4 Records: Morrisville (9-6, 6-5 BAL).

---------------------------------------------------------

'Softball Night' a big success
By: Rick Woelfel
Bucks County Courier Times

The second annual Lower Bucks Softball Night was an unqualified success. The doubleheader featuring Bristol against Morrisville and Pennsbury against Neshaminy drew quite a crowd and gave people who haven't seen much softball a chance to experience it firsthand.

For the players, performing in front of a large crowd was a unique experience.

"We never really get a crowd like this," Falcons first baseman Kirby Groves said. "Usually they're day games, and not a lot of people get to come to them. It was really nice in this atmosphere and to play a great team like Neshaminy."

The crowd included members of the Truman Tigers, who were originally set to play the opener against Bristol, but had to bow out because they had faced Abington on the road Tuesday in a SOL National makeup game.

Morrisville took the field in Harry S Truman's place just after beating Phil-Mont Christian to win the Bicentennial Athletic League's Constitution Division title.

Election Conflict of Interest

2009-05-17T10:03:00.001-04:00

Two stories from the BCCT.

Residents complain about election officials

MORRISVILLE SCHOOLS

Two election officials this year are involved with the school board, prompting complaints from area residents.

Morrisville School Board member Marlys Mihok is working as judge of elections this year.

Elected to the position in 2005, Mihok will be in charge of setting up the polling station, assigning duties to other election officials, submitting paperwork and closing the polls.

According to election code, an individual cannot hold an elected office and serve as an election official at the same time.

However, the county suffers from “extreme difficulties” finding people who are interested in working for municipal elections, said Deena Dean, director of the Bucks County Board of Elections.

So unless someone expresses interest in replacing a current election official, the county will take whoever wants the job, Dean said. She’s not sure how commonly this conflict of interest occurs in Bucks.

Maria Buckman, the wife of incumbent school board candidate John Buckman, is also an election official this year. Though she’s a minority inspector, she is not running for office, so there is nothing to prevent her from working as an election official, Dean said.

The NAACP’s Bucks County President John Jordan called both examples a “disturbing” conflict of interest.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

MORRISVILLE

The NAACP plans to post representatives at every Morrisville polling station during Tuesday’s primary election.

John Jordan, the organization’s Bucks County president, said he wants to make sure people aren’t subjected to intimidation. In the week leading up to the election, Jordan said the local office of the NAACP received several phone calls complaining about voter intimidation. Jordan couldn’t provide details.

No police reports have been filed, according to the Morrisville Police Department.

BCCT: Unpaid but unbowed

2009-05-17T06:45:00.002-04:00

From the BCCT.

They're against deadbeat government. You should be too.

Q: How many conflicts of interest can Morrisville contain?
A: No one knows. We haven't reached a limit yet where good people rise up and say "enough!"

Your chance to do that is Tuesday. Morrisville's registered Republicans and Democrats get to make the choice for the future.

Unpaid but unbowed
By: GUY PETROZIELLO
Bucks County Courier Times

Voters should think twice about candidates who can't keep up with their own tax bills.

People who flunked math shouldn't apply for accounting jobs. And people who don't pay their taxes shouldn't run for public office.

We have in mind two Morrisville Council members running in Tuesday's primary, one of them for mayor; and an incumbent Morrisville school board member, who formerly served on the town council. All three candidates owe a total of $9,600 in outstanding tax, sanitation, water and sewer bills.

The three candidates are incumbent Council members Eileen Dreisbach and Rita Lidge, who's running for mayor; and school board member Jack Buckman. Explaining why they're in arrears, the three candidates cited financial hardships brought on by family and health problems.

While we are not unsympathetic to people experiencing hard times, especially now, it's difficult to muster confidence in candidates for public office whose personal affairs are askew. After all, these are the folks who want to determine everybody else's tax bills, yet are unable to pay their own; who want to manage town and school district affairs, but can't effectively manage domestic affairs.

Letter writer Cynthia Dee Wilson perhaps captured the sentiments of a lot of folks with this sentence: "If their personal lives are so overwhelming at this point in time that they cannot keep their own house in order, why would they add the additional responsibility of running for public office? If they cannot keep their own houses in order, why would they expect the voters to believe they can keep + Morrisville Borough and the Morrisville School District in order?"

Good question.

Look, we're not knocking the candidates' records. They might have done a good job despite personal difficulties. Maybe that says a lot about character. In the end, voters will have to decide what it says to them.

Community Day Gossip: Deadbeats and WBCB

2009-05-16T16:34:00.000-04:00

My, how nice it was to get out and spend some time with the neighbors at Williamson Park for Community Day. I hope you took advantage of the cool breezes.

The hot air was something else.

The big talk was about the deadbeat government we have here in Morrisville. It was applied equally to the borough council deadbeats and the school board deadbeats, as well as the borough officials who were accomplices as deadbeat enablers. More than one person called it that, so I cannot claim credit. I like the term anyway.

DEADBEAT: A non-payer who doesn't bother to say why.
DEADBEAT: 1. a lazy person or 2. a person who defaults on his debts
DEADBEAT: someone who fails to meet a financial obligation

Yep. Think that covers it. If you're happy with the way Morrisville has prospered in the last ten years, then "STAY ON TRACK" and vote the same old names back into the same old offices.

If you're not happy, then it's time for a change. Please. Morrisville's diaper is about as filled as it can get.

It's a great game. When they raise taxes, we have to pay them. They just ask to put it on their account.

The second item of gossip was the Emperor's scheduled softball interview with WBCB's Pat Wandling on "Speak Your Piece" Monday at noon.

I expect this to show how heroic our anger challenged Emperor is. Go ahead and try to call 215-949-3232 or toll free at 1-(888)WBCB-1490. Ask the Emperor the tough questions.

Pat Wandling herself is against secret meetings. Perhaps she'll ask the Emperor about the Worob coffee klatsch.

She's also a proven advocate for transparency in government. Perhaps she'll ask hard hitting questions about the secretly commissioned $1500.00 Hellmann Report or ask why they boasted of a six-point plan that doesn't exist. The state of Pennsylvania confirmed that.

Anyone want to predict the questions that really will be asked?

Morrisville Pride or Deadbeats? It's your choice for our future.

2009-05-16T09:12:00.004-04:00

Perhaps the shortest answer on who to vote for Tuesday: The Morrisville Pride candidates, or the stay on track and do whatever Bill wants candidates. This is a comment from the BCCT story yesterday about our Morrisville candidates unable to pay their municipal bills for multiple years.

Anonymous Coward, 05-15-09, 5:16 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
This is so typical politician and typical Morrisville. Deadbeats is what we used to call people like this and maybe we should still. I have NO sympathy for people who can't pay their water or sewer bills.

My major concern is their ability to govern. When a bill comes up before them to pay for something useful like municipal repairs or new equipment for the fire department, how are they going to think beyond their own wallets or purses? They can't. They'll hold the line and never spend a dime for the citizens in spite of how useful or intelligent the bill.

Do not elect anyone who can't pay their bills.

Morrisville has a choice - deadbeats or honest citizens. It's that clear cut.

Answers from John DeWilde.

2009-05-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

Here's the second set of questions posed yesterday to school board candidate John DeWilde.

Next series of questions: Thank you for participating in this. Here is the first series of questions. This is a collection of six emails and comments so far

1. Why, as a candidate and resident, have you not seen the QSRE fliers that have your name on them? Why, as a candidate, do you not know the details of literature promoting your election to the school board?

2. Why do you believe it is acceptable to let proxies operate beyond your control and do the dirty work for you, and then claim ignorance on the details?

3. Who told you about the QSRE fliers? Did you distribute any of them yourself?

4. Are you currently employed as a Special Ed. teacher? If not, why not? When was the last time you were in front of a classroom with special ed students actively teaching the student(s)? Is your certification up to date and are you up to date with your continuing education? Because the special education field changes abruptly from year to year, do you feel you have the professional credentials to authoritatively comment on special education needs in 2009?

5. As a Board member, what is your view on student re-registration and will you be involved with the Board's initiatives to re-register students? Do you believe Morrisville schools are overrun with out of district students? Do you believe that the administration is not doing enough to address this issue?

6. Are you troubled by inaccurate statements and written comments by Marlys Mihok, QSRE, and others on your behalf? If so, what do you plan to do about it? If not, why?

A: Click here

Board member mines claims staked by previous board

2009-05-15T08:37:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

Board member mines claims staked by previous board
By GAYLE HAUG

Regarding Marlys Mihok’s May 11 Guest Opinion, “Raising scores, lowering costs”, I find many of Mihok’s comments misleading.

Mihok claims that “over the last 16 months the “Stop the School” board majority has kept the promise of increasing test scores.” Truth is a school board is not responsible for test score performance. The teachers, administration, staff and students are responsible for the results.

A school board is responsible to budget funds so that the district can provide teacher training and create programs that help the students perform better in class and on tests. The improved test scores that Mihok claims responsibility for were actually the result of the previous board’s budget. The current school year budget is the first one from the board on which Mihok serves and funds for budget lines that included teacher training were cut by this board.

PSSA tests were taken a couple of months ago but results have not been posted. The results of this board’s cut will be interesting to say the least.

Mihok leaves out information when stating, “We ... have, in fact, hired four more (para-educators or classroom aides).” The only aides hired by the school board have been state mandated one-on-one aides for children with special needs. There was no choice; the board had to hire them. Aides that provide classroom support have not been replaced as Mihok would like you to believe.

Mihok claims the school board has a plan. If so, it has never been discussed publicly or voted on. She touts their successes: installed smoke alarms, ventilators, new windows and boilers are scheduled to be installed and upgrades to the electrical system are also mentioned. It’s what she left out that the people of Morrisville should be worried about.

All of the upgrades Mihok mentions are for the high school only! No mention of any upgrades to Grandview or the future of M. R. Reiter that sits vacant after the furnace explosion last December. No mention of the modular units currently used by first- and second-graders and the plans for when the insurance money stops paying for them. And no mention of the high school housing the fourth through 12th grade starting next year.

The cost of renovations have been conveniently capped at $7 million, which equals $4 million left from the bond for the new school and $3 million from the capital reserve that leaves nothing left for future repairs or renovations.

The figure of $48 million for a new K-12 school was mentioned at a school board meeting by a gentleman from Vitetta Architects during a presentation on the planned renovations. Board President William Hellmann asked the gentleman, as he was taking his seat, how much the new school would cost. The gentleman had no plans in front of him, no materials lists, no information at all. The $48 million dollar amount was pulled from out of the air and Mihok wants you to believe it is the based on facts.

This year’s proposed budget has been trimmed so much that there is no “wiggle room” for any unforeseen costs. Mihok mentions the “board majority will propose another reduction,” which will only mean cuts into educational and extra-curricular programs, including sports, the same programs Mihok mentioned earlier in her letter that “we have not cut.” The question: Have these programs been cut? The answer: No, not YET!

The most misleading statement made by Mihok is that two of candidates running against those Mihok endorses want to build a new school. The truth is that a new school cannot be built without a voter referendum. That means you, the voter, not the school board, have the final word.

Why doesn’t Mihok mention this in her letter? Why doesn’t she want you to know the law? If she can’t be trusted to inform the public of their rights, how can she be trusted with the statement of “$1,500 a year every year tax increases”?

Morrisville needs to get off this “track” or we will be heading for a “train wreck” in a very short time.

Gayle Haug, Morrisville, is an officer of the Morrisville Opportunity Education Foundation and treasurer of the Morrisville Pride Political Action Committee.

Unpaid Taxes: Buckman, Ledger, Dreisbach, DeWilde

2009-05-15T07:13:00.002-04:00

From the BCCT.

A big two thumbs down to Jack Buckman who voted in March to deny tax relief on penalties and interest to a Morrisville citizen who wanted to pay ONE DAY LATE. This is what being a member of Hellmann and Co means: Just do as I tell you and ignore what I do.

VOTE WOROB, BUCKMAN, STOUT, DEWILDE to STAY ON THIS TRACK. We need more accountability like this in our elected officials.

Try this on for size: Perhaps the struggling Buckman district should be taken over by one of its better off rental-property and hot-tub possessing friends? Wouldn't that be the neighborly thing to do?

Yeah. I don't see a line forming just yet.

This is why renters rent. They do not have the money to sustain the expenses for a house. Maybe they made bad financial decisions. Maybe they were silent victims of Wall Street exuberance. Or maybe they just flat out have bad financial skills.

When someone buys or leases a big fancy Escalade and cannot not pay for it, how long before Robbie Repo-Man makes a visit?

Big thumbs down to DeWilde, Dreisbach, and Ledger as well.

Review: Candidates late on taxes
By: DANNY ADLER
Bucks County Courier Times

Two Democratic Morrisville councilwomen running in this year's election each have more than $2,000 in unpaid 2008 borough, school and county taxes, not to mention money owed for other late bills, a newspaper review of public records indicates.

An incumbent Republican Morrisville school board member, who formerly held a seat on borough council, owes more than $3,600 combined for sanitation, water and sewer.

In all, the three candidates owe more than $9,600, according to county and municipal records dated Tuesday and Wednesday.

The candidates cited financial, health and family hardships for the backlogged bills after word of their debt circulated through town and on Web blogs within the last week. Democrat council President Nancy Sherlock started the talk May 8 after requesting public records on delinquent bills.

"I got copies of the entire borough because I think that anybody who has outstanding balances should be addressed," Sherlock said.

According to the Bucks County Tax Claim Bureau, Councilwoman Rita Ledger, a Democrat running for mayor, owes $2,368 for her 2008 taxes. Ledger also was late in paying her 2004 and 2007 taxes, county records show. She is also late on $158 in water and sewer payments, the water authority's customer arrears list states. She says she'll pay the water and sewer bill today.

Democratic Councilwoman Eileen Dreisbach, who's up for re-election, owes $2,676 in taxes and $785 in sanitation fees as of Wednesday, according to the county and borough records. She also was delinquent in paying her 2004, 2006 and 2007 taxes. Dreisbach was at borough hall Thursday afternoon putting $400 towards the garbage bill.

Both councilwomen earn an annual $2,500 for their roles on borough council.

School board member Jack Buckman, a Republican and former borough councilman, owes $2,546 in water and sewer bills and $1,108 for sanitation, the records show.

Republican school board candidate John DeWilde also owes money for water and sewer. But his late balance is just $8.56.

Buckman said he's in debt because of financial problems stemming from stints of unemployment or underemployment.

A microfilm technician with the county, Buckman said he also works part time as mall security to help pay his bills. He said he has agreements with the borough and the Morrisville Municipal Authority to pay his overdue bills.

"I've done a real good job as a councilman and I've done a real good job as a school board member," Buckman said. "I'm paying these bills."

Ledger, who said she fell behind because of financial and health problems, said her political opponents are using the delinquent bills as an attack because they can't attack her record on council.

"Just because I'm a councilwoman doesn't immune me from the economic hardship that everyone else is feeling as well," said Ledger. "I certainly feel that this doesn't define who I am. I'm like everybody else, I'm experiencing the economic times, unfortunately."

Dreisbach says she fell behind on the bills while paying her mortgage and that of her late mother's home, where her 94-year-old uncle still lives.

"We are currently trying to find him a home because we are no longer able to pay the mortgage on her house and my own," she said. "I do owe last year's taxes as I was trying to keep up with both mortgages. I will be paying my taxes this year as I normally do as soon as I can.

"It is a shame when some people need to sling mud when election time rolls around. I myself don't understand that. You should be able to be elected on your own merits and accomplishments," Dreisbach said.

Democratic mayoral candidate Patricia Schell said the candidates' delinquent bills affect "every single taxpayer. If they're a political candidate or they're not, they have an obligation to pay their bills."

Mayoral candidate Graeme Thomson, a Democrat, said the political system doesn't demand that candidates pay all of their late bills before being elected, but it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"I would hope that they would pay their outstanding bills," Thomson said.

The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching DeWilde for comment Thursday.

Questions for John DeWilde

2009-05-14T16:11:00.005-04:00

Dear John,

Someone alleging to be you has commented on the post "BCCT Voters Guide: School Board"

Please either contact me savethemorrisvilleschool@yahoo.com or in another comment providing some sort of authentication that you are who you say you are and I can approve the comment.

I posted a comment from someone that was supposedly Graeme Thomson and apparently was not.

Update: John DeWilde has provided authentication and his comment will be posted. He has also agreed to answer some questions from the audience.

He even notes that passions are running high. After all, this is about our kids. Do not get between me and my kids. I promised I would keep things as cool as possible, so please pose your questions in the form of a question, like Jeopardy, but with fewer lit matches attached to the gallons of gasoline included in the question. Send them to savethemorrisvilleschool@yahoo.com or post as a comment and I'll pass them along.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

First question: Thank you very much for responding so quickly. I will post your response. Will you hold yourself open to having reasonable conversation with other commenters and posters here? I know some of us can go over the top and I will try to keep it issue oriented.

The first question I would ask is why do you allow the QSRE type of anonymous literature to go out? Do you approve of the "$3300.00 dollar tax increase prediction by Bill Hellmann, CPA" and "Jermaine doesn't pay taxes" fliers or can you back them up somehow?

JD: Yes I would be happy to have open and honest and reasonable conversations with other posters. I'll ignore anything inflammatory. Passions are running high right now.

I haven't seen any QSRE fliers, and that isn't a dodge. I have been told about them, but I don't know the details. I am going to ask Bill about his numbers though. I can't say yay or nay to his statement, but the bottom line is that if the school is built taxes will go up signifigantly.

My opinion is that if the facts aren't correct then don't print them. I saw the blog about the flier and I'd like to know how being a renter is relevant. Who hasn't rented before? He isn't paying home property taxes, but he is still paying taxes.

Someone posted on the blog that I have moving violations "so is this the type of person you want on the schoolboard"? Again what is the relevance.

Flame suit on....

STS: We've already noted this: The new school is dead. Claiming that a new school will be built if the Morrisville Pride candidates are elected is bogus at best, and is more properly an outright falsification.

Anyone else?

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Next series of questions: Thank you for participating in this. Here is the first series of questions. This is a collection of six emails and comments so far

1. Why, as a candidate and resident, have you not seen the QSRE fliers that have your name on them? Why, as a candidate, do you not know the details of literature promoting your election to the school board?

2. Why do you believe it is acceptable to let proxies operate beyond your control and do the dirty work for you, and then claim ignorance on the details?

3. Who told you about the QSRE fliers? Did you distribute any of them yourself?

4. Are you currently employed as a Special Ed. teacher? If not, why not? When was the last time you were in front of a classroom with special ed students actively teaching the student(s)? Is your certification up to date and are you up to date with your continuing education? Because the special education field changes abruptly from year to year, do you feel you have the professional credentials to authoritatively comment on special education needs in 2009?

5. As a Board member, what is your view on student re-registration and will you be involved with the Board's initiatives to re-register students? Do you believe Morrisville schools are overrun with out of district students? Do you believe that the administration is not doing enough to address this issue?

6. Are you troubled by inaccurate statements and written comments by Marlys Mihok, QSRE, and others on your behalf? If so, what do you plan to do about it? If not, why?

BCCT Voters Guide: School Board

2009-05-14T10:02:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

Morrisville School Board
4 seats 4 years

Questions
1. Would you try to push the Legislature to merge your school district with a neighboring district like Pennsbury?
2. If Reiter Elementary is closed, how would you proceed with arranging students in the remaining district schools?
3. The district’s PSSA scores improved last year. How would you continue to ensure that PSSA scores keep improving?

Jermaine Jenkins (Crossfiled)
Party: Democratic Age: N/A Education: Some college, Essex County College, Newark, N.J.
Job: Train conductor, New Jersey Transit Rail Ops
Answers
1. It’s my duty to do whatever is in the best interest of the borough’s residents as a whole. That being said, it’s not my intent to push the Legislature to merge Morrisville with a neighboring district. I believe that Morrisville can provide a quality learning atmosphere for its students.
2. If Reiter is closed the very first element that I would explore would be safety. Being a parent first, I want to be assured that my children are in a safe atmosphere conducive to learning. Any decisions from me would be clearly based on safety.
3. Support of the staff and programs geared towards education is key. Listening to the very experts, whose ideas guided our students to improved PSSA scores, will continue to be beneficial for the students of Morrisville.

Damon Miller (Cross-filed)
Party: Democratic Age: 43 Education: BS, communications, SUNY Frenonia
Job: Freelance videographer
Answers
1. I would first ask the Morrisville community if a merge is desired. If so, I would push for one. Unfortunately the reality is that Pennsbury is not receptive and any legislation forcing a merge is years away. Morrisville cannot hang their hopes on a dream that may never come true.
2. The modular units currently used should only be a temporary fix. I would work with the administration and the community to explore all options to house the students in a permanent structure conducive for learning. The students and the taxpayers deserve permanent solutions for our facilities, not Band-aids.
3. The teachers and the administration have done an outstanding job improving test scores. We need to keep building on that by continually identifying where any problems may be and give the teachers the tools to make improvements in those areas while building on the successes of the past.

Ronald Stout (Cross-filed)
Party: Democratic Age: 68 Education: High School
Job: Retired
Answers
1. Yes. I would push for our community to make a decision on this. We want our students to have the same opportunities that other districts offer.
2. The superintendent has said that grades K-3 will be at Grandview Elementary School and grades 4-12 will be in the high school. Renovations this summer will completely separate the elementary classes from the middle school and high school students for upgraded and safer schools.
3. Renovation costs for Grandview Elementary and Morrisville Intermediate/Junior/Senior High School are less than estimated, leaving more money for better educational programs.

Jack Beck (Cross-filed)
Party: Republican Age: 41 Education: Graduate, Council Rock High School
Job: Production manager, Minuteman Press
Answers
1. This has been tried. The Pennsbury board, with the seeming majority of its residents, don’t wish to merge the school districts. Perhaps, in this time of economic strife facing many school districts, we may have an open dialogue to consider future consolidation. We must first take care of our own.
2. We need to work together, as a collective body, to implement a permanent long-term solution that will be economically feasible. This present arrangement can only be temporary. It will be impossible to maintain an effective teaching and learning atmosphere under the existing facility conditions. We must plan for the future.
3. We must make certain that our teachers and staff have the necessary tools to build on the successes thus far. We should continue to teach the core subjects as full year curriculum and ensure the teachers and students have an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning.

John “Jack” Buckman (I) (Cross-filed)
Party: Republican Age: 63 Education: Neshaminy High School; continuing education, Bucks County Technical School
Job: Microfilm technician in Bucks County; security officer, Oxford Valley Mall
Answers
1. Yes, at this time with shrinking enrollment and rising cost it is the most logical answer.
2. Due to size and financial constraints, Grandview should be K-3 and the Morrisville Middle/High School building should contain the rest: grades 5-8 in an intermediate school and 9-12 in a high school.
3. Through the savings of renovations vs. building, we should invest in better educational material. That in conjunction with our very capable staff will accomplish the goal of good PSSA scores.
John DeWilde (Cross-filed)
Party: Republican Age: 44 Education: BS, education Job: Network systems administrator
Answers
1. I do support merging with other school districts if it will benefit the residents and students of Morrisville. I believe a merger has the potential to offer more resources to our students, and offer more services to the families of Morrisville.
2. Rearrange the grouping of classes to create a K-3 elementary school, grades 4-8 intermediate school, and grades 9-12 high school. This is the plan according to the current school board, and will be put into effect in September.
3. I think the best course of action would be to understand what the teachers have been doing, and identify what other resources they consider necessary. The savings that has been realized by renovating the existing buildings and not building a new school will provide funding for additional resources.

David Stoneburner (Cross-filed)
Party: Republican
Age: 50
Education: Two years college, business administration major
Job: Tractor trailer driver, Federal Express National LTL
Answers
1. Morrisville must have an economical educational system, and control of it. Regionalism has many benefits, but we would have no controllability. As a parent of a child in the Morrisville school system, I would do what is in the best interest of education. We, together as a community, must decide.
2. Safety for all students is my first concern. If we have only two schools, we must compartmentalize the high school to better separate the large age group that would necessarily be there. We may need to add structure to replace the temporary trailers. Those children need real classrooms.
3. Support continuing education for teacher development. There is an opportunity for community involvement and support through mentoring, tutoring, and educational programs to further prepare our students for this and future critical tests. We have made a good start, but we can do more, with the community’s involvement.

Brenda J. Worob (I) (Cross-filed)
Party: Republican Age: 48 Education: Graduate, Morrisville High School; graduate, Philadelphia Paralegal Institute
Job: Legislative assistant, Pennsylvania Senate
Answers
1. Absolutely, in fact, I recently proposed that the school board send a letter of support to Gov. Rendell for his proposal for school district mergers. The board is working on a resolution to do that. I believe in giving students all the tools and every opportunity they need to succeed.
2. My first objective would be to hear the public’s input through public meetings. Also, I will rely heavily on the recommendations of our administrators. If Reiter does close permanently, we will do what’s in the best interest of our students.
3. First of all I would keep doing what we have been doing. Eventually, I would like to see independent standardized tests administered at the beginning and end of the school year to measure the progress that our students had made under their teachers.

BCCT Voters Guide: Borough

2009-05-14T10:01:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Morrisville

Questions
1. How can Morrisville attract more businesses to the borough, which relies heavily on residents’ tax dollars to pay for essential services?
2. What can the borough do to ensure children’s safety on borough roads near schools?
3. What would you do to alleviate speeding and traffic in the borough?

Mayor
1 seat 4 years

Rita Ledger
Party: Democratic
Age: 48
Education: Morrisville High School
Job: Educational services; councilwoman
Answers
1. Morrisville can attract businesses by identifying types of business that would work here. Need to work with current business property owners to enhance properties to add to the curb appeal. Compare the benefits of businesses being in Morrisville. Marketing and promotion of Morrisville; we started this with the Landmark Towns.
2. To ensure children’s safety on borough roads near schools would be to install a road around the schools to get the traffic off the street and increase the signs around the schools. To have the police department along with teachers, children and parents follow public safety practices.
3. What I would do to alleviate speeding and traffic in the borough is to work with the police department to make the public aware of how fast they’re going and to follow up with issuing tickets. To encourage the use of state police programs with speeding on state highways.

Patricia A. Schell
Party: Democratic
Age: 59
Education: Morrisville High School
Job: Manager, Morrisville Senior Center
Answers
1. Attracting business to Morrisville is difficult when our tax rate is so high. We need to be friendly to businesses willing to come our way. With the present economy, there’s very little development. We should be ready with programs and look for grants to aid new businesses to benefit everyone.
2. The safety of school children should be the number one priority of the parents of the children. The parents must obey the law to keep the children safe. The borough must enforce the parking and keep traffic, as much as possible, away from the schools during drop-off and pickup times.
3. Police enforcement is the best way to handle speeding. Since we are a threshold to Trenton, rush hour traffic will always be problematic. Hopefully, current bridge improvements will only improve traffic flow. We must stay tuned in with surrounding townships’ planning, since this could have a negative effect on our residents.

Graeme Thomson
Party: Democratic
Age: 37
Education: Trenton State College
Job: Independent consultant, computer technician
Answers
1. Attracting businesses has always been underanalyzed. You will never attract or keep businesses by reducing taxes. After working many years in New York in advertising and PR, I know many ways to attract businesses. I know how to talk to business leaders, and show them Morrisville is a great opportunity.
2. We have a problem with traffic when all the parents are dropping off children at the same time. Getting the schools to stagger start and end times for different grades will help. This would require expanded after- and before-school programs, but it would be worth it.
3. Digital traffic cameras, like those used in Philly, could be erected in school zones and mobile ones could be set up in residential areas. Warning letters sent out to speeders reminding them to keep speed down, most people would slow down or use the main roads instead of chancing tickets.

Council
Ward One (North)
2 seats 4 years
Eileen Dreisbach (I)
Party: Democratic
Roxy Rookstool
Party: Democratic
John Baranauskas
Party: Republican
Todd R. Sanford
Party: Republican

Ward 2 (West)
1 seat 2 years
Rhonda Davis
Party: Democratic
Edward A. Bailey
Party: Republican

Ward 3 (West)
1 seat 4 years
Fred Kerner
Party: Democratic
Jane Burger (I)
Party: Republican

Ward 4 (South)
1 seat 4 years
Victor A. Cicero
Party: Democratic Age: 75 Education: BS, criminal justice; master’s degree, public administration, University of New York Job: Retired, former Morrisville police chief, former Morrisville borough manager Answers 1. Develop a business friendly strategy from advertising mediums; present a plan offering incentives to business and light industry for commercial areas. Make the hard decisions to benefit the entire borough and all residents. Sacrifices must be made; Morrisville has missed economic development opportunities and we are paying for it now.
2. Partner with school district to install cameras monitoring areas around schools, especially during arrival and dismissal. Police deployment is expensive and episodic. We must resort to technological methods to augment this labor intensive activity. Police cannot be there at all times. However, we should occasionally target school areas for safety.
3. Speed traps on main roads can be increased. But this is expensive and not always productive. Many residents complain about traffic on insular roadways where speed traps aren’t feasible. We should exhort our elected officials to pass legislation enabling police to use radar in areas where speed traps aren’t possible.

James Jack
Party: Democratic Age: 22 Education: BA, sociology, Pennsylvania State University
Job: Research assistant, nationwide Type 2 diabetes health study coordinated by George Washington University and facilitated locally through Temple University
Answers
1. Morrisville needs to provide a vision to developers and businesses through a master redevelopment plan and the adoption of a form-based zoning code. Enrolling Morrisville into the Main Street program to have a state resource to assist with development. Our appearance needs revitalization through a borough-wide beautification initiative.
2. Call on police, teachers and school employees to assist with directing the high volume of children and cars. Designated drop-off and pickup zones that prevent children from having to cross the street. Educating the students and parents on safety measures and calling on the parents to be accountable. 3. Extending the corner of our sidewalks, raising crosswalks, installing median barriers, and slight changes to traffic patterns can reduce vehicle speed and provide a more controlled flow of traffic. Also, an increased police presence patrolling our streets and using cameras on our various traffic lights will deter hazardous driving.

Stephen Worob (I)
Party: Republican
Uncontested candidates were not asked questions.

Auditor
1 seat 4 years
No one filed to run

Auditor
1 seat 6 years
No one filed to run

Constables
Ward 1 (North)
1 seat 6 years
John Cronon (I)
Party: Democratic
Ward 2 (East)
1 seat 6 years
No one filed to run
Ward 3 (West)
1 seat 6 years
Michael R. Cooper (I)
Party: Democratic
Ward 4 (South)
1 seat 6 years
David R. May (I)
Party: Democratic

Controller
1 seat 2 years No one filed to run
Controller
1 seat 4 years No one filed to run

Tax collector
1 seat 4 years
Marlene Burns
Party: Democratic

SSDD: Lies, Lies, and More Lies

2009-05-13T20:22:00.003-04:00

I received this email and, well, I guess it's politics as usual in Morrisville again. People who live in glass houses should not be surprised when they throw the first stone and it comes right back at them.

When will we learn that these allegations are just falsehoods distributed by a tyrannical and desperate group of generally sour and oppressive people who love nothing more than to ruin your day?

Please someone...ANYONE! Tell us what you find so appealing about people who abuse their authority, shut out debate, and lie. Why do you support them? Why do you want them in charge of your money and your children?

Plenty of Morrisville's leading citizens have rental properties that they rent out. Without renters, that second...third...fourth...fifth property is not an income producing asset. (My accountant taught me that one.)

First there was the anonymous flyer announcing that wisest of all Morrisville wise men, Bill Hellmann, was predicting a $3300 dollar tax increase on each home because the BECK, MILLER, JENKINS, and STONEBURNER ticket wanted to build a new school. I guess being nasty and self absorbed makes up for being just plain wrong.

Mr. Hellmann: Time to put up or shut up. Explain where you got that figure. I don't think you can. Neither can Brenda Worob, Jack Buckman, Ron Stout, or John DeWilde.

Now a new opposition flier has been distributed and it names Jermaine Jenkins as a non-taxpayer.

Here is how the flier reads and the details of it:

If you want to provide a good education and keep school taxes as low as possible vote for Buckman, Worob, Stout, and DeWilde....with a little hand doing thumbs up next to it...and then at the bottom...

If you want to have a new K-12 school built and an average school tax increase of approximately $3300 per home these candidates need your vote...Beck, Miller, Stoneburner, Jenkins(who lives in an apartment complex on Plaza Blvd. He does not pay any county/borough or school real estate taxes)...with a hand with a thumbs down next to it....

Folks, this is more misleading info.

Yes, Jermaine does not get a tax bill from the boro, school, or county but his rent covers the cost of the tax bill his landlord receives. Maybe it's not as high as yours or mine because he shares his cost with other tenants in his complex but HE DOES PAY THESE TAXES.

Here are some FACTS about the other group:

Ron Stout rents his home. Does he pay taxes? He gets mighty worked up over them.

Jack Buckman is behind on his payment for water and garbage bills for the boro. Does this make him a better choice than Jermaine who stopped being a paid coach for the district so that he could run for school board?

John DeWilde has multiple traffic violations.

Brenda Worob owns rental properties. Does she pay the taxes or does she pass the bill to her tenants?

Do you want to find out what the Morrisville Pride candidates stand for? Meet the candidates at the Morrisville Senior Center on Friday, May 15th from 7-9. The Senior Center is located at 31 East Cleveland Avenue.

This will be a great opportunity to speak to the candidates and ask them your questions and tell them your concerns. We are haveing a Q&A session along with some time to speak individually to the candidates.

We want to hear from you.

Guest Blogger: MM in the BCCT

2009-05-11T17:00:00.007-04:00

A big welcome to Marlys Mihok, today's guest blogger, as she appeared in the BCCT.

At least we have the answer to the Kate Fratti's question of "What are they hiding?" The answer: A big fat super-grande enchilada filled with nada.

Updated May 12 with more comment goodness from the BCCT website. Who knew Marlys had so many fans?

Raising scores, lowering costs
Bucks County Courier Times

The Morrisville school board has four seats to fill in the primary election. Every candidate has cross-filed and the ballot positions do not follow any order. But beware; there is a world of difference between the "Stay On Track" candidates and the other hopefuls.

Over the last 16 months the "Stop the School" board majority has kept the promise of increasing test scores and lowering taxes without affecting the educational programs. Just ask our superintendent and business manager. Rumors rumbling around town could not be further from the truth. We have not cut funding for special education, music or sports. We actually added girls JV Softball to the extracurricular roster. We will not fire para educators or classroom aides and in fact hired four more. We have only reduced our administrative staff by one elementary principal and one high school assistant principal, through attrition.

Do we really need a principal and assistant principal for the high school and two principals at the elementary school when total district enrollment is just 855 students? Morrisville has been top heavy with highly paid administrators for decades.

Our opponents say we don't have a plan. Truth is in just 16 months the Morrisville school board has installed fire alarms in every classroom. Placing children in classrooms without smoke detectors was outrageous to us. A kitchen ventilation system and fire suppressant hoods have been installed in the cafeteria. We have completed renovations in our junior/senior high school to upgrade the electrical system. This summer all the windows will be replaced with state of the art triple pane windows which will keep in the heat from our new gas-fired boilers scheduled to be installed before students return in the fall.

Since taking office, the Stop the School majority has reduced health insurance costs keeping the same coverage, telephone system costs, and copier lease costs. Remember the Sandy Gibson School Board said renovations to our buildings would cost more than building new? New building costs from Vitetta Architects and engineers predicted their new school building costs to be $48 million for the new Pre K through 12 campus. The renovation budget in reality is only $7 million and all of our bid proposals are lower than estimated.

And speaking of the budget, Morrisville Borough School District has a balanced budget this year. Taxes in our borough decreased last year by 39 mils or 600 for the average homeowner. This year on July 1 your tax bill will be another pleasant surprise as the board majority will propose another reduction to our business manager.

Two men running on the opposition have publicly stated that they were in favor of building the new K through 12 campus and if elected they will build a new school. With enrollment declining every month does this make sense to you? They have invited everyone receiving their flier to a rally serving free hot dogs and soda. Trust me, that free hot dog in exchange for your vote will really cost you $1,500 dollars a year every year in tax increases to house their own children in unnecessary new construction.

In summary the Morrisville school board "Stop the School" majority in our first 16 months has raised test scores, lowered taxes, reduced wasteful spending, and has renovations under way. So it is my recommendation that we "stay on track" on May 19. Re-elect Brenda Worob, a board veteran now in the majority; and we need your vote for Ronald Stout who saved us almost a million dollars with his common sense suggestions; and Jack Buckman, who has served Morrisville residents in many capacities for years; and John DeWilde, a special education teacher who will be an advocate for students and families in our district.

May 11, 2009 02:00 AM

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charley, 05-11-09, 8:38 am | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
Raising scores, lowering costs, exploding boilers...yep. The current Mo'ville school board is doing a fabulous job.

charley, 05-11-09, 10:11 am | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
"...in just 16 months the Morrisville school board has installed fire alarms in every classroom."

Well, I'm sure those fire alarms came in handy when the boiler exploded. Safety first, huh?

leatherk, 05-11-09, 1:32 pm | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
There is no plan. The district business administrator, under penalty of perjury, has certified that the six point plan that both Bill Hellmann and Brenda Worob claimed the district was developing (as reflected in approved and posted board meeeting minutes) does not exist. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Open Records has confirmed this finding and also cautioned the district regarding factual errors of this type causing legitimate cause for concern.

https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/o...

It's too bad that Marlys was unable to attend the candidate meet and greet last Sunday at Williamson Park even though she called up one of the "opposition" candidates and asked to be invited. As a result of her phone call, all four candidates from the stop the school side were invited. Not one of them showed. Two mayoral candidates did attend and some excellent discussions took place between the public and the candidates that were present.

The point isn't the hot dogs and soda. It's the open communication between people that makes this important. Instead of hiding things from the public, like the $2.5 million spent to re-sell the defeased bond monies back or holding secret meetings out of the public eye, the candiates and the public met openly. For example, we openly discussed that the "new" K-12 school idea is completely dead. Everyone who attended is in agreement that any new school would need to be approved by public referendum and that there is no way the town would approve. Only the stop the school people continue to dredge up the memory of the "new" school just to scare people.

charley, 05-11-09, 2:37 pm | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
Hey all you "thumbs downers." Why not try to rebutt some of what has been posted here instead of clicking a little red down arrow and thinking that somehow qualifies as thoughtful debate.

From an AP article reprinted in EducationWeek.c om: "No one was injured, but the explosion seemed to some to be another indication that the Morrisville School District needs to get out of the education business. Despite having one of the highest school tax rates in Bucks County, students learn in aging facilities and have less-than-stell ar test scores to show for it."

Hear that? Members of the current Morrisville School District need to get OUT OF THE EDUCATION BUSINESS!

Anonymous Coward, 05-11-09, 3:08 pm | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
"stay on track" includes blowing up schools. "stay on track" means trailers for elementary school kids. "stay on track" means looting the emergency fund to appear to balance the budget. It means lying about the other candidates who have NEVER said they are building another school. It means lying about a 6-point plan. It means forcing Dr. Yonson to take a contract cut. It means forcing the principal to do two jobs. It means shipping out the high school students to the lowest quality alternative school (stopped only by huge numbers of irate parents). It means lowering taxes with no consideration to the safety or education of the students.

floating duck, 05-11-09, 3:36 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
How about being told to GET OUT OF YOUR HOME? That is just about as rediculous as telling families that sorry but Morrisville needs to get out of the education business so we cannot have your children here so there goes your home value! Some young families moved here FOR the small school system. Our child is not a number but has a name and I do not feel that children should wonder were they are going to attend school! How would you feel not knowing were you go to work day to day. Ignorance is bliss and I'm saddened by all of the ignorance in this could be amazing small town. If you do not want to live in a family oriented town YOU GET OUT. We are staying and fighting FOR OUR CHILDREN and quality of LIFE.

False Profit, 05-11-09, 3:49 pm | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
More than a few lies or distortions packed in there, including:

1. This board majority raised test scores.

This board majority had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the higher PSSA test scores. The most recent tests Mihok's crowing about were taken in Spring 2008, before the board majority's 1st budget was even passed. BLATANT LIE!

2. Taxes in the borough decreased last year by 39 mils or 600 for the average homeowner.

Huh? First off, 39 mils equates to $702 in Morrisville, so Mihok's math is WRONG. Actually, school taxes decreased by 17.8 mils ($321) for the average homeowner. Another $217 per homeowner (12.1 mils) came from gambling revenue that the school board had NOTHING TO DO WITH. Way to try to take credit for that!

Boro taxes INCREASED by 3.5 mils ($70) - does Mihok want to take credit for that?

Why did school taxes go down $321? The board defeased (gave back) most of the bond money for new school construction or renovations (which cost taxpayers $2.5 million long-term), and took $1.1 million (19 mils) from the district's "fund balance" (savings account).

So, in effect, Mihok's really saying..."Hey, reduce taxes last year, we cost taxpayers $2.5 million over the long-haul, and drained over $1 million from the savings account left by prior boards - don't we look GOOD???"

No, I don't think you do.

False Profit, 05-11-09, 3:57 pm | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
"I will never, never, ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member."

- Marlys Mihok
Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 9:27 a.m.

False Profit, 05-11-09, 4:07 pm | Rate: Flag -3 Flag | Flag Report
Mihok sez --> That free hot dog in exchange for your vote will really cost you $1,500 dollars a year every year in tax increases to house their own children in unnecessary new construction.

Then why does the flier being handed out by her allies say the tax increase will be $3,300?

Forget about the fact that no new school can be built without voter approval. Can you and your cronies at least get your lies straight and settle on a number?

At least the blowhard McCarthy-like Senator in "The Manchurian Candidate" eventually settled on 57 card-carrying commies in Congress after checking out a Heinz Ketchup bottle!

False Profit, 05-11-09, 4:15 pm | Rate: Flag -4 Flag | Flag Report
Oh, and why did Mihok and crony board candidate Ron Stout camp out across the park on the rainy Sunday when many citizens and school board candidates were under the pavillion actually having reasonable discussions with their hot dogs & soda?

Creepy and sad, but TRUE!

Mihok should have taken a picture - it would have lasted longer! Then again, maybe she did?

ADDED May 12: Wow. Who knew Marlys had so many fans?

Note To Self, 05-11-09, 5:07 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
Call the IRS:
To make sure I am correct that the QSRE is violating their 501C3 status by campaigning in any way for/against political candidates during any election cycle!
Have a nice day :)

davidi n Morrisville, 05-11-09, 5:32 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
I have been accused of wanting a new school, by Mrs. Mihok. I believe that in a perfect world, we would all like to live in, go to school in, work in, brand new buildings. I have said that the people of Morrisville would like a new school, but we flat out cannot afford it --- and state law mandates a referendum to decide the matter by the people of Morrisville. Apparently, again, Mrs. Mihok doesn't know the law. She spews lies about people she disagrees with but won't have the respect to face someone and argue truths, not fantacy of her own making. She claims 2 candidates made pro new school comments. She doesn't even know who they are. One of those she accused isn't running for anything, he made some comments at a meeting about closing M R Reiter school. Shes not a very detail orriented person I guess. I haven't heard them talk at all about the students during ANY of their meetings. When asked if they could hire a 1 on 1 aide since 5 have left the district, Hellman and Mihok only asked what was their salary, did they get benefits, and do we pay into retirement for them. How about do we need them? how are they being utilized now? How many students are they helping and do we need more? The only way any were hired is because the pres and his wondrous sidekick Al weren't at the meeting. Sad, very sad. They care only about the checkbook. I care about the students and the taxpayers. I have payed taxes here for 18 years and have 1 duaghter who grasduated from Morrisville and 1 in 9th grade. Between the entire sitting board, there is 1 child in the system. Mrs. Mihok has told bald faced lies for her own agrandizement and benefit. It's sad she can't hold her head any higher than the curb she has stooped to.

slimjim01, 05-11-09, 5:34 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
The above article is a low blow...even for you Marlys! Marlys seems determined to destroy Morrisville. As the mouthpiece for the "Stay on Track" team, she should get her facts straight before spouting off in the press...maybe the water in the hot tub was too much, and she is not able to think clearly these days, or maybe it was the flash from her camera while taking pictures of children(creepy , I know!!)and she is not able to see things for what they are. Morrisville deserves better!!!

charley, 05-11-09, 5:42 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
Does anyone have pictures of the post-explosion boiler from M.R. Reiter? Those pics need to be circulated throughout Mo'ville so the residents can see how effective the current board has been and how much they care about the students.

It's a shame that a nice town like Mo'ville gets shackled with a school board that is led by a sneaky, arrogant knucklehead like Hellmann.

To "floating duck," my point in my last post was that the current school board is rotten and they should not be in the education business. I'm sorry to have not made that more clear. I have nephews in the Mo'ville school system and they've had wonderful teachers. There are great educators, staff, and students in that school district. The kids are loyal to their schools and my one nephew who was in Reiter and is now stuck in a portable at Grandview still talks about his "old" school and misses it terribly. I feel the current board has woefully short-changed the students in Mo'ville and should be too ashamed of themselves to even consider asking to be re-elected.

gratefullee, 05-11-09, 10:16 pm | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
As the blog so nicely points out, Quid Pro Quo.

From http://savethemorrisvilleschool.blogs... :

-----Original Message-----
From: bill hellmann [mailto:bill hellmann cpa@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:55 AM
To: Heater, Gloria
Cc: bill hellmann
Subject: RE: engineering services, high school boilers
i am the one that stirs the drink. if i sit there, yonson's spending
will kill this town. she has two puppet board members that do whatever
she tells them, and the TINY pro-schoolers crew. ha ha ha! they are all
sand pounders. ha ha ha !
one by one they are either leaving or being replaced. soon, yonson will
be by herself. i have been talking to bill farrara and i like him and
so do other board members. he likes the consolidation we are talking
about (tuitioning out). i assured him we will always need a super and
at least one principal.
i know i am not polite at the meetings. i will work on that and try to
be more patient and respectful to the other fools. my problem is i
have little patience for incompetence and i am surrounded by those
types of people up there.
--------------- --------------- --------
Is this the kind of person you want running your town's school? No school = no one moving in and investing their family's future and money. Ironic that he talks about Yonson's puppets, given that Mihok and crew vote lockstep with Hellmann who, as you can see from the aforementioned e-mail, is a mature, thoughtful, individual who cares so much about the future of the school and students (can you feel the sarcasm?).

leatherk, 05-12-09, 7:24 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
A vote for Worob, Buckman, Stout, and DeWilde is a vote for Hellmann and Mihok. Staying on track is voting to continue intolerance, secrecy, and an "us versus them mentality".

charley, 05-12-09, 8:57 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
"Mr. Leather filed a timely appeal of the denial on April 3, 2009 seeking copies of the “six-point plan.” Mr. Leather subsequently indicated that he was only appealing the denial of a copy of the “six point plan.” After the filing of the appeal, Mr. DeAngelo provided the OOR with a sworn attestation that a record containing a “six point plan” does not exist."

Is this the kind of school board the students of Morrisville deserve? I believe they deserve much MUCH better than Hellmann and his current cabal.

lurch03, 05-12-09, 9:30 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
I find it mindboggling that Marlys and her crew would take credit for the higher test scores. They had nothing to do with it. The real test will be this years PSSA results. The current board majority has done nothing for the education of the children. They are only interested in lower taxes!!Some in their crew even want to eliminate them altogether!http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/l...
Isn't the author of this a big supporter of Hellman&Co? Morrisville voters should be vary aware of the tactics Marlys and her crew are up to. Unethical...yes ....Do not vote for the "stay on track" candidates!!!!T hey will further derail Morrisville!

lurch03, 05-12-09, 9:44 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
"Placing children in classrooms without smoke detectors was outrageous to us."

Marlys.....why did it take you 16 months to install fire alarms? If children were of your concern don't you think this should have been done sooner?? Oh that's right....

"I will never, never, ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member."

- Marlys Mihok
Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 9:27 a.m.

You have already answered that for us!!

ANGRY PARENT, 05-12-09, 10:04 am | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
Marlys is there any reason you need to LIE? Are you scared you're going to lose? You know darn well that there is NO TALK about a new school being built!!!!! Test scores ha ha That's a big THANKS to Dr Yonson! She is the one who made the difference, how can you take credit when you weren't even on the board yet? you could careless what our test scores are. you know if they keep falling Moville will be in trouble,,,like shutting down schools...That would just make your day HUH?
We need BECK, MILLER, JENKINS & STONEBURNER for our school board. THEY CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE!!!!
KEEP UP ALL YOUR LIES BECAUSE THEY WILL JUST HIT YOU IN THE FACE LATER.....

False Profit, 05-12-09, 10:05 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
PSSA scores have been trending higher for about the last 5 yrs., which coincides with Dr. Yonson's arrival as Superintendent.

When the Mihok board majority took power at the end of 2007, what did they do? They spent a couple grand of taxpayer $$$ for a law firm to evaluate Dr. Yonson's signed 5-yr. contract, then ripped it up and handed her a 3-yr. deal - take it or shove it.

Dr. Yonson easily could have not signed it, sued for breach of contract, and won - all at taxpayer expense. She didn't, which is a testiment to her placing children's and taxpayer concerns above her own personal concerns.

But Dr. Yonson knows a hostile board majority that doesn't properly value education when she sees one. She's now a finalist for a Superintendent postion in Springfield, Montgomery County. More turnover, more turmoil.

Just another of many short-sighted, hard-headed, hostile, arrogant decisions by the board majority.

A gimmicky tax cut isn't worth the price. Let's give others a chance. Please vote: BECK, MILLER, JENKINS, STONEBURNER.

lurch03, 05-12-09, 10:11 am | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
Well said angry parent!!!
The whole town knows the new school is a dead idea!!If ever a new school idea is brought up again it will have to go to a vote by the people of the town(ie: referendum). The only ones who do not get this are the current board majority(Hellma n & co.).
Vote May 19
BECK,MILLER,JEN KINS,STONEBURNE R for school board!
They will not lie to you!

False Profit, 05-12-09, 10:19 am | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
I keep wondering when all the lies are going to catch up with her. I hope the increase in lying about baseline levels is a sign that the election is really close this time, and may not go her way.

But stranger things have happened. For example, Mihok, Worob, and many others campaigned for the now-hated Sandy Gibson board she blasts. In many ways, she helped make the stinky smelly bed we're all now lying in. Thanks! All told, we spent about $5 million to plan and then tank a new school - so in the end we're getting $7 million in renovations for $12 million. What a bargain! And still we have trailers at Grandview Elementary.

And wasn't Mihok on the 1990's board that improperly locked out teachers/aides, which ended up costing taxpayers over $1 million?

As Sonny & Cher said, the beat goes on......

False Profit, 05-12-09, 10:20 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
Ooops, I meant above, not about, baseline levels!

False Profit, 05-12-09, 10:39 am | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
Mihok was caught in a lie to Courier Times reporter Kate Fratti last year.

Mihok lied and said Dr. Yonson hadn't informed the board about a deadline for passing a tax cap resolution. Dr. Yonson had informed the board, and she had the tapes to prove it.

Given Mihok's documented history of lying, I'm surprised the Courier Times didn't fact-check her article before printing it. Newspapers have an obligation to print the truth, and she has burned them before.

charley, 05-12-09, 1:08 pm | Rate: Flag 0 Flag | Flag Report
From Kate Fratti's column on the situation in Mo'ville:

"In an e-mail written to the rest of the board fewer than 24 hours after the boiler blew, board President Bill Hellmann indicated a shuttered M.R. Reiter is just what he’d hoped for. The emphasis is all his.

“If we close both elementary schools and put everybody in the high school, we will save a FORTUNE in operating costs. EVERY YEAR. The pro new-schoolers wanted a K-12 school. Well here it is. The other people who might not want a K-12 are a minority and when they see their reduced tax bill on July 1 of each year, they just may change their minds in these new tough economic times. We will save ANOTHER fortune by not repairing either of those two buildings. We will solve the M.R. Reiter problem. CLOSE THIS RAT TRAP NOW.”

Hellmann’s e-mail makes it clear why in June he eliminated Reiter from a list of buildings to be examined by engineers in preparation for eventual renovations that might have prevented the explosion. And, it’s clear, now, why the board’s been dragging its feet on fixes to Grandview Elementary School, too.

Rat traps.

Hellmann, Brenda Worob, Marlys Mihok, Al Radosti, Bill Farrell and Gloria Heater were voted into office by an electorate that desperately wanted to stop construction of a new K-12 building it could not afford. The winning slate promised voters they’d renovate existing buildings instead.

They lied. Some of them have said privately they’d like to rid the borough of the entire school system.

One school down. Two to go."

Oh, and keep up the good work clicking on all those little red down arrows. Whoever is doing that should have the guts to jump in here and defend the current board. I guess they won't because the current board is indefensible. Period.

lurch03, 05-12-09, 1:48 pm | Rate: Flag 1 Flag | Flag Report
Its people like Marlys Mihok that give Morrisville a bad reputation.

Vote May 19
BECK, MILLER, JENKINS, STONEBURNER for school board!

False Profit, 05-12-09, 2:55 pm | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
Remember this Bill Hellmann, CPA (aka King, My King, Emperor, My Emperor, etc. to Marlys Mihok) email?

Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:51 AM
i just spoke to mike [presumably Fitzpatrick, Board Solicitor] about school closings. he said it would take a year for hearings, etc. but we could put mr reiter kids in grandview or high school in an EMERGENCY situation. this is good. it will give us an excuse to get them out, quickly. once they are out of mr reiter, lets keep them
out! also, we do not have the money to build out anywhere. we need to renovate and ADAPT, only.

False Profit, 05-12-09, 3:01 pm | Rate: Flag -1 Flag | Flag Report
Or this one, just 4 days after the MR Reiter Elementary furnace explosion:

December 17, 2008, 9:21 am, subject Injunction – “I think they [presumably the Borough] would have filed an injunction if the school board tried to reopen it without consent from the Borough Engineer as far as safety is concerned. Here is our chance. CLOSE THIS RAT TRAP NOW. TELL FRATTI!!! HA HA HA. I AM THE ANTI-CHRISTTTTT TTTT.”

Check the January 5, 2009 board meeting minutes at the link below if you don't believe it.

http://www.mv.org/files/16907/JAN.5.2...

charley, 05-12-09, 4:08 pm | Rate: Flag -2 Flag | Flag Report
Also from the 01/05/09 meeting minutes:

"Marlys Mihok read a statement:
At the February 27, 2008 school board meeting Mr. Tim Lastichen, our building maintenance supervisor stated that his main concern was the heating system at Reiter. It scared him. Tim stated that we should be looking into the heating system at Reiter. At that meeting Mr. Hellmann made a motion to have an engineering safety study done on both elementary schools. Board members voting yes were Hellmann, Farrell and Worob. I was absent. Members voting no were Kemp, Reithmeyer and Frankenfield. The motion was defeated 3-3. The safety study was not done. Mr. Hellmann wanted the record to show that the safety issues and the nay votes were not following. These are safety issues that should be fixed immediately. On March 12, 2008 when the full board was present Mrs. Reithmeyer brought up a paper called “House Rules.” This is not a part of our board policy. The House Rules state in part “motions defeated can not be reintroduced until the 3rd business meeting.” Dr. Yonson supported Mrs. Reithmeyer
Special meeting of Board of Directors on this issue. Subsequently, the engineering safety study on the elementary schools was not put on the agenda on this night. Mrs. Reithmeyer not only voted against having the engineering safety study done at the 2 elementary schools on February 27, 2008, her, Mr. Kemp and Dr. Yonson also blocked it from being put on the agenda meeting on March 12, 2008. Nine months later the furnace exploded at Reiter and windows shattered. What would the parents of children say to Mr. Kemp and Mrs. Reithmeyer if the windows blew out in their child’s face? Our children were put at risk of injury or worse by Mrs. Reithmeyer, Mr. Kemp and Dr. Yonson.

Mr. Hellmann: stated that everybody on this board has made mistakes in the past year. If we keep fighting we will not get anything done. It’s time to get together and solve our problems.

Mr.Kemp: you say this after asking Marlys to read this pointing fingers and me and Robin, Dr. Yonson and Ed who at the time said we already have a report, why do we need another one? We know what’s wrong why not fix it?

Mrs. Reithmeyer: Mr. Lastichen did say it needed to be fixed and your half-baked report, that your company admittedly told us was a ‘cursory” report. Then when we looked at the boilers I sat here and argued vehemently with you because you wouldn’t put Reiter on the list. You didn’t want to include Reiter. You only did two burners are Grandview because Tim begged for it.

Mr. Hellmann: I wanted Reiter left off because I didn’t think that school was safe.

Mrs. Reithmeyer: That’s right; so don’t be blaming me for it. It’s on your shoulders. You and Marlys can burden it."

Okay, so Hellmann & Co. KNEW that Reiter was dangerous and DID NOTHING to keep the kids in there safe, but Mihok sure was quick to lay the blame on three others, including Dr. Yonson. Oh, wait, they did install some fire alarms in some classrooms. Safety first, huh Mihok?

False Profit, 05-12-09, 4:38 pm | Rate: Flag 1 Flag | Flag Report
At the Feb. 27, 2008 meeting, Hellmann wanted to do cheapo, flimsy, walk-through, open nothing reports for the 2 elementary schools.

In Jan. 2008, he hired a firm to do this for the High School. He hired them ON HIS OWN, without board authorization.
The board had to bail him out by voting at the Jan. 30, 2008 meeting to pay for the High School report, or risk being sued by the firm for failure to pay.

Hellmann has demonstrated over and over again that he can't or won't follow rules, and only gets away with it because he has loyal followers like Mihok, Worob, and Buckman to bail him out.

Enough is enough! The ends don't justify the means!

Please vote:
BECK, MILLER, JENKINS, STONEBURNER for school board on May 19!

False Profit, 05-12-09, 4:46 pm | Rate: Flag 1 Flag | Flag Report
Refresh my memory again on who was ABSENT at the Feb. 27, 2008 meeting and could have broken the 3-3 deadlock?

Oh, that's right. Marlys Mihok.

Hellmann Mihok crony Al Radosti was absent too.

Gloria Heater was absent too, and might have voted with them back then, but I think she has since seen what a horror show they really are.

And what would a winning vote have achieved? Why, 2 more cheapo, flimsy, walk-through, open nothing reports for the 2 elementary schools, even though the inadequacies of, and problems with, all 3 schools had already been thoroughly studied.

Stay on Track

2009-05-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

Thirteen days to the primary election.

I do not think anyone needs the services of the departed Pennsylvania Avenue psychic to know who I might be supporting in the primary.

Stay on track: It implies safety and stability, organization and capability, plan and purpose.

For anyone who read through that last line and was able to envision any of Hellmann's Heroes as exemplars of those qualities, my hat's off to you.

Where's the plan? Those were Ed Frankenfield's last public words, while he was shouted down and berated from the audience by a borough councilman (and school board spouse) no less. There's no shame in wanting a plan. We're still waiting for something. Anything. [Check the "Frankenfield" and "Frankenfield Question" links to the left.]

Save the School: Building a new school would have been preferable to the mess we have right now. But that's gone. The bond was sold in the dark of night by the Emperor acting alone for $2.5 million dollars. Even some of the board members did not know those details. Shame on them for not asking for the details. Shame on the Emperor for acting alone. Shame on the board for enabling this behavior. [Check the "defeasement" links to the left.]

Reality check time people: The new school is dead, buried, done, gone, shiva is over, the black bunting is placed away, the flag's back at full mast, the grave marker is placed, the flowers have wilted, Jack Kevorkian has left town, and there's no corpse to deep freeze and place next to Ted Williams and Walt Disney. I'm not sure how many more metaphors I can use to describe the lack of life here. Any sort of expenditure like that is not possible without a town-wide referendum.

Pride, Integrity, and Accountability: Pride as in "I will not invest in this town and will advise my clients not to invest in this town." Integrity as in "Whose house will we have the next secret meeting at? I can bring the donuts!" Accountability as in "This is what we stand for and you can double check because we left a visible paper trail. NOT!" [Check the "accountability" and "leadership" links to the left]

I'm having a hard time dealing with the "accountability" issue. Each time I turn around, I'm told that someone or other is behind on municipal payments of one type or another. [Complete deniability: I do not know for certain of ANYONE who is or is not behind and I am not naming any names based on rumor. But you know who you are and you know your current situation. Let the glass houses rule apply.] In March, the board of education denied an appeal to remove the tax penalties of someone who paid one day late. Let's hope everyone who is running for school board and borough offices is paid up on their taxes and municipal bills. Especially if they vote to deny any sort of tax relief for someone else.

Stay on track means there's a starting point, a defined course, and a defined destination. Imagine the track missing somewhere along the way: That's a derailment. Imagine no stations along the way: There's no way to gauge progress (or the lack of it.) Our track so far is made up of the whims and caprices of the Lord High Emperor of Education as aided by the hard-core members of the Board of Accomplices.

Before you say "That's not true!", let's look at Sandy Gibson and Robin Reithmeyer for just a moment. Each were elected with the "stop the school but don't ask too many details" groups of their day. Each was duly seated and started the hard work of doing what they are there to do: look, keep an open mind, consider the options, and use their best judgment to achieve the best decision possible for the broadest group possible.

They strayed from the orthodoxy that got them elected. Heretics! Burn them at the metaphorical stake! And so they were. Their "friends" have dropped them like last month's refrigerator science experiment leftovers. There's a lot of old stop the school campaign shirts out there with the Reithmeyer name crossed out in big, bold strokes and worn like badges of honor.

Badges, yes. Honor, um, not so much.

This all shows the closed mindedness of this band. They cannot allow open examination of their aims or goals because it exposes the fallacies and ill-conceived notions that govern the Bizzaro world where they live. The only problem with this is now it's the Bizzaro world where you live too.

The links to your left are filled with day to day information on nearly two years of shenanigans. I humbly ask you to take a look through the pages collected. If you can look through there and still believe that staying on track is the wisest course, then I thank you for your time and ask that you please vote your conscience.

If, however, you can see a brighter future where the borough council can work with the school directors, where the school directors will work with the public, parents, teachers, and staff in a fair and open manner, then you need to look for Pride, Respect, and Responsibility.

Beck, Miller, Jenkins, and Stoneburner for Morrisville School Board

Morrisville, Pennsbury can't overcome differences

2009-05-03T07:11:00.005-04:00

From the Inquirer.

Morrisville, Pennsbury can't overcome differences

[Also printed in the BCCT]

[Also printed in the Trentonian with a great "stay on track" front page picture of desolation and despair]

You talkin about me? Our plight, and our shame, has gone national.

KATHY MATHESON Posted on Sat, May. 2, 2009
The Associated Press

MORRISVILLE, Pa. - From the outside, the M.R. Reiter Elementary School looks like any other school tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood , except there are no kids on the playground, no swings on the swing set, no flag on the flagpole. It's been closed since a boiler exploded in December.

No one was injured, but the explosion seemed to some to be another indication that the Morrisville School District needs to get out of the education business. Despite having one of the highest school tax rates in Bucks County, students learn in aging facilities and have less-than-stellar test scores to show for it.

Even school board president Bill Hellmann says tiny Morrisville, with only 825 students, is too small to have its own district.

"It's kind of ridiculous," Hellmann said.

Some think Morrisville would be a perfect candidate for a merger under Gov. Ed Rendell's push to save money by consolidating the state's 500 districts into 100. The problem is that Morrisville's nearest neighbor, the more affluent Pennsbury School District, isn't interested.

Headquartered about 30 miles northeast of Philadelphia in Fallsington, Pennsbury has about 11,500 students and much higher SAT scores, a broader curriculum and better facilities , including two pools and a football stadium.

But Pennsbury also has problems. Its 3,400-student high school is near capacity, three of its 15 schools are striving to meet all federal educational standards and officials are trying to close a $12 million gap in next year's budget.

"We're struggling as it is to try to meet the needs of our students and be responsible to our tax base," said Pennsbury school board president Greg Lucidi.

Morrisville is a 2-square-mile borough just across the Delaware River from Trenton, N.J. Its $20 million annual school budget pays to operate a combined middle school/high school and two elementary schools, though elementary students are temporarily consolidated on one campus.

The local rubber plant and steel mill have closed, leaving its 10,000 residents with little commercial or industrial tax revenue and meager room for growth. As a result, its school tax rate is 29 percent higher than Pennsbury's.

The Pennsbury district's $174 million budget covers 15 schools across a large swath of Bucks County and is supported by a broad tax base, from manicured subdivisions and office parks to farmland and shopping centers.

Talk of merging the two districts goes back decades, but money, logistics and emotions have always gotten in the way.

In 1956, the Pennsylvania Economy League determined that Morrisville would benefit from a merger in part because of projected financial difficulties. Those problems were evident by 1971, when then-Superintendent Paul Phillips warned that Morrisville students would be shortchanged unless the district reorganized.

"Our program will deteriorate ... because of the tremendous demands which will be placed on the schools by society for a better educational program, as well as by state regulations," he wrote in a memo to the school board. "It cannot be provided with a small financial base which now exists in our town."

A 1986 Morrisville study suggested that sending its 7th through 12th graders to Pennsbury on a tuition basis "could be the best of all worlds." But it never happened; Pennsbury was experiencing explosive growth at the time as developers built up farmland in its bedroom communities for Philadelphia, New York and Princeton, N.J.

In 2004, the Pennsbury board refused to participate in a merger study, leaving it unclear what costs or savings might be realized through consolidation.

Some suggest the resistance stems in part from race and class tensions. About half of Morrisville students are minority, compared with about 12 percent of Pennsbury students.

Lucidi disputes that.

"We're not rich," he said. "We have a diversity of students and a diversity of taxpayers in our district."

But there are other obstacles to a merger: transportation costs, since Morrisville doesn't use buses; teacher salaries, if lower-paid Morrisville teachers join the Pennsbury union; and concern over disparities in standardized test scores.

"Adding a whole new population of students that haven't been through our processes could be detrimental to our scores," Lucidi said.

Pennsbury's average 1040 SAT score dwarfs Morrisville's 810. But on state assessments, 74 percent of Morrisville students scored proficient or better in math compared with 79 percent of Pennsbury students; in reading, Morrisville scored 68 percent proficient to Pennsbury's 80 percent.

Some have suggested the state could grant Pennsbury "test amnesty," allowing it to omit Morrisville students' scores for a given number of years, if the districts merged.

Morrisville tried to reinvent itself by building a new K-12 campus a few years ago, but taxpayer acrimony led to the plan being scrapped. Sandy Gibson, a former Morrisville board president, left town because of that and what she calls a lack of commitment to the students.

"Morrisville is never, ever going to invest in itself," she said.

So while Pennsbury solicits bids to turn one of its 11 elementary schools into a "green" building, Morrisville may permanently close M.R. Reiter. Asbestos was dislodged when the boiler exploded.

Officials in both communities say a merger will only happen if Harrisburg forces it , and helps finance it.

State Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks, said it's not clear that Pennsbury would be the best fit for Morrisville, and that perhaps it's the wrong question to be asking.

"The question is whether or not Morrisville can sustain a school district," Galloway said. "Half the people in that town believe they can sustain a school district. The other half believe Morrisville's in a lot of trouble."

Quid Pro Quo

2009-05-02T09:35:00.003-04:00

We continue our look at the royal email chain, and this one is a doozy.

Does anyone remember the Emperor's warm endorsement of Bill Ferrara as a wonderful principal who would make a fine superintendent some day?

It's backed up by this email.

-----Original Message-----
From: bill hellmann [mailto:bill hellmann cpa@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:55 AM
To: Heater, Gloria
Cc: bill hellmann
Subject: RE: engineering services, high school boilers
i am the one that stirs the drink. if i sit there, yonson's spending
will kill this town. she has two puppet board members that do whatever
she tells them, and the TINY pro-schoolers crew. ha ha ha! they are all
sand pounders. ha ha ha !
one by one they are either leaving or being replaced. soon, yonson will
be by herself. i have been talking to bill farrara and i like him and
so do other board members. he likes the consolidation we are talking
about (tuitioning out). i assured him we will always need a super and
at least one principal.
i know i am not polite at the meetings. i will work on that and try to
be more patient and respectful to the other fools. my problem is i
have little patience for incompetence and i am surrounded by those
types of people up there.

That, my friends, is a "quid pro quo". You support my tuitioning out scheme and I'll make sure you have a job.

You've seen the quid pro quo in action most recently in Illinois as Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached for his attempt to sell the open U.S. Senate seat previously occupied by Barack Obama. You make a donation to me, I'll get a Senate seat for you.

I have only heard and seen good things with Mr. Ferrara, which is what makes this all the more tragic. Roland Burris, from all accounts, is a good man too.

It's also clear that they shortened Dr. Yonson's contract from five to three years "safe" in the knowledge that the Emperor had already identified her successor.

To our readers outside of the Morrisville area: Our apologies for putting on such a good show. It makes us look like a bunch of rubes who couldn't govern an ice cream truck without help. But if our bad example stops you from committing the same mistakes, you're welcome.

Parents and friends: If this does not make you think twice about what "keep on track" means, then I'm not sure what will. Keep on track is a vote for Hellmann and everything he has done.

Another probable swine flu case in PA

2009-05-02T09:31:00.004-04:00

From the BCCT.

Another probable swine flu case in PA
By: JO CIAVAGLIA
Bucks County Courier Times

Pennsylvania health officials aren’t sure when they’ll receive advanced testing kits that would allow faster confirmation of suspected swine flu cases, as the number of probable cases in the state continues growing.

Health officials anticipated the first shipment would be received by Monday at the latest, but with the number of states and cases growing by the hour, the CDC is prioritizing distribution to states with confirmed swine flu cases.

Pennsylvania had no confirmed swine flu cases as of Friday, though two more suspicious cases were added Friday.

“We’re not sure when they will be coming in,” state health spokeswoman Holli Senior said Friday.

The specialized test kits allow state health officials to confirm swine flu cases without forwarding the specimens to CDC labs, which has been overwhelmed with suspected positive samples.

Meanwhile, local county officials are stepping up surveillance efforts.

The Bucks health department is requiring schools to track and forward daily absences among students and staff involving flu-like symptoms. In Montgomery County, 9-1-1 callers can expect to be asked if anyone at the caller’s location is experiencing flu-like symptoms so that first responders can take appropriate precautions if necessary.

As of Friday, Pennsylvania had six unconfirmed swine flu cases — two in Montgomery and four in Philadelphia.

At least five cases were described as mild infections and the patients have recovered or recovering, health officials said. State health officials had no details for the latest case involving a 39 year-old woman.

Those suspected cases are the only ones with unknown genetic fingerprints among more than 100 positive type A flu samples the state tested last week, state health spokeswoman Stacy Kriedeman said.

Locally, Doylestown Hospital tested at least 25 people with flu-like symptoms since Monday, and Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Township tested at least 22, hospital officials said. Only one Lower Bucks patient was positive, but for influenza type B, spokesman John Coffman said.

Medical and public health officials are following a three-step process for confirming a person is infected with the new swine flu, which health officials are now calling the 2009 H1N1.

If a rapid flu test is positive for type A influenza, the most common flu virus, the specimen is forwarded to the state department of health for further analysis.

Scientists then look for specific genetic fingerprints known as virus subtypes. If the subtype is unknown, swine flu is suspected and the specimen is sent to the CDC for conclusive testing, Kriedeman said.

Adding to challenges facing public health workers is the regular flu season hasn’t ended, meaning those viruses, which include a human type A H1N1 subtype, are still circulating. Also, false-positive influenza test results are more likely to occur when disease prevalence is low, which is generally at the beginning and end of the influenza season, according to the CDC.

Montgomery County officials reported a second probable swine flu case Friday involving a 28 year-old Lower Merion man who became sick on April 28. The man had not traveled in the last month and he had no known contact with ill people, according to county health officials.

The four other probable cases involve three Philadelphia residents, a 25-year-old man and 46-year-old female, and 2-year-old child and a 31-year-old Mexican man visiting Upper Merion.

The unidentified visitor, who had a valid work visa, reportedly became ill as he was traveling to the U.S. from Mexico last weekend, said Mike Baysinger, Montgomery County’s deputy director of personal health services.

The man was traveling alone and did not interact with people after he became ill, Baysinger said. He became sick on April 25, but has since completely recovered.

Probable swine flu cases are recommended to self-isolate at their homes and complete appropriate anti-viral treatment.

At least 17 U.S. states have confirmed more than 150 swine flu cases and one death, according to state and federal counts. Some scientists Friday said the virus is showing little staying power in the cities with the most cases and suggested that it may lack the genetic guts of previous killer bugs.

The identical, previously unseen flu virus has spread to at least 12 countries, though most infected were only mildly sickened. In Mexico, where the virus originated, it is suspected of sickening more than 3,000 people and killing for than 160.

The official world count for the fast-spreading 2009 H1N1 influenza, virus was almost 600 confirmed cases in 12 countries with 10 deaths, the World Health Organization said Friday, though the number is believed to be much larger.

Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at 215 949-4181 or jciavaglia@phillyBurbs.com. For more health and fitness information, visit Jo’s blog at www.phillyburbs.com/opinions/blogs/courier_blogs/jo_ciavaglia

FLU CLUES
? Human influenza virus usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 are the only known Influenza A virus subtypes currently circulating among humans.
? Influenza Type A is the most common and also the scariest of the three influenzas, causing the most serious epidemics in history. H1N1 flu strains caused roughly half of all flu infections in 2006.
? Other strains of H1N1 are endemic in pigs and birds.
? Four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1, however most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.
? The H1N1 swine flu virus circulating globally now is not the same as human H1N1 viruses, meaning that the vaccines for human seasonal flu won’t provide protection from swine flu viruses. But the swine flu bug circulating does respond successfully to antiviral treatment.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Galloway: Pensions a 'snowballing crisis'

2009-05-01T08:03:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Kudos to Rep. Galloway for hearing the outcry and starting a legislative response.

Sen. McIlhinney believes "the state needs to do something." That's a bold call for action..NOT. Even our school board members think the state should so something. The difference here, sir, is that you're one of the ones who is a "do-somethinger" in this mess. Let's get your do-something machine in gear sometime this decade, if you would?

Contact Senator Chuck McIlhinney (R-PA 10th) and Representative John T. Galloway (D-PA 140th)

Galloway: Pensions a 'snowballing crisis'
By: JAMES MCGINNIS
Bucks County Courier Times

The pension fund for school employees reported a loss of $1.7 billion. The fund for state workers said it lost $11 billion.

The global recession has only added to a "snowballing crisis" with state pensions and, without a special commission, it's only going to get worse for taxpayers, state Rep. John Galloway, D-140, said Thursday.

Galloway has joined a long line of Pennsylvania lawmakers to ring alarm bells over two pensions - one for Pennsylvania's teachers and the other for all state workers. He sent a letter this week to the speaker of House of Representatives, calling for a commission on the pensions.

Each fund lost billions of dollars in 2008 and, unless the economy turns around, Pennsylvania could be forced by law to raise taxes to support those funds in 2012, lawmakers said.

The Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System reported a loss of $1.7 billion in 2008. There's about $60 billion left.

The state workers pension fund reported a loss of $11 billion, leaving $24 billion in the fund at the beginning of 2009.

Galloway said he believes the traditional legislative process of sending such matters to a committee for research and consideration simply wasn't going to work this time.

"I think the problem is so large - it's not something that we can just deal with in committee," he said. We need to act on this, and a (traditional) committee might never even come to the floor (of the House).

"A speaker's commission would bring in all the different committees and put more pressure on us to act," Galloway continued. "We're getting a lot of pressure to just do nothing and wait and see if the economy can just turn this around."

"But what if it doesn't?" Galloway said.

State Rep. Scott Petri, R-178, said he "would not oppose anything that brings more attention and urgency to this problem. Waiting and knowing, and just letting it stew is not resolving it.

"Before the recession, it looked like we were starting to build a way out of this hole - at least a way to make the hole smaller," Petri added. "But then the economy made a turn for the worse."

A number of state lawmakers are trying to secure federal stimulus funds to try and plug that hole, Petri added.

While he would support a speaker's commission, state Rep. Tony Melio, D-141, said lawmakers can't seriously consider any ideas that cost Pennsylvania more money.

"We had a meeting with the appropriations chairman, who told us that we just don't have any money and we can't spend any more money," Melio said. "Until we get the stimulus fund figured out, we just can't do anything."

State Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-10, said he supported the need for a special convention on the pension and considers it a crisis. The state needs to do something, he said.

State Rep Gene DiGirolamo, R-18, was less certain of the need for a speaker's commission and he disagreed with Galloway's remarks about the committee process.

"I don't know if I agree with the idea that if it goes into a committee that it would just die in there. I think the committees would have to be part of this process also.

"Whether this is a crisis or not is going to depend on the economy over the next couple of years," DiGirolamo continued. "It's something that we certainly should be studying. What he's proposing - I'm not sure if that's the right approach."

The Pennsylvania school pension fund serves more than 600,000 current and former school employees in Pennsylvania, according to its Web site. The Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System has about 219,000 members, officials said.

Bensalem: No KOIZ

2009-05-01T07:06:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

No tax zone for Horizon center
By: MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times

The Bensalem school board Wednesday night failed to approve a Keystone Opportunity Zone designation for part of the Horizon Corporate Center near the Neshaminy Mall. The five board members present refused to make a motion to consider the issue, so their inaction amounted to a failed vote.

The KOZ program offers tax relief to companies, typically allowing them to pay no property taxes on future development. Tenants also could get waivers from certain business taxes.

Brian O'Neill, who owns O'Neill Properties on Horizon land, gave an impassioned speech claiming that the KOZ designation would draw more business and potentially 2,000 construction jobs to the area during the next few years.

About 100 construction trades union members supported O'Neill at the meeting and left sorely disappointed.

Opponent George Flocco, executive director of Bensalem Economic Development Corp., said the tax breaks would only force township residents to bear an additional tax burden.

If the board had voted for the KOZ proposal, O'Neill Properties would have gone to the township today to get the next part of the needed approvals. Township, county and school district approvals are all needed to allow a property to take advantage of a KOZ.

Board members said it didn't make sense to allow prime real estate like the Horizon Corporate Center to get a break on taxes.

Express Scripts in Bensalem recently got KOZ status in Bristol, making it exempt from several forms of state business taxes through 2020. Its employees would still pay wage taxes to the communities where they live or work.

Dr. Yonson: Say It Ain't So!

2009-04-30T12:13:00.002-04:00

From Montgomery Media.

Public meets with finalists for school district superintendent
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Elizabeth Yonson. Sun staff photos by BOB RAINES
By Nick Malinowski
Staff Writer

With the search for the next Springfield Township School District Superintendent down to two candidates, the school board hosted community meetings Tuesday and Wednesday evening to give resident a chance to examine the finalists.

Superintendent Roseann Nyiri is retiring in July after seven years on the job.

On Tuesday, Elizabeth Yonson, currently the superintendent of the Morrisville School District, spent the day in Springfield, meeting teachers, administrators, staff and students before addressing parents and answering their questions in the high school auditorium.

The Morrisville district has a student enrollment of 1,050 and an annual budget of about $19 million.

Yonson told the 25 parents in attendance at the high school auditorium Tuesday that Springfield, which is larger than Morrisville yet more intimate than other districts, would allow her to be personally involved with the staff, a prospect she found attractive.

Of her five years at Morrisville, Yonson said she was most proud of raising the proficiency levels and closing the achievement gap between white students and students of many minority groups.

Questions from parents included concerns about Yonson’s commitment to the position, planned curriculum changes and goals, the importance of athletics and afterschool activities and ways to save money.

On Wednesday, Wendy Royer, director of elementary education in the West Shore School District in New Cumberland, was asked most of the same questions as well as additional ones, many focusing on her lack of experience as a superintendent at another school district.

Royer explained that because of West Shore’s size — 8,000 students — and her work on curricular programs for multiple buildings, she had gained leadership skills that would translate to Springfield.

Both candidates said they appreciated the strong community support for the Springfield School District and would make gaining a firm understanding of the needs of the constituents a priority before looking to make any changes.

Following Wednesday’s meeting with Royer, Laurie Kristiniak, president of the High School/Middle School PTA, said the meetings were a poor forum for parents to get to know the candidates, and that it was impossible to make substantial judgments about either one because many of the questions demanded precise and thoughtful answers that the format did not allow.

The search would have been better had a parent group had the opportunity to meet with each candidate in face-to-face interviews, she said.

“In no way did the search team replace the stakeholders,” she said. “We felt our insight as parents is an insight a majority of the board members don’t have. How can that not be important?”

Fifty-seven candidates applied for the position, and the school board reviewed 16 applications, interviewing six candidates before arriving at two, school board President Malcolm Gran said Wednesday.

The public, teachers and staff were not included in earlier steps of the recruitment process to preserve confidentially, so that rejected candidates were not put in an awkward position within their current districts, Gran said.

Yonson and Royer were eventually selected because of their track records of creating strong curricula and improving their schools, he said.

Although both candidates were relatively local, Yonson from Bucks County and Royer from just outside Harrisburg, Gran said that the national search was necessary.

“We had some fascinating candidates from, really, around the world, one from Italy, one from Canada,” he said.

The board is not required by law to do any type of candidate search, he said.

To decide between Yonson and Royer, the board will again meet with each candidate and go through responses prompted by this week’s meetings from the community and teachers.

A hiring date has not been set, but residents should contact the board with reactions by Sunday, Gran said following Wednesday’s meeting.

Schools Monitoring Flu Progress

2009-04-30T08:08:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Link to the Morrisville District website and specific swine flu recommendations.

Schools closely monitoring situation
If a student is infected with swine flu, the county health department would recommend closing the school for seven days, a county spokeswoman said.
FROM STAFF REPORTS

With Pennsylvania reporting its first probable case of swine flu in Philadelphia Wednesday, local school administrators and public health officials are closely watching the outbreak sweeping across the United States.

Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware are among the states with unconfirmed swine flu reports, while 11 states have confirmed at least 93 cases and one death, a toddler from Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization has raised the swine flu alert level to five, the second highest level meaning it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent. The identical virus has spread to at least seven countries, though most were mildly sickened; Mexico, where the virus originated, is the hardest hit with more than 2,400 sickened and more than 150 deaths.

The suspected first Pennsylvania case occurred in a 2-year old child in Philadelphia who became ill on March 23, according to the state department of health. The child has no known risk factors for exposure to swine flu and he has fully recovered.

With the virus moving human-to-human, national attention has focused on schools where health officials worry it can spread quickly. Most of the U.S. cases so far are connected with two schools in New York City.

President Barack Obama said public health officials are recommending schools with confirmed or suspected cases of swine flu “strongly consider temporarily closing so that we can be as safe as possible.”

The CDC said more U.S. cases have required hospitalizations and a pattern of more severe illness associated with the virus may be emerging in the United States. Typically 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population is infected and 36,000 deaths are blamed on seasonal flu annually.

Pennsylvania health officials have maintained contact with schools this week to keep them updated, spokeswoman Holli Senior said. School districts do not currently submit emergency preparedness plans to the state Department of Education.

If a student is infected with swine flu, the county health department would recommend closing a school for seven days, the infection’s incubation period, Bucks spokeswoman Stacey Hajdak said. But the final decision would be left with the superintendent, she added.

In Bucks County, schools have posted basic swine flu prevention information on Web sites. Public, parochial and private school officials are also monitoring CDC updates and student and staff illnesses, as well as updating parents, officials said.

“As a proactive measure, we will be meeting with all of our staff this week to go over our procedures,” said Leon Poeske, acting director of the Bucks County Technical High School in Bristol Township.

Neshaminy Superintendent Louis Muenker said his schools would follow county and state health department recommendations, unless a national directive requires other action.

Council Rock School District is reevaluating field trips scheduled for cities and other high population areas.

“While we are not taking a position on these trips at this time, changes in the concentration or severity of this reported outbreak will likely force the district to eliminate some or all of these trips,” according to a letter to parents.

Holy Ghost Preparatory High School in Bensalem reported it has an emergency response plan in case a swine flu situation should arise, said Ken Ferrara, the school’s executive director of Institutional Advancement. He doesn’t expect that the school to close because of an outbreak.

The Philadelphia Archdiocese’s superintendent for Catholic education Wednesday sent health department guidelines to its elementary and high school principals, but left it to the administrators’ discretion to forward it to school families, spokeswoman Donna Farrell said.

She added the archdiocese would likely follow the same protocol it uses during the regular flu season.

“We have schools that sometimes have to close because so many teachers are sick, so it is something we’re prepared to deal with,” Farrell said.

Bucks County Community College, which has three campuses, incorporated a pandemic flu response plan into its emergency preparedness manual two years ago, during the avian flu scare.

If a local, state or federal health agency declares a local flu or viral outbreak, which could potentially affect the college, college administrators meet and decide the course of action, according to the manual.

Decisions may include: Closure of the campus in whole or part, delayed semester start, cancellation of a semester, opening up campus as a temporary health facility, continuing college business as usual but taking precautionary medical measures, etc.

Ongoing training of college administrators and information dissemination to campus users will be part of the college’s response to addressing the potential for a pandemic flu, viral outbreak, or other health related emergency.
Staff writers Manasee Wagh, Jo Ciavaglia, Rachel Canelli and Joan Hellyer contributed to this story.

Tech school budget approved

2009-04-30T07:56:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

(NOTE TO DESK - MIGHT WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK YOU REMOVED ALL THE NOTES BEFORE POSTING THE STORY. PRINTER DEVILS HAVE NOW GONE DIGITAL. THX STS)

Tech school budget wins approval
By: JOAN HELLYER
Bucks County Courier Times

Three sending districts will pay more in 2009-10 and the other three will pay less based on the school's funding formula.

By Joan Hellyer

Bucks County Technical High School operations in 2009-10 will be financed with a $22.4 million budget approved by a majority of governing bodies of the sending school districts.

The technical high school's bylaws call for at least four school boards from the sending districts and at least 28 board members of the governing panels to approve the proposed budget.

The Neshaminy school board on Tuesday night pushed the approval process across the finish line with a 7-2 vote in favor of the budget for the school off Wistar Road in Bristol Township.

The Bristol, Morrisville and Pennsbury boards previously approved the "bare bones" budget with 26 members of those governing bodies voting in favor of it.

Bensalem's school board was scheduled Wednesday night to vote on the tech school budget.

The Bristol Township board, however, rejected the financial plan to protest the 15 percent increase its district will pay in 2009-10. The added costs are needed to cover recent enrollment increases of Bristol Township students at the tech school, BCTHS representatives said.

Bensalem and Bristol also will pay more in the coming year while Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury will pay less based on the school's funding formula, officials said.

Bensalem will pay $3,135,268, Bristol's charge is $733,313, Bristol Township's share is $6,503,272, Morrisville will be charged $528,077, Neshaminy's cost is $3,921,993 and Pennsbury will pay $3,643,532, said officials.

Overall, the budget is 2.9 percent greater than the 2008-09 budget, said administrators, who are moving forward to enact the financial plan effective July 1.

(NOTE TO DESK - MIGHT WANT TO CHECK WITH MANASEE WHO IS COVERING BENSALEM MEETING TONIGHT TO SEE WHAT THAT BOARD DECIDES - RIGHT NOW I JUST HAVE IT THAT "BENSALEM'S SCHOOL BOARD WAS SCHEDULED WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO VOTE ON THE TECH SCHOOL BUDGET." THX, JH)

Top Republican assails Gov. Rendell's budget

2009-04-30T07:33:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

Top Republican assails Gov. Rendell's budget
By Angela Couloumbis Posted on Tue, Apr. 28, 2009
Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG - A top Senate Republican yesterday set the stage for a budget showdown with the Rendell administration, saying that the governor's plan reflected "short-term thinking" and that he could not support it without major changes.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman (R., Centre) said the Republican-controlled Senate would soon pass a counterproposal that would call for spending 5 percent less than Gov. Rendell's $29 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

The Republican alternative also would not increase any taxes, he said.

"If we were to adopt [the governor's] plan, we in the legislature would be committing something akin to budgetary malpractice," Corman said at the monthly press club luncheon in Harrisburg.

Corman did not say how Republicans would achieve their spending cuts. He and others have said those details would be released early next month.

Corman said the Republican plan called for reducing Rendell's proposed budget to close to $27.5 billion. While the GOP plan would include the roughly $2 billion in federal stimulus aid that Rendell's budget relies on, it would reject Rendell's proposal to add taxes on tobacco sales, natural-gas extraction, and health-insurance premiums.

Corman acknowledged that reducing Rendell's budget "does not come without pain and does not come without political peril."

"But we absolutely have to do it, and we have to do it now to get our economic house in order," he said.

Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo yesterday countered that "at a time when more Pennsylvanians are looking to government for essential services, it appears the senator's proposal will provide less of them."

He added that "the governor's vision for the commonwealth's future has been endorsed by the electorate twice," and that "the time for rhetorical flourish is long past - it's time to do the hard work necessary to craft a responsible budget."

The deadline to pass the budget is July 1. Since Rendell took office in 2003, no budget has been passed on time.

This year appears no different, with Republicans once again showcasing wide ideological and fiscal differences with the administration.

Rendell's proposed budget includes no broad-based tax increases, but it does seek a 10-cent-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax and new levies on smokeless tobacco and natural-gas reserves.

While education, welfare, corrections, and probation and parole would receive budget increases, every other department faces cuts.

Rendell has proposed eliminating funding for 101 state programs, including schools for the deaf and children of military veterans, and trimming spending for 346.

Neshaminy: Busy Signal, Please Try Again

2009-04-30T07:21:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Board members won't be allowed to call in votes
By: RACHEL CANELLI
Bucks County Courier Times

A motion to allow school board directors to cast their votes by phone narrowly failed.

A policy that would've allowed Neshaminy school board members to participate in meetings by phone was disconnected Tuesday night.

The vote failed 4-5 with only board members William O'Connor, William Spitz, Susan Cummings and Joseph Blasch voting yes.

The process would've let no more than one director per meeting call into a public board meeting and vote via phone. And each board member would have been able to make such a request only once a year through the board president or superintendent, according to the policy.

O'Connor, who works in sales and marketing, requested the guideline so he wouldn't have to miss too many board meetings for unexpected business trips. He wanted the rule to allow two directors per meeting to vote by phone twice a year since his job takes him a few times a year to places like South Carolina, Puerto Rico and Germany. O'Connor said he missed two or three meetings in the last year.

Board member Richard Eccles expressed concerns that board members would miss too many meetings. But district solicitor Thomas J. Profy III said it wouldn't count as an absence if a board member participated via phone.

The policy would've given the board the ability to increase those numbers in the future, administrators said.

Profy also said the board member participating remotely could not have been used to reach a quorum. At least five other board members must be present to hold a meeting, said Profy.

Board member William Spitz favored the remote participation, which he believed could be monitored and adjusted to avoid abuse.

The concept already is used in some districts, including Council Rock, where a board member recently participated by phone for more than one meeting after having surgery, officials said.

And Neshaminy allowed board member Blasch to attend an executive session by phone, Blasch said.

Representatives of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association said 35 school districts across the state have adopted similar protocols.

After not allowing a councilman who was on military duty overseas to vote from his post, the Tullytown council later agreed to let members on active military duty vote by phone early last year.

But Neshaminy board member Frank Koziol argued the policy isn't necessary. By his calculations, only five votes out of more than 200 in the past few years failed due to a director's absence.

Board President Ritchie Webb said he could see why the policy might be beneficial, but he voted against the policy, too, because voting over the phone doesn't allow directors to look residents in the eyes. Webb was also concerned about members hearing public comment.

Pa. senator pushes bill on school district mergers

2009-04-30T07:05:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

Pa. senator pushes bill on school district mergers
The Associated Press Posted on Tue, Apr. 28, 2009

HARRISBURG, Pa. - A western Pennsylvania state senator wants a government commission to study how to consolidate many of Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts.

Cambria County Democrat John Wozniak said Tuesday the state should begin a process he says could take years but result in better academic programs and substantial cost savings.

Wozniak's proposal is similar to an idea Gov. Ed Rendell introduced during his February budget address.

Wozniak wants a 15-member commission that would hold 20 public hearings around the state before putting forward a plan to realign districts.

Rendell said the state should aim for about 100 school districts, but Wozniak isn't setting a goal yet.

Economics 101: Supply and Demand

2009-04-29T09:02:00.004-04:00

Here's an idea from an emailer. What do you think?

I have driven past several businesses in Morrisville that are displaying their red "Stay on Track" campaign signs and was wondering if you could start a new thread on the blog where we can keep track of which businesses they are. I am not asking for a boycott, but I am personally interested in knowing which business owners in my town reject my kids' education. Then, with this knowledge I can decide which businesses I will continue to support and which I will not.

To date, I have seen the red signs in front of:

* Hellmann, CPA (of course)
* The Squirrels Nest
* A-Z Music

Anyone see any others? Please post them here.

Added April 29 4:30 P.M. I received an email suggestion that these "Stay on Track" sign sightings should be photographed. I received photos from Hellmann, Squirrels Nest, Colonial Hair, and A-Z Music. Do NOT photograph or report residences. I have removed one reported sighting and the comment for a private residence.

The Emperor's Mailbag

2009-04-29T07:56:00.003-04:00

Our series on the Emperor's released emails continues with a look that is all too familiar to us.

From: bill hellmann
> [mailto:bill_hellmannXXXXX@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 12:02 PM
> To: Heater, Gloria
> Subject: RE: COMPETITION ON HEALTH AND OTHER
> BENEFITS
>>
i am not trying to show up the admin. i want them do
> do their job, that is all. they won't do their job
> unless i bully them first, it seems. i think they do
> not think i am serious about it because they never
> faced it before, i guess? kind of weird?
> i want to live in peace and educate the kids at a
> cost
> the town can afford instead of getting blasted each
> july.
>>
see you tonight!!
>
> bill

Oh dear. Isn't this in violation of Morrisville School District policy 252?

Then there's the Emperor's take on the pro-schoolers. (I guess I'm one of them.)

From: bill hellmann [mailto:bill_hellmann_cpa@yahoo.com)
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 1:19 PM
To: Heater, Gloria
Cc: bill hellmann
Subject: RE: FW: Notes from last meeting
well if i am not the boss how am i to get anything done? you sound like ole
mrs. reithmeyer. i need four other votes, remember? what was my promise,
please refresh my memory. i believe it was only on the tuitioning out
referendum, correct?
NOT on a k-12 consolidated school? i do not care. if this town wants to keep
the school the same, fine, but get ready to get crushed on july 1 each year.
you worry about politics all the time. let me tell you, you have not seen
anything yet as far as the public when you have to vote on the projected tax
increases the next few years. these pro-new schoolers you are afraid of will
be nothing compared to that.
these pro-new schoolers do not bother me one iota!!!!!!
if you can not take the heat, get out of the kitchen, because it will get
hotter this time next year. mark my words!!!!!!!!!

Let's have a refresher course in how to identify abusive leadership styles.

Going the Extra Step

2009-04-29T07:39:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the emailer who sent this in:

This reminds me of our board of education. They're just concerned with the quick fix and not willing to do the real work to make it right.

Neshaminy: Layoffs Coming

2009-04-29T07:36:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Business administrator recommends layoffs
About 65 positions would be eliminated under the potential budget changes.
By RACHEL CANELLI

With a somber tone, business administrator Joseph Paradise Tuesday night forecasted Neshaminy School District’s financial future: layoffs.

After months of trying to find ways to cut the projected $14 million deficit and avoid a $500 tax hike, Paradise recommended many budget changes to the Neshaminy school board, which included eliminating about 65 positions.

Paradise said the administration’s suggestions are made “with great sadness … but little choice.”

“Many of these cuts reduce … spending to their bare minimum,” Paradise read from a prepared statement. “It will not be business as usual next year in Neshaminy … there will be few dollars to do anything other than what’s legally required.”

To fill the holes between an estimated $167 million spending plan and $153 in projected revenues, Paradise described how officials found more than $10 million mostly through employee jobs.

That would reduce the average tax increase from 12.5 percent to 3.6 percent, which is under the Act 1 4.1 percent limit, administrators said.

If approved, at least two cabinet-level spots, including one in human resources, won’t be filled, saving roughly $300,000. By moving the ninth grade to the renovated high school next year, more than 27 positions would be eliminated, said Paradise.

And, so far, about 25 support staff jobs could be lost, officials said.

Administrators recommended saving $637,000 of the $10.6 million transportation budget by eliminating the mid-day kindergarten bus run, as well as reducing late day transportation routes and consolidating pick-up and drop-off spots.

Paradise strongly suggested that the board seriously consider establishing a committee to close an elementary school next year.

Travel and support staff ’s overtime would be reduced by 50 percent, officials said. Administrators said they can more efficiently schedule music, art, and languages.

Officials also recommended increasing facilities usage fees, gather $250,000 through establishing to-be-determined fees for extra-curricular activities to cover a portion of the $1.6 million activities budget, saving $114,000 by canceling the summer work program and eliminating the long term service awards ceremony.

While some residents continued petitioning the board for no tax and budget increase, others, including senior citizens, said they supported Paradise’s recommendations. They also suggested forging business partnerships, being more energy efficient, creating a budget committee and seeking corporate sponsorships, specifically for sports.

Since officials used $8.8 million of the district’s savings in the last two years — more than Neshaminy’s history — administrators suggested avoiding what’s left of the dwindling $1.2 million fund balance to bridge the gap.

Officials said they’d continue to review the budget.

“It’s with heavy heart that we have to have this conversation tonight,” said Superintendent Lou Muenker. “Every number comes with a story, a face and a family. But these recommendations don’t come without a lot of sleepless nights.”

Dubious Budget Congratulations

2009-04-28T07:09:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

Let's not go this far just yet. The first paragraph, "undisclosed unilateral decisions by the board chairman, secret discussions about shipping high school students to another district, and other shenanigans" speaks volumes by chapter and verse regarding the track this school board is traveling.

There's a lack of ethics at work here on a 24/7 basis.

So while the numbers may add up, does the action those budget numbers represent also add up? A stopped clock is wrong twice a day and every yin must have some yang.

With all due respect to the esteemed Dr. Yonson, the Emperor has very little use for her in public and in private. Perhaps we should recognize that she and her staff have done wonders with what little she has to work with rather than using her endorsement as proof the budget, and the strategy behind it, is sound.

Incredible shrinking budget
Here’s one you don’t hear very often.

Morrisville school board members have taken a lot of flack in the last year or so — from the community and also from us. They deserved most of it: Undisclosed unilateral decisions by the board chairman, secret discussions about shipping high school students to another district, and other shenanigans have earned the board majority just and heated criticism.

But board members deserve credit as well. We refer to this recent headline: “No tax increase for district.”

When was the last time you read that one?

Credit the board’s focus on cutting expenses. Admittedly, board members have gotten help via the departure of high-salaried administrators who have not been replaced, and the shuttering of an elementary school after a boiler fire. But a concerted effort to identify and end wasteful practices such as the extraneous use of paper helped produce a budget that proposes spending a million dollars less than last year.

The motivations driving this board often are wrong-headed. So while there is good reason to remain skeptical of almost anything this board does, it’s reassuring that Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson has given the zero-tax increase spending plan her seal of approval.

“I can assure you all the cuts will not change any of the programs we’ve been doing,” Yonson said.

We’re glad to hear it. Morrisville students and parents have been through enough.

Neshaminy: Now WE Want a School Board Just Like Morrisville

2009-04-28T07:07:00.003-04:00

From the BCCT.

First Pennsbury, now Neshaminy...

"Vote on May 19 for candidates who support taxpayers." What ever happened to the children in this equation? Take this fight to Harrisburg. Stop making the children pay alongside the rest of us. Call your state senator and representative.

Contracts made when times were better are going to look lavish when compared to today. Similarly, they would look shabby against a healthy economy.

Personnel costs are an immense cost in every business, not just teaching. But teaching is a very high "face time" profession, requiring 1 on 25 group interaction (pick your teacher to class ratio as you will), and the necessary 1 on 1 interactions. No computer program in existence today can replace the teacher-student time.

Teachers are well educated people and they deserve a real salary based on their past experience, their current workload, and the night education they are receiving to become better at their job. Do not read that to mean I stand for unlimited and excessive pay. I've signed payrolls in the past. Fair pay for fair work, but remember that one man's fair is another's foul.

Another local school board, another local taxpayer riot. Been there, done that. Our wreckage is still bouncing from the collapse, and the occasional heater explosion.

Are you sure you want to go down this extremist road?

Tell irresponsible unions, school boards our pockets are empty

The moment of truth is approaching. This was announced at the Neshaminy board meeting when Joe Paradise, the school district’s business manager, stated, “The preliminary budget will be out April 28 and there will be something for everyone to hate in this budget.” As the guardian of spending no one understands the tyranny of the numbers better.

When he says “everyone,” I have more than a suspicion that he means every one of us taxpayers will yet again shoulder the pain caused by past and current failures in fiscal responsibility.

However, taxpayers need to understand the reason our budget is so painful. Escalating personnel costs in our district now comprise nearly 80 percent of the expense. This is predominately unionized personnel, aka teachers and staff. Their excessive past contracts, including rich benefits, have put us in a $14 million deficit and this will likely be severely exasperated by the outrageous demands in the next contract.

Read every page of the last collective bargaining agreement (an extension of the 1998 contract) from 2002 and you will see contracted pay, benefits and perks that will absolutely drive you crazy — especially now. Amazingly, in the ongoing renegotiation, the most highly compensated teachers and staff in Bucks County (top 10 in Pennsylvania), now are demanding much more.

When he says “something,” we ALL will hate, it is code for the draconian cuts the board will be forced to make to close the budget gaps resulting from the elephant in the room — out of control employee costs. The teachers rejected a perfectly decent offer the board made last year and one the administrators recently accepted. This included a generous 3 percent annual increase and a diminished yet still rich benefits package. They should have grabbed it since now, given the deteriorating economy, this package is now even more unaffordable for the district.

The National Federation of Teachers and its members didn’t compromise, but instead insisted on demanding a 4 percent increase plus steps totaling 6 percent annually, zero employee contribution to the exponentially increasing budget health care costs, continued defined benefit retirement plan, including full non-participatory health care in retirement, retirement bonuses of $30,000 vs. the current $27,000 (who gets this in the real world?), a longevity bonus (WHAT? You have to be kidding?) and many other benefits that no other Pennsylvania district still provides.

Just think, if the offer the board made is unaffordable, what if they now get a compromised middle ground deal or worse, their demands? You won’t be able to cut enough elsewhere and we will be in deeper deficit spending and escalating annual tax increases as far as the eye can see.

A petition circulating in the district on behalf of taxpayers for a Fair Neshaminy Budget, so far signed by several hundred taxpayers and growing, has demanded the board withdraw its offer and make a significantly reduced one with much lower long-term cost to taxpayers. Many more are speaking up at school board meetings.

When the board recommends cuts in programs that will negatively impact the children of the district (remember them?), don’t direct all your displeasure at board members. Their hands have been tied by unions and lawmakers so they do what state laws permit. Instead, focus blame on the teachers and union leaders. The possible reduction in educational quality will now rest with them as they make their needs preeminent to ours.

Many are uncomfortable that these facts are being called out publicly, but unfortunately this powerful group has brought it on themselves as they simply have no defense of the demands. Please know that if the union wins, everyone else loses. It will lead not only to continued massive tax increases, but also to potentially major reductions in very popular programs. Ironically, to secure their demands, union leadership will throw some teachers over the side due to program elimination.

I don’t know about you, but I have had it with irresponsible unions, school boards and politicians who assume our pockets are deep enough to pay all the bills they sign up for? People continue to fatten up at the public trough when the rest of us can now least afford it. Fair compensation in line with current private sector offerings is acceptable but communities should no longer have to subsidize the excessive packages that teachers and other public workers demand through their powerful unions. If the madness doesn’t stop, our children and grandchildren will be left with the increasingly noncompetitive public education system we have now — and taxes that make Europe look like a bargain.

Join the fight. Speak at tonight’s board meeting. Vote on May 19 for candidates who support taxpayers.

Where's the plan?

2009-04-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

For a while now, Morrisville residents have eagerly awaited the "six point plan" put forward by the Emperor, but safely hidden from the public's scrutiny and debate.

One parent has now gone to the state to force the Emperor to make the plan public. Kate Fratti has a blog entry about it.

My reading of the PA state right to know law exceptions says that this is not likely to prevail.

Here's hoping I'm wrong.

What's the plan, Mr. Hellman?
By: Kate Fratti

In Morrisville, a parent applied to receive a copy of "a six point plan," authored by School Board President Bill Hellmann and has been denied. Kevin Leather has appealled under the right to know laws. Here's hoping he's successful. Folks have a right to know what their elected leaders are planning. Or in this case, should the word be plotting? Why else would leaders be so secretive?

April 20, 2009 05:35 PM

Mayoral Discussion?

2009-04-27T07:41:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the emailer who sent this.

The Grandview Greats deserve a big round of applause, along with their teachers, coaches, and parents.

We can talk about the mayoral and borough council races. They are as important as the school board elections.

We had a visit from candidate Graeme Thomson earlier but I think we scared him off. His message did leave some items out for open discussion.

This might be a good time to mention that I will post in its entirety, anything any announced candidate for mayor, council, or school board, would care to provide.

Scanned copies of campaign literature dropped off at your doorstep are also welcomed.

I will not claim to post without comment. I know some of the readership would probably comment also.

Two things:
Reading Olympics
The fourth and fifth graders won a blue ribbon at the annual Reading Olympics held at Bensalem High School in April. There were over 100 schools represented. Not only did the Morrisville team (Grandview Greats) win a blue ribbon, they scored 60 points - only a handful of schools earned sixty or over. I was there. One of the moderators complimented our kids for their behavior and courtesy. They were so impressive. Worked so well together, all participated, they were respectful and considerate, applauded the other teams, etc. They worked all year preparing for this event, just like any other sports team preparing for a tournament.
These 13 kids are our future high schoolers! We can't let them down!

Mayoral Candidates
Will we be discussing the candidates on this blog?

Recession may teach lesson no job is safe

2009-04-27T07:37:00.000-04:00

From the Allentown Morning Call.

Recession may teach lesson no job is safe
Easton Area is talking staff cuts that could bring ruling on state law

By Scott Kraus | and Christopher Baxter Of The Morning Call April 26, 2009

Teaching jobs have long been thought of as safe havens from economic uncertainty, insulated from the ups and downs of the financial markets.

That has been especially true in Pennsylvania, where state law makes it difficult, if not impossible, for school districts to balance budgets with teacher layoffs.

The Easton Area School District made a move to change that last week, warning that it might join financially strapped school districts in California and Washington in handing teachers pink slips.

Facing a budget shortfall, and unhappy with the cost of the five-year teachers contract the school board approved unanimously in 2007, district officials asked the union Tuesday to reopen the deal or face job cuts.

''I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't see some number of school districts feel like they had no choice but to try to open those deals back up,'' said Kent McGuire, dean of Temple University's College of Education. ''At least they want to take credit for having tried to have that conversation.''

While even the threat of mass teacher layoffs is new to Pennsylvania, the economy has pushed schools elsewhere to take the drastic step.

The number of districts planning staff cuts quadrupled in the past year to 44 percent nationwide, a March study by the American Association of School Administrators found. Teachers made up about 40 percent of those targeted.

The Easton Area Education Association has asked the district to tap some of the $5.1 million in proceeds it expects to get from the federal economic stimulus to stave off the cuts. But the district so far has balked at the idea.

Can they or can't they?

The question is whether Pennsylvania's restrictions on layoffs make Easton's warning that it may cut 45 to 60 teaching jobs a hollow threat.

Districts can lay off teachers only if enrollment drops or if an educational program is discontinued. The state prohibits layoffs just to balance the budget.

If Easton Area goes ahead with the layoffs, it may face a battle from the Pennsylvania State Education Association, which says it will fight any effort to lay off teachers for financial reasons.

''I think they are grandstanding,'' said PSEA President James Testerman. ''It is inappropriate and illegal and most importantly sad for the kids Â We will use every legal means to make sure they are complying with Pennsylvania law.''

The ability to let teachers go for financial reasons is something school districts would like to have, said Sean Fields, Pennsylvania School Boards Association attorney.

''There are enumerated reasons teachers can be suspended, but those reasons are not specifically economic reasons,'' Fields said.

The school boards association wants to change that. It spelled out its reasoning in an education reform proposal to state lawmakers earlier this year.

''Every other public and private sector employer except for school districts has the prerogative to make adjustments to its work force when hard economic times hit,'' the proposal reads.

But Easton believes a decision to make cuts is on firm ground. Easton Area business manager Marie Guidry said the district's solicitor has assured administrators they can make teacher cuts.

The district plans to rely on a provision in the Pennsylvania School Code that says schools can suspend teachers ''as a result of substantial decline in class or course enrollments,'' she said.

The state Department of Education must approve such suspensions to prevent districts from slashing courses and teachers simply to save money, said Leah Harris, spokeswoman for the department.

So far this school year, the state has approved 17 of 18 of school district requests, Harris said, most recently for the Pottstown School District, which cut a swimming program for Grades 1 to 6.

Most have involved just one or two positions.

A plan such as Easton's to cut dozens of teachers -- a move Guidry says would save $4 million in salaries and benefits -- would be unusual, if not unprecedented, Harris said.

Quality debate

Easton Area plans to argue that it is simply carrying out a policy that scraps classes that fail to draw more than 10 students, said Superintendent Susan McGinley. The district also plans to increase class sizes and freeze hiring for all but state-required courses.

High school electives would be most affected under the 10-student rule, said union President Kevin Deely. And cutting only those would fall far short of the district's goal, he said.

Just the prospect of class eliminations has alarmed students, who have started a Facebook group to fight the cuts.

Deely said the district cannot afford to slice the jobs without hurting education quality. Easton's student-to-teacher ratio is about 12-1, comparable with other Lehigh Valley districts and liable to rise to 13-1 with layoffs.

''I think the district is still understaffed,'' Deely said, adding that it is among those needing ''corrective action'' -- a label the state gives to districts that are academically struggling. Easton Area High School has struggled to meet benchmarks for the reading and math portions of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams.

Stimulus to the rescue?

Deely wants the district to use federal stimulus money to maintain staffing.

Before the stimulus passed, the National Education Association projected 2009 could bring as many as 600,000 school personnel layoffs, said spokesman Bill Parker.

''We're predicting this recovery bill is going to save almost all of those jobs, it will just vary from state to state,'' Parker said.

All $5.1 million of Easton Area's projected stimulus share can be used to ''avert layoffs and promote reform,'' said U.S. Department of Education spokeswoman Sandra Abrevaya.

About $814,000 of Easton's stimulus package is expected to come in the form of stabilization dollars, which are specifically targeted to avoid layoffs, said state Department of Education spokesman Mike Race.

The rest of the money comes with some restrictions, but could be used in ways that would preserve jobs, he said.

Guidry, who said previously that the district might use some stimulus money to install energy-efficient doors and windows, said the district doesn't want to tap the stimulus for salaries.

''That stimulus money will be only for the next two years,'' she said. ''After that we would be looking at a larger deficit.''

District officials say their efforts to gain concessions is driven by grim fiscal realities: declining property tax receipts, plunging investment earnings and rising pension costs.

That contrasts with 2007, when the district signed the five-year contract, and experts were still debating whether the slowing economy would turn into a recession in 2008.

The contract's annual raises of 4.9 percent were similar to those in the Parkland and Nazareth Area school districts.

Easton Area School Board ratified the deal by a vote of 6-0, with two abstentions. Board President Patricia Fisher has since said she and her colleagues did not fully understand its costs.

Former business manager Jeffrey Bader predicted at the time that the pact would save the district money through early retirements, but Guidry said the sagging economy has prompted many teachers to put off retiring.

Easton Area teachers are far from the state's highest paid. The average teacher earned $49,422 in the 2006-07 school year – the most recent state Department of Education survey -- ranking 404th out 727 districts in the state. This school year, the average Easton teacher earned $53,644, according to the district.

The district's 2008-09 maximum salary of $70,050 for teachers with a master's degree is higher than 57 percent of districts in the commonwealth, while its starting salary of $41,300 is higher than 76 percent of districts, according to the school boards association.

In Pennsylvania, those wages have come with a measure of job security that's not available in many other states, said Dan Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators.

Far from being immune to economic stress, financial problems in public education usually lag the national economy by about a year, he said.

''The story I am hearing pretty regularly everywhere I go Â there's going to be a lot of elimination of positions,'' he said. ''And under the best of circumstances, it is going to be done through attrition.''

Pa. struggles to craft budget

2009-04-27T07:34:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

With economic forecasts dire, Pa. struggles to craft budget
By Amy Worden and Angela Couloumbis Posted on Mon, Apr. 27, 2009
Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG - With a new state revenue report likely to deliver more bad news this week and a budget deadline looming, legislative leaders are buckling down to craft a spending plan amid a dire economic climate.

If the first quarter is an indication, April revenue figures - usually among the year's strongest because of tax payments - will come in hundreds of millions of dollars below estimate.

So far this year, revenues have lagged nearly 8 percent below estimate, adding to the struggle Gov. Rendell and lawmakers are facing to close a widening shortfall in the state's current budget ahead of the June 30 deadline to enact the new one.

The current shortfall is $2.6 billion, up $300 million from just two months ago.

"I'd say Pennsylvania is pretty typical in the problems that it's encountering, but certainly a lot of states are much worse," said Corina Eckl, fiscal program director for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The conference last week released a report that found states would have to address a cumulative $281 billion budget gap that would continue to 2011, and likely beyond.

While Pennsylvania's shortfall is still smaller than those of some states, including New Jersey at $3.3 billion, continued slumping revenues might force further cutbacks.

So far, Rendell has avoided drastic measures that other governors, such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have had to take: notably, ordering state employee furloughs and closing state offices.

The Rendell administration and the state's largest public-employee unions reached a tentative agreement earlier this month to avoid furloughs. Under a cost-cutting plan, the state would temporarily reduce its contribution to the fund that administers worker health-care benefits by 20 percent over the next 15 months, at a savings of $200 million.

Meanwhile, Senate and House leaders from both parties have been meeting to reach an agreement for next year's budget despite being split by ideological differences: Democrats say some tax increase will be necessary along with program cuts, while Republicans are adamant about deeper cuts and no additional taxes.

"We think under the Rendell proposal that we can balance the budget for the next four years," said Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. "We're looking at a $10 billion problem in four years if nothing is done."

In his proposed $29 billion state budget unveiled in early February, Rendell said he wanted to increase spending for education and health care, while proposing limited taxes to cover shortfalls, such as an increase in the cigarette tax and new taxes on smokeless tobacco and gas drilling. He also proposed legalizing video poker as a way to help community college students cover tuition costs.

The governor has not proposed raising broad-based taxes such as income or sales, and wants to cut the rate of the capital stock and franchise tax that businesses pay.

Evans said the final budget would need to use a full menu of funding sources, including roughly $10 billion in federal stimulus dollars expected to flow into Pennsylvania over two years.

While recognizing cuts must be made in many areas, he said, he supports the governor's new investments in education and health care and will fight to preserve them.

"There will have to be compromise," Evans said. "Everything is on the table."

It will have to be to get the support of Republicans who control the Senate.

In an interview last week, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) said his caucus' problem with Rendell's proposed budget was basic but critical: His members do not agree with the spending level the governor is advocating.

Pileggi said his caucus wanted to make sure that the state wasn't unduly relying on the influx of federal stimulus dollars - which will last for only two years - to make ends meet. He said lawmakers needed to "look out at least to a three- or four-year horizon" and make sure that whatever state spending was approved could be sustained even when the federal money ran out.

"The stimulus money presents both a benefit in the short run, but also a trap in the long run if not used properly," Pileggi said. "We could be in a position where, if we think only in the short term, we are faced with the need for a drastic tax increase or the need for a drastic cut in services when the federal stimulus funding expires."

Right now, Pileggi said, "there is no support in our caucus for the spending levels established in the governor's budget proposal." He said his caucus was scouring the budget line by line to come up with "spending levels that are sustainable" and hoped to have that alternative complete in the next three weeks.

"Whether the governor and the [Democratic] leadership in the House are able to accept that product or agree to that remains to be seen," said Pileggi.

Other Republicans opposed to any new taxes have bristled at program cuts to some of their pet programs in agriculture and land conservation.

Rep. Mario Civera (R., Delaware), the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, said taxes - even limited ones - were not on the table for GOP lawmakers.

"The caucus has no intention of looking at tax increases," said Civera. He said special legislative accounts and the governor's spending lines could be further reduced.

Civera said he intended to make a line-by-line budget and revenue presentation to his caucus in the coming weeks, so lawmakers would understand the reality of the fiscal crisis.

"We're talking about a $3 billion situation here," he said, referring to the state's current budget gap. "This is the worst I've seen it in 30 years in the legislature."

Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo said the governor was willing to work with legislative leaders to reach an agreement but would not compromise the state's fiscal health just to get a budget completed by July 1.

Since Rendell took office in 2003, no budget has been passed on time.

"The governor remains committed to seeing the commonwealth move forward - and there is no end date for that commitment," Ardo said.

He added: "I think that providing odds on the timing of the budget may be a violation of the gaming law."

The Emperor's Emails

2009-04-26T06:54:00.001-04:00

More of the Emperor's emails were released Wednesday night by board member Gloria Heater.

We see a picture emerging of a tragic Nixonian figure, a brilliant man who cannot handle a meeting or understand that he is the main contributor to his own problems.

He sees everyone going off in all directions under his watch, yet is powerless to stop it.

He portrays himself as a brilliant strategist and planner, yet botches the execution of those plans, holding them close to the chest, letting no one else in.

Leadership is partly being in front. It also means that there are followers. Yes, yes, we all know about the board of chosen accomplices. Every dictator through time has had a band of trusted servants. "Followers" refers to more than just the people predisposed to follow you. It means you can rally a diverse group to you.

He hears only one voice. His own.

From: bill hellmann [mailto:bill_hellmannXXXXX@yahoo.com}
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:38 AM
To: Heater, Gloria
Cc: bill hellmann
Subject: RE: The truth is
how am i to control the meeting when reithmeyer constantly interrupts and
yonson constantly interrupts and the pro-schoolers speak out of line?
the problem, gloria, is we have to make decisions that are unpopular to a
certain segment that attends the meetings. there is no way out of it. it is
either that or the town goes financially in trouble. yonson, kemp,
reithrneyer and the pro-schoolers have no talent in the area of planning or
financial projections. they do not know what the ramifications of their
voting is. yonson wants to spend unlimited to get scores up. kemp wants a
private school for his kid. reithrneyer wants to be a popular politician and
do nothing except raise taxes extremely high. the pro-schoolers want a
private school for their kids.
NONE OF THEM REALIZE THE FINANCIAL SUFFERING TO COME THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
the old board meetings were chaotic also, even more so, because of the
CONTROVERSY. there is no way out of these raucous meetings. if you can't
take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

More on Homelessness

2009-04-26T06:39:00.000-04:00

You're welcome.

Thank you, Save the School, for posting this information about homelessness. Our district serves children who are homeless, more than most people realize, as it must and as it SHOULD. Therefore, board members (who take an oath to uphold quality education for the children they represent) ARE responsible for the education of those children. Many of us would be but a paycheck away from homelessness in these challenging economic times. Surely, no family faces such a crisis by choice.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing this important issue to light.

Comprehending Homelessness, Children, and Education

2009-04-25T08:31:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the emailer for the links and research.

Dear Marlys,

We recently saw an email where you expressed some slight uncertainty over responsibility for homeless students.

"I have tried to comprehend Gloria's e-mails to you about the homeless kids and the school boards responsibility to them. Just to let you know I will never, never, ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member."

We understand your concern. Many people who have a roof over their heads express similar feelings. Unfortunately, in these days of economic uncertainty, more and more families are facing homelessness.

We do not expect for you to personally provide Motel 6 like amenities, although the hot tub does sound like a Jim Dandy idea. Just imagine for a moment the happy squeals of joy from several children who have had almost nothing to laugh about for quite a long time now. Here is some information on what you or any other concerned private citizen can do to help.

The Bucks County Intermediate Unit also has some resources on homelessness and students. Perhaps the BCIU representative from the school board can help you.

As a school board member, you do have a teeny-tiny itsy-bitsy little bit of responsibility. The Pennsylvania Department of Education website has a site search tool.

Here's a bit from the Homeless Children's Education Fund webpage.

A 2008 estimate of homeless children and youth in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is approximately 30,000 (ages birth to 18). 50% are in elementary school, 26% in middle school, and 24% in high school. Pennsylvania ranks 6th nationwide in the number of children and youth identified as homeless (behind California, Florida, Michigan, New York and Texas).

Since a child often spends anywhere from a few days to a few months in a given center, many of the children counted in these surveys are forced to adapt to several different living spaces and schools each year. That exacts a terrible toll on a young mind and spirit.

What about the children's schooling?

Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Act, signed into law in July 1987, included authorization of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program. A fact sheet provided by the National Coalition for the Homeless (Fact Sheet #10, updated June 2008) includes a summary of amendments to the act. The critically important 1994 amendment "provided local educational authorities with greater flexibility in the use of funds; specified the rights of homeless preschoolers to a free and appropriate public preschool education; gave parents of homeless children and youth a voice regarding their children's school placement; and required educational authorities to coordinate with housing authorities."

* Children must be allowed to remain in the school they were attending before becoming homeless and for the entire time they are homeless, even if they move from place to place
* The school district must arrange transportation for children who choose to remain at their school of origin but have moved outside that school's boundaries
* Children must be enrolled without delay, even if they lack necessary documentation or immunization records
* Children cannot be segregated from peers solely because of their residential status
* School districts are mandated to hire/train a homeless liaison to coordinate services and ensure compliance with federal/state mandates

Links:
National Coalition for the Homeless
Bucks County Housing Group
Bucks County Homeless Shelters
Interfaith Housing Development Corporation of Bucks County

Don't Show Us the Money!

2009-04-25T08:17:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Pennsylvania Republicans are moving toward saying "NO" to stimulus money.

Pa. may turn down some stimulus funds
By: Gary Weckselblatt
The Intelligencer

State Republican lawmakers from Bucks County claim federal stimulus money has too many strings and will ultimately leave the state with long-term fiscal problems if it's accepted.

Citing federal mandates that come with portions of the $16 billion and rules that still "haven't been written," the legislators said in some cases it's best to turn the money down.

"We'll take the money for construction and engineering jobs," state Sen. Chuck McIlhinney said. "The shovel-ready projects are the way to go. The other stuff is just social engineering."

Speaking at a Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce breakfast Friday, where members begged for some good news, the lawmakers didn't oblige.

McIlhinney said if the state accepts federal stimulus funds for unemployment compensation, for example, it's mandatory that the Family Leave Act includes 12 weeks of time off with pay.

"That would cripple small business," McIlhinney said. "It's a very noble idea. They're doing it in California and they're in great shape there.

"These are the things we're going to say no to."

Another example McIlhinney cited is the Troubled Asset Relief Program [TARP], where rules for gaining access to the $700 billion kept changing.

"Tell us what you want up front," he said.

"That's the amazing thing about Washington," said state Rep. Kathy Watson, "the money's coming, but the rules for using it haven't been written."

It's possible a portion of the stimulus money could be used to stave off the anticipated school pension spike in 2012 from today's 4.76 percent district contribution rate to one in excess of 30 percent.

State Rep. Bernie O'Neill, co-chair of the House Republican Policy Committee's Education and Job Training Task Force, is looking at giving districts stimulus money to hold in a "secure dedicated fund" to ease the increase.

O'Neill also bemoaned Gov. Ed Rendell's plans to create new education programs while cutting others. "It's going to be a battle," he said.

He cited the state's push for Keystone Exams, a series of 10 state-developed end-of-course exams that area districts had balked at.

"It would cost our school board $42 million," O'Neill said.

State Rep. Paul Clymer said he's "opposed to the direction the governor is moving on these tests."

Clymer, an anti-gambling crusader, also blasted Rendell's proposed expansion of video gambling machines into bars to lower costs for those attending state universities.

"It's an enormous amount of gambling expansion in Pennsylvania," he said. "This is not the way this state should be going."

The same could be said for overall spending, according to State Rep. Scott Petri, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Economic Impact and Infrastructure.

He said that although state revenues decreased by 6.2 percent this fiscal year Rendell plans to increase spending from $28 billion to $29 billion.

"I don't believe another state has proposed higher spending than last year," Petri said. "We've got to buckle down."

Also Friday, state Rep. Marguerite Quinn argued on behalf of Worth & Co., the mechanical contractor from Plumstead that's been hounded by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for paying 19 of its 450 workers $61,516 less than prevailing wage over a four-year period.

She said the state's "draconian measures" could put the company out of business.

"We're told by the governor, we're told by Washington that things are getting better. I'm not seeing it," Quinn said.

She then went on to question the government's commitment to job growth.

Quinn used the illustration of Congressman Patrick Murphy's plan to spend $10 million in flood relief to potentially create 200 jobs and $2 million more for up to 12 jobs at Humanistic Robotics.

"Do the math," she said. "We've got 450 jobs here that pay between $75,000 and $100,000 each. We're going to throw those away for $61,000.

"I'm deeply concerned with this fight. + Scream about this. It's something we should not let happen."

Teen volunteers honored

2009-04-25T07:59:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

After seeing the selfishness of our school board so well displayed yesterday, it is refreshing to see that the next generation is using a more community based focus.

Congrats to Morrisville honoree Michael Leather!

Teen volunteers honored by Bucks County YWCA
By: JOAN HELLYER
Bucks County Courier Times

Jazmin Shields spends countless hours volunteering her time to make her world a better place.

The senior at Harry S Truman High School in Bristol Township is the Bucks County NAACP Youth Council president. She’s also a youth ambassador for St. Mary’s stroke awareness initiative and a volunteer with the YWCA and Camp Hidden Falls.

Plus she volunteers with Youth Fighting Against Tobacco, Neighborhood First and the peer mediation program and environmental club at her high school.

For her efforts, Jazmin has been named the Bucks County Teen Volunteer of the Year.

The Truman senior was one of 20 area teens honored by the YWCA of Bucks County recently in conjunction with National Volunteer Week for their service to the community.

The top volunteer is chosen based on a willingness to serve and take on a leadership role or significant responsibility in that service. The teens also are selected based on whether they have a mix of school and community-based volunteer efforts and how their service impacts the lives of others, organizers said.

Other teens recognized during the YWCA awards ceremony at the Bucks County Schools Intermediate Unit No. 22 complex in Doylestown on Wednesday are:

Kaitlyn Utermark, Archbishop Wood High School senior, who volunteers at Wood Services and with Aid for Friends and Operation Santa Claus.

Jaison Zachariah, Bensalem High School senior, who serves as a math tutor, a library and hospital volunteer, with the school’s Student Government Association and as vice president of Bensalem’s National Honor Society.

Anikka Grange, Bristol Borough Junior/Senior High School senior, who works with the homeless ministry, is a Titus Kitchen instructor and a member of a library club and the Interact Club.

Kristin Sandquist, Central Bucks East High School senior, is a founding member of Team Peru Denmark —Kiya Survivors, a Key Club and Interact Club member and a Special Olympics volunteer.

Thomas Lonergan, Central Bucks South High School senior, who volunteers with Doylestown Hospital patient transport, American Cancer Society Coaches vs. Cancer campaign and with community-based athletic programs in Central Bucks.

Kelly Steelman, Central Bucks West High School senior, is a March of Dimes, NOVA, Relay for Life and soup kitchen volunteer.

Julia Burke, Conwell-Egan Catholic High School senior, is a Community Services Corps vice president, a student council representative and a member of the Key Club.

Joshua Wortzel, Council Rock High School North senior, is the Garden of Giving founder and president, National Honor Society president, a member of the environmental protection and Invisible Children clubs, and Pennsbury Manor Historic Center volunteer.
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Catherine Edwards, Council Rock High School South senior, volunteers at the Churchville Nature Center, Northampton library, St. Mary Medical Center and the Bucks County Association for the Blind.

Michael Tantum, Holy Ghost Preparatory School junior, is an elementary school tutor, a Pickering Manor and music volunteer, and did his Boy Scout Eagle Scout project in Middletown’s Community Park.

Michael Leather, Morrisville Middle/Senior High School senior, is a Boy Scout, and is a member of the National Honor Society, Interact Club, and Mentors in Violence Prevention.

Valentina Souprountchak, Neshaminy High School senior, works with the district’s toy drive, People to People, Fairy Godmothers, Sister Wheeler’s annual Thanksgiving dinner and VITAS Organization for Hospice.

Elizabeth Rowland, New Hope-Solebury High School senior, is a variety camp volunteer, a Girl Scout, a member of the Key Club and a volunteer with the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation, Relay for Life and A Woman’s Place.

Colleen Moran, Palisades High School senior, is Key Club president, volunteers with the Delaware River Clean-up Community Project, Kiwanis Club and Students for Social Change and serves as National Honor Society vice president.

Kelsey Detweiler, Pennridge High School senior, volunteers with the Adopt A Highway program, Stand Tall Student Mentoring program, Pennridge Ambassador program and is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and National Honor Society.

Ashley Mullican, Pennsbury High School senior, has volunteered with the American Red Cross Blood Drive, New Orleans Rebuilding Effort, Aid for Friends, Souper Bowl of Caring and at Pickering Manor.

Molly Jamison, Quakertown Community High School senior, has served as a Youth With a Mission director, at Allentown Rescue Mission, Milford homeless shelter, and Quakertown food pantry and is a National Honor Society member.

Brittany Nicole King, Villa Joseph Marie High School junior, works with Canine Companions for Independence.

Geoffrey Eill, William Tennent High School senior, volunteers with a local adoption agency, Doylestown Hospital patient transport, Cat Tales Inc., American Red Cross Blood Drive, and is a Key Club member.

Each honoree received a certificate of appreciation and a monetary award for their volunteer service, organizers said.

Don't Tax Me!

2009-04-25T07:34:00.002-04:00

From the Philadephia Daily News

We hate taxes! The teabaggers chant of choice! It's an unsurprising poll finding.

It's easy to say don't tax ME. The harder answer is the one to the question how are WE going to pay for US?

New poll: we hate taxes Posted on Fri, Apr. 24, 2009

ACCORDING TO A NEW poll from the Pew Charitable Trust's Philadelphia Research Initiative.

The 800 Philadelphians contacted for the poll are unsure about how deal with the $1.4 billion hole in the city budget. According to the survey, residents oppose Mayor Nutter's plan to increase the property and sales tax.

But a majority also opposes increasing the wage tax, which has been pushed as an alternative by some members of City Council.

That seems straightforward enough, but the poll also found that many people don't understand the ramifications of not increasing taxes. Sixty-two percent opposed reducing the city workforce by just 250 employees, which is only about 1 percent of the total. That's a major disconnect, since failing to raise taxes will undoubtedly lead to layoffs.

It's particularly puzzling because both Nutter and Council have tried to engage the public. More than 1,700 people attended community budget forums sponsored by the administration, and Council added additional public hearings in neighborhoods. The citizen input from these events runs counter to the poll results.

Part of the reason could be that responding to a poll requires little thinking. Who is going tell a stranger over the telephone that they want to increase taxes? In contrast, the forums actually required citizens to come up with actual solutions.

Ultimately, the findings are also a warning against government by polling. The financial crisis demands that Nutter and Council provide strong leadership. Their decisions should take public input into account, but must also be rooted in sound public policy. Some of the ultimate decisions might make the public unhappy, but it's clear that it's going to take hard choices to get the city through this crisis. *

"I will never, never, ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member"

2009-04-24T15:18:00.005-04:00

Thank you everyone for the overwhelming response. I now have a copy of the emails.

Ladies and gentlemen: Introducing Marlys Mihok, Morrisville Borough School Board Secretary addressing her lord liege, the Emperor.

From: dxxxxxxxaol.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:27 AM
To: Heater, Gloria
Subject: Re: zoning issues

Dear King,
I have tried to comprehend Gloria's e-mails to you about the homeless kids and the school boards responsibility to them. Just to let you know I will never, never, ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member.
Never had kids of my own and I certainly don't want anyone else's kids. If I have to take kids home and feed and cloth them, tuck them in and send them to school I'm afraid I'll need a pass. Never realized I was responsible to the extent that Gloria is saying. I just volunteered to be a school board member, not a mother. WHERE DOES SHE COME UP WITH STUFF? I hope she takes her medication before tonights meeting.

More Email Released Your Help Needed

2009-04-24T14:28:00.004-04:00

School board member Gloria Heater provided another exposé on the Emperor's unfortunate email habits Wednesday night.

I have several email requests to see the documents. Alas, I do not have copies of them. If some kind soul would provide copies, I will post them as quickly as possible.

We Saved A TON of Money

2009-04-24T08:03:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

No tax increase for district
By: MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times

The district saved $1 million by cutting down wasteful practices and installing a new air conditioning system.

The Morrisville school board has approved a zero tax increase and a proposed $18.9 million final budget for next year.

The news came as a relief to many residents at the Wednesday evening meeting. Taxes are expected to remain the same as this year, at $3,371 for an average assessed property of $18,000. Individual taxes may be lower if people take advantage of homestead rebates that the state offers from its gaming revenue. The millage rate is 187.3 mills and the value of a mill in Morrisville is $59,059.

The budget decreased by about $1 million from this year, due to several changes. Among them are a more efficient HVAC system in the high school next year and an effort to cut extraneous paper use and other wasteful practices.

As usual, salaries and benefits make up a large percentage of expenditures. Total staff salaries are expected to cost $9.22 million and total benefits should be $2.35 million.

"That's pretty consistent with where we were last year," said business administrator Paul DeAngelo.

Residents asked if the reduced budget means education will be affected.

"I can assure you all the cuts will not change any of the programs we have been doing," said Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson.

Some residents pointed to the disruption of M.R. Reiter Elementary School's operation as well as the loss of two elementary principals and a high school principal as a sign that education has been affected.

After Reiter Elementary closed several months ago due to a furnace explosion, the district ended up saving money in daily operational costs for the school. Students have been placed in other district buildings and eight modular units, which are paid for by insurance. There are no plans to replace three principals who left for various reasons, including a new job and retirement.

Although their jobs have been temporarily covered by other capable staff and administration, the board should think about replacing the principals, said board member Robin Reithmeyer.

In his 2009-10 budget calculations, DeAngelo assumed that Reiter would remain a non-operational district property. If the board decides this summer to sell it, the revenue could be used toward planned or future renovations for the district's middle/high school and other elementary school.

The budget appears balanced for now, but the future could bring uncontrollable expenditures to the district, said DeAngelo. One of the most damaging could be the anticipated sharp rise in future retirement pension contributions, up to 30 percent higher by 2013, according to the state. After next year, DeAngelo wants Morrisville to place $500,000 annually in a fund to avoid asking taxpayers to dig deep for retirement pensions.

The board plans to hear a public response to the proposed final budget on May 13 and adopt the budget on May 27. Details are available on the business page of Morrisville schools' Web site at www.mv.org/district.cfm?subpage=537779 and in district offices at 550 West Palmer St.

Pa. coalition favors testing high school seniors

2009-04-24T07:54:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

Pa. coalition favors testing high school seniors
By Dan Hardy Posted on Thu, Apr. 23, 2009

Inquirer Staff Writer
A newly formed statewide coalition added its voice yesterday to the debate about whether Pennsylvania should develop statewide tests that some high school students would have to pass to get a diploma.

The group - which includes teachers' unions, parent groups, advocates for special education and the gifted, school administrators' organizations, and the Pennsylvania NAACP - said it favored the voluntary use of proposed state tests by school districts as final exams in 10 subjects.

But it said it opposed a state Education Department proposal that would make passing such tests a condition for graduation.

Some of the tests, the group said, might also be used in the future to replace Pennsylvania's 11th grade math and reading PSSAs - the state's No Child Left Behind competency tests. But the state test could count for no more than 20 percent of any final course grade, it said.

The group - Coalition for Effective and Responsible Testing (CERT) - announced its proposals at a news conference in Harrisburg.

State Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D, Chester), the minority chair of the Education Committee, joined the coalition members, saying the proposal "provides local teachers and school boards some degree of control over the test."

In a statement, Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey Piccola (R., Dauphin) said this was "another positive development in the conversation and ongoing debate to enact a system of strengthened assessments that can be supported by everyone."

Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak said in a statement that "we have seen nearly every state-level education association acknowledge the limitations of the status quo and the need for reform." But under CERT's proposal, he said, "you lose the assurance that any student in any school is actually able to show they are meeting high school academic standards."

The CERT plan is the latest round in a contentious exchange about whether Pennsylvania should beef up graduation requirements, which now are determined mainly by school districts with little uniformity across the state.

Since early 2008, the state Board of Education, the Department of Education, and the Rendell administration have pushed for comprehensive state tests, saying thousands of graduates lack the skills needed to succeed in college and the workforce. Any change would be phased in over several years and would not affect current high school students.

The state now requires that to graduate from high school, students must complete a senior project and either pass the math or reading PSSAs or pass graduation assessments set by their districts. Most districts use their own measures to set graduation eligibility.

Critics complain that a district's assessments often have not been evaluated by any outside group to see whether they really meet state standards. For example, a required course such as Algebra 1 in one district could be very different from another district's version of it - and both could differ from state standards.

This year, a study by two Pennsylvania State University researchers said most districts could not show that their local assessments met state benchmarks.

The debate over graduation requirements began last year when the Board of Education and the Education Department proposed the adoption of 10 math, reading, writing, science and social studies tests that would be offered in all school districts.

Students who failed the 11th grade math and reading PSSAs would have to pass the equivalent state tests to graduate, pass a similar local test or pass the equivalent Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests.

Special education students would only have to meet individualized requirements set by local teams of educators and parents.

The plan faced widespread opposition from school boards and lawmakers. They said that students should not have to take more tests, and that standardized exams were poor indicators of student proficiency and students who do not do well on that kind of test would be denied a diploma. Last July, legislators shelved the plan for a year.

In March, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, the Board of Education and the Education Department proposed a compromise: the 10 tests could be developed and used as graduation requirements, starting in 2015, but it would be up to school districts whether to give them and whether to use them for graduation requirements even if they did give them. They plan to introduce the revised proposal in July.

The three groups agreed to strengthen local graduation assessments. A committee of experts would set guidelines for them and all the assessments would be evaluated.

Yesterday, CERT also proposed a review of local graduation assessments by a committee of experts, parents, educators and students.

Bulldogs Have a New Place to Play

2009-04-24T07:37:00.000-04:00

From BucksLocalNews.com

Everyone says "Let the dogs play". When do they say "tax relief is on the way"?

Posted on Thu, Apr 23, 2009
Morrisville Council OKs new dog park
The new dog park received unanimous approval by council.
By Petra Chesner Schlatter; Staff Editor

The canine population in Morrisville Borough now has something else to bark about.In an 8-0 vote, the Morrisville Borough Council approved Morrisville Dog Park on April 20. The park will be situated at Delmorr and Philadelphia avenues in the southern part of the borough - not far from the Delaware River.

About 20 proponents of the park attended the meeting. The Friends of Morrisville Dog Park and council members have had long discussions about using a piece of borough-owned land for a dog park. The land is earmarked as open space.

"This gives us the go-ahead," said Ellen Stieve after the meeting. "It's been a long road. It's like having a baby. It's been nine months!"

Stieve said the unanimous decision is "a turning point to move forward."
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After the meeting, Nancy Sherlock, council president, noted "the vote authorizes the borough manager to proceed with the dog park based on the borough engineer's specifications and dimensions as approved by borough council."

Sherlock said the dog park is "another amenity for the town. This is a group of people who were willing to work for a goal, to come out and assist with the fencing."

To expedite the process, the project will be completed in two phases, the later portion dealing with parking. For now, there will be only off-street parking. Council decided to ask the fire company whether its vacant lot could be used by visitors of the dog park. Borough Manager George Mount had warned it would be better not to use off-street parking.

Talks are underway to determine how many parking spaces are allowed on the site; given the land is part of the borough's open space plan. Five spaces would be allowed. The group wants 20. Another concern was the location of the proposed parking area and whether drivers would be more apt to park on the grass. On the plan, the gates will be moved closer to the proposed parking area to avoid a potential problem.

The Friends of Morrisville Dog Park incorporated as a non-profit organization. They hosted a popular dog wash to raise funds to build a fence and are planning some other fund raisers.

Stieve had given an update and presented the project's final site plan to council on April 16. Council's unanimous vote means the site plan has been approved. Several revisions to the site plan were made to address the council's concerns. A memorandum of understanding will be signed later, spelling out the responsibilities for the borough and the dog park proponents.

She noted some council members recently visited the site. One of the requests from the council was to move the lot line by 15 feet at Delmorr Avenue "to accommodate a picnic area and recreation area," Stieve explained.

Before the meeting, Stieve said since she first presented the idea to the council, the dog park's square footage has gotten "smaller and smaller."

The caged section for small dogs will be 77' x 73' while the larger one will be 220' x 115'.

Stieve noted her group has worked with the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC).

The EAC has opposed allowing commercial signs to line the fencing around the park's perimeter.

The dog park proponents said they would have used proceeds to pay for fencing for the park. The EAC maintained the signs are not allowed in designated open space areas. The EAC has said the Bucks County Planning Commission does not allow signage like that.

A compromise was made to have something like a kiosk in one area near the dog park where sponsors could be listed.

The EAC had also been concerned about protecting three large trees, which were originally proposed to be inside the dog park. Park proponents had said the trees would provide shade. However, the trees will now be located outside the fence.

To contribute to the Morrisville Dog Park, make checks payable to Friends of Morrisville Dog Park, c/o Ellen Stieve, 421 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Morrisville, Pa. 19067.

PTO Fundraiser

2009-04-24T07:14:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the emailer who sent me this.

There's still a lot of bulldog spirit out there. Keep it up!

Tonight, [Thursday] the Morrisville PTO held a fundraiser at Barnes & Noble in Oxford Valley and it was a success! I hope all walked away with a renewed sense of pride for our district and even more gratitude for our teachers than before. There was a great turnout by parents and teachers alike and all kids had a fun time listening to the teachers read and participating in a scavenger hunt. It was nice seeing new faces and familiar ones, too and even better to see so many smiles! Thanks to everyone's generosity we will find out soon how much money was raised.
Thank you to all who helped make it a great event!

Business Meeting Recap

2009-04-23T07:33:00.000-04:00

Any news from the business meeting?

Bristol Twp: No to Tech School Budget

2009-04-23T07:31:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

School board rejects budget
By: JOAN HELLYER
Bucks County Courier Times

About one-third of students attending the technical training school come from Bristol Township.

The Bristol Township school board has rejected Bucks County Technical High School's proposed $22.4 million budget for 2009-10 to protest the added costs the district will be charged in the coming school year.

The township's share is scheduled to go up 15 percent over 2008-09 figures while overall costs at the comprehensive technical high school will increase 2.9 percent from the current year, officials said.

According to the tech school's funding formula, Bristol Township's added cost share is needed to cover increased enrollments from that district in recent years, officials said. Bristol Township sends about one third of the 1,500 students enrolled in the tech school, which also serves the Bensalem, Bristol, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school districts.

"I don't think there's a single member on this board that is at all against the tech school," Bristol Township school board President W. Earl Bruck said Monday night after board voted 0-8-1 to reject the 2009-10 proposed budget. Board members would like to see Bristol Township's increase closer to the 2.9 percent figure.

Bruck, who voted no, said he realizes that despite the vote, enough of the other governing bodies from the sending districts will approve and enact the budget.

To make that happen, at least four boards from the sending districts and at least 28 board members of the governing bodies have to approve the proposed budget.

As of today, the Bristol and Morrisville boards have approved the tech school financial plan and 17 members of those two governing bodies have voted in favor of it.

Pennsbury's board is set to vote on it tonight. The Neshaminy and Bensalem boards are scheduled next week to vote on the proposed tech school budget.

Bensalem and Bristol also will pay more next year while Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury will pay less than in 2008-09, according to the funding formula, tech school officials said.

Local school districts cover the bulk of the operating budget for the school on Wistar Road in Bristol Township. State and federal funds and other sources make up the difference in the $22.4 budget.

Sharing the costs

Below is the proposed payment schedule per sending school district to balance the budget for the Bucks County Technical High School in the 2009-10 school year.

Bensalem $3,135,268 ($2,998,665 for 2008-9)
Bristol $733,313 ($691,360)
Bristol Township $6,503,272 ($5,646,491
Morrisville $528,077 ($607,612)
Neshaminy $3,921,993 ($4,048,804)
Pennsbury $3,643,532 ($3,950,799)

Bensalem: New Staff Contract Approved

2009-04-23T07:13:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Split board approves support staff contract
By: Joan Hellyer

Bensalem School District support staff employees will receive annual pay raises and contribute more toward their healthcare benefits, according to a new contract recently approved by the school board.

The four-year deal calls for members of the Bensalem Township Educational Support Professional Association to receive salary increases of three percent each of the first two years, a 3.5 percent increase in the third year and a four-percent pay hike in the fourth year, Superintendent James Lombardo said.

The agreement also includes equity adjustments of 50 cents per hour in the second year and 75 cents per hour in the third year for playground and cafeteria aides to make their salaries comparable to similar employees in other districts, Lombardo said.

The employees also agreed to go to the 10/20/70 insurance plan offered by Personal Choice to help reduce district expenses, the superintendent said. It is less expensive than the provider’s Option 15 plan previously available to the staff members.

In addition, the BTESPA members also agreed to pay $22 per month toward their healthcare premium if they have the Personal Choice plan and $17 per month if they have the less costly Keystone Point of Service plan, Lombardo said.

The new deal is retroactive to September 2008 and runs through August 2012.
The association represents 156 non-teaching assistants, registered nurses, personal care assistants, and cafeteria and library aides who work in the district’s nine schools.

With the new contract, starting salaries range from about $11 per hour to just under $19 per hour depending on the position, Lombardo said.

The board originally voted on the proposed agreement during its Feb. 25 meeting, but fell one “yes” vote short of approving the deal.

The deal was brought back before the board during its April 7 meeting after Carol McGuire, who was not present during the February meeting, asked that it be reconsidered.

It was approved 5-4 with McGuire, James Bodnar, Rose Jacobs, Carol Jones and Stephen Nowmos voting in favor of the pact. President Harry Kramer, Vice President Eugene Rothenberg, Dr. Lewis Brandt and Heather Nicholas voted against.

Budget Q (Minus the A)

2009-04-22T07:27:00.002-04:00

Here's a series of budget questions posed by one of our indefatigable commenters.

Will answers ever be found? Perhaps we'll know tonight at 7:30 when the monthly business meeting of the Court of Emperor William I is held.

Jon has left a new comment on your post "George Mount Retiring":

This belongs further down, but below are some Budget Thoughts & Questions, based on looking at the 4/8/09 Powerpoint presentation in the 2009-2010 Budget Links.

Revenues

1. Overall, budgeted revenues are up $124k over last year ($18,895k vs. $18,771k).

2. Where’s the extra revenue coming from? The Federal government.

3. Local revenues are down $211k ($11,962k vs. $12,173k).

4. State revenues are essentially flat (+2k, $5,553k vs. $5,551k).

5. Federal revenues are up $332k ($1,231k vs. $899k).

6. Why are Local revenues down $211k?

Even thought the millage rate stays the same as last year (187.3 mils), this budget assumes a $102k reduction in Real Estate Tax revenues ($10,617k vs. $10,719k). That and a $147.5k (50%) drop in Investment Earnings ($147.5k vs. $295k) overwhelm a $67k increase ($102k vs. 35k) in “Rentals”.

Question: How is this near-tripling of Rental revenue going to be achieved?

7. Why are State revenues flat (+2k)?

A $338k increase in basic education funding ($3,265k vs. $2,926k) is virtually wiped out by the loss of a $102k EAP Grant for Tutoring, and a $201k drop in Extra Grant funding ($530k vs. $329k).

Question: Why did we lose this $303k in grant funding? Hopefully it wasn’t from prior cuts in grant writing resources.

8. Why are Federal revenues up (+$331k)?

Mostly from a $297k increase in 21st Century Grant funding ($919k vs. $622k).

Question: Isn’t this grant funding targeted to certain programs, and not for basic education, so it doesn't necessarily replace lost Local & State revenue?

9. Conclusions: Overall revenues are up, but mostly from higher Federal 21st Century Grant funding. But this grant funding is likely "earmarked" for certain programs, so it doesn't necessarily replace lost Local & State revenue. That means overall basic education revenues look down.

Expenses

1. Overall, expenses are down $988k ($18,895k vs. 19,883k).

2. Where are the expenses dropping?

The 6 areas with changes > $50k are:

a. 1200 (Special Programs) is down $429k ($3,454k vs. $3,883k). Salaries are up $223k ($1,211k vs. $988k), but “Purchased Professional & Technical Services” dropped a whopping $694k ($1,205k vs. $1,899k).

Questions: What makes up these Purchased Professional & Technical Services? Why such a drastic drop?Is something being deferred until next year? Why? Was something pricey bought last year that isn't being bought this year?

b. 1300 (Vocational Education) is down $81k ($758k vs. $839k), mostly from an $89k drop in “Other Purchased Services ($537k vs. $626k).

Question: Is this from Morrisville’s reduced Tech School share under the funding formula this year?

c. 2100 (Support Services) is down $119k. Salaries are up $56k ($419k vs. $363k), but “Purchased Professional & Technical Services” dropped $176.5k (from $182k to $5.5k, a 97% drop).

Questions: Again, what makes up these Purchased Professional & Technical Services? Why such a drastic drop? Is something being deferred until next year? Why? Was something pricey bought last year that isn't being bought this year?

d. 2300 (Administration) is down $208k, mostly from a $164k drop in Salaries ($495k vs. $659k), and a $21k drop in Benefits ($148k vs. $169k).

Question: Is this from the loss of Kate Taylor and Karen Huggins, and not replacing Asst. Principals? If so, I just hope this 3.5 mil savings is worth it in the long run.

e. 2600 (Maintenance) is down $112k ($1,622k vs. $1,734k, mostly from reduced Purchased Property Services (-$53k) and reduced Supplies (-$59k).

Question: Is this from not having to maintain MR Reiter as much? If so, it isn’t that big of a drop in overall maintenance spending (< 1.9 mils, < 6.5% drop in Maint. budget, but 1 out of 3 buildings is 33.3%, and MR Reiter’s 47,397 ft2 is 20% of the combined 237,689 ft2 of all 3 buildings). At < 1.9 mils, it’s certainly not the FORTUNE Bill Hellmann said we’d save.

f. 5100 (Debt Service) is up $67k ($997k vs. $930k).

Questions: Does this year's installment on paying off the $2.5 million in Bond Defeasement Expenses Hellmann didn't tell anybody about factor into this? Otherwise, why is Debt Sevice up when most of the bond money was defeased – didn’t that drastically reduce the debt?

3. Conclusions: reduced Administration and Maintenance cut expenses by $320k, about 1/3rd of the total $988k drop in expenses. Special Programs, Vocational Education, and Support Services dropped a combined $629k. Salaries are generally still rising, so a concern is that the cuts are coming from items that effect educational delivery.

Other Misc. Comments

1. p.6 --> some of the bar graph heights look wrong, based on other data in the presentation. For example, the 2008-09 Local Revenue is $12.17 million, but the bar height is over $14 million. State Revenues for 2008-09 ($5.551 million) and 2009-10 ($5.553 million) are virtually the same, but the bar is significantly higher for 2009-10.

2. p. 14 - Note that starting in 2005-06, everybody's property tax assessment was increased by a factor of 4, and the corresponding tax millage rate was reduced by a factor of 4. So if you really want to compare apples-to-apples on millage rates, you need to divide the years prior to 2005-06 by 4 - or multiply 2005-06 on by 4. Otherwise, some might be tempted to think that Sandy Gibson is really a hero because she presided over an astonishingly drastic cut in school taxes.

3. p. 38 - Looks like last year’s budget was helped by depleting the Fund Balance by $1.112 million (from $2.793 million to $1.681 million). Assuming 1 tax mil is about $60k, without this depletion of the Fund Balance, it looks like there would have been a 19 mil (~10%) tax increase last year.

So last year, the 2 main things the board did to balance the budget/hold the line on taxes were:

a. Get a ~$1+ million one-shot-deal from defeasing most of the bond money (at a long-term cost of $2.5 million);

b. Dip into the piggy bank to the tune of $1.112 million - money that was left to them by those evil "prior boards".

The budget projections from 2010-13 show the Fund Balance being further depleted by $1.456 million by 2013, all the way down to a mere $225k.

4. p. 38 - these budget figures show a Real Estate Tax collection rate of 93.5% throughout, but the earlier slides all seem based on a 94% collection rate (see p. 5). Why the difference? Which figure is right/more accurate?

Bristol Twp: New Business

2009-04-22T07:11:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Board backs KOZ designation
A drug distribution company promises to pay the school district a minimum of $195,000 a year if it’s approved.
By JOAN HELLYER
STAFF WRITER

The Bristol Township school board is backing Express Scripts’ effort to have its new distribution center site designated a Keystone Opportunity Zone.

The board unanimously threw its support behind the proposal Monday night after representatives of the pharmaceutical company promised it would pay the school district a minimum $195,000 a year in lieu of taxes.

That’s about $15,000 more than what the school district receives in tax revenue from the site off Route 413 near I-95, board solicitor David Truelove said.

The drug distribution company wants to move next year from its current location in Bensalem into the 241,000 square-foot building off Rittenhouse Circle in Bristol Township that formerly housed Jones New York. The KOZ designation would provide the company with tax relief through 2020.

The township council threw its support behind the proposal last week. The company still needs to secure county and state approval for the site to receive the KOZ designation.

A KOZ generally allows companies to pay no property taxes on future development, but Express Scripts representatives promised the annual payment.

The company also would consider paying more if the property’s assessment called for taxes in excess of $195,000, said Paul Acker, Express Scripts senior director of operations and project manager.

If the designation is approved, Express Scripts will hire at least 60 new employees, company officials said.

The new hires would be a mix of pharmacists, pharmaceutical technicians, data entry and shipping department workers, Acker said.

Trying to calm board concerns before the vote, the company representative said he didn’t expect Express Scripts to pack up and leave Bristol Township once its KOZ designation expires.

“We don’t want to do that,” Acker said.

Stay in School

2009-04-22T07:02:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Dropouts tell at-risk students to stay in school
By: JOAN HELLYER
Bucks County Courier Times

Daniel Harris feels he had a life-changing moment Monday as he listened to area residents talk about the challenges they’ve faced since they dropped out of school.

“I need to step up my game. No more bad grades,” said Daniel, 15, a student at the Benjamin Franklin Freshman Academy, after listening to the speakers with the “Stay in School for Success!” campaign.

“I don’t want to be like that when I grow up,” said Katie Morrisey, 15, a freshman at the academy.

They were among more than two dozen Bristol Township freshmen at risk academically who were invited to listen to the speakers, school representatives said.

Each speaker left school for a different reason: John Simmons did not return to Bristol Township’s Harry S Truman High School in 2007 after he was arrested. Michon Darnell left Truman after putting a job before her studies. Lindsey Sierra dropped out of Pennsbury High School a year ago while battling a drug addition and going through rehab.

Each regrets dropping out. They now are pursuing their high school GED through the Pennsylvania CareerLink Bucks County Youth Center in the Bucks County Office Center off Veterans Highway in Bristol Township.

All are planning to go to college or secure a steady well-paying job once they receive their GED.

A high school diploma or the equivalency will improve a person’s earning ability by about $3 per hour compared with someone who has dropped out, according to CareerLink statistics. Plus, it likely will reduce the amount of time a person will be unemployed during their working years, campaign organizers said.

The speakers also includ- ed Oklahoma native Ken Perry who is working through CareerLink to secure gainful employment. All four said: Stay in school.

“I know it sounds corny, but staying in school will probably be the best decision you’ll ever make,” Lindsey, 17, said.

The workforce investment boards of Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties and Regional Career Education Partnership partners are sponsoring the Stay in School effort.

The project also includes an online resource guide to services for dropouts in the greater Philadelphia area. There will be a “Re-Engaging Disconnected Youth Symposium” at Bucks County Technical High School on Friday. The brain-storming session is for community and faith-based organizations serving students at risk of not finishing school.

The initiative is necessary, even in Bucks County, where the dropout rate is generally less than 1 percent, because those who have dropped out are seeking resources in greater numbers, organizers said.

Dropouts cost the state on average $32,000 per person during their lifetime in welfare, food stamps, Medicare and other costs, officials said.

The biggest setback is a lack of well-paying jobs. Plus, dropouts miss out on the many social memories from the high school years, said Lindsey, who would have gone to her senior prom and graduated from Pennsbury this year had she stayed in school. “It’s really upsetting not being there,” she said.

George Mount Retiring

2009-04-21T08:08:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Best wishes to you and thank you for your service.

Borough manager stepping down
By: DANNY ADLER
Bucks County Courier Times

Morrisville's top administrator for the borough and the Morrisville Municipal Authority is retiring later this spring.

But borough council voted unanimously Monday night to pay George Mount III, the 12-year part-time borough manager and 17-year executive director of the municipal authority, $75 an hour if the borough needs to consult him after his retirement, effective June 1.

Both the borough and the authority will look to fill Mount's posts - but it's unclear if it will be the same person doing both jobs, such as it is with Mount.

Councilwoman Jane Burger asked Mount to consider staying on as borough manager until someone is hired to fill his spot, worrying that there are certain documents and contracts that need to be signed by him.

Mount didn't say yes or no. Council President Nancy Sherlock said such a question at the meeting was "putting him on the spot."

Borough solicitor James Downey noted that assistant borough secretary Dorothy Gaydula has the authority to sign a "fair percentage" of borough documents.

"My offer was just to help in the event that you don't get anyone, to help with the transition," Mount told the council during Monday's meeting. He added, "I want to see a very smooth transition."

Earlier in the day, Mount's colleagues had nothing but good things to say.

"He really has been very efficient," municipal authority Chairman John Warenda said Monday afternoon. "He's been an excellent director and manager for a long time."

"We will miss him," said Sherlock before the meeting. "He's done a very good job for us."

Mount was a 3rd Ward borough councilman from 1981 to 1992, when he resigned to take the executive director gig with the municipal authority. He was hired as borough manager in 1997. Mount also has served on the Bucks County Enterprise Zone committee and the Landmark Towns of Bucks County board of directors.

According to a press release by the municipal authority, Mount is hoping to use his new-found time to travel more.

Mount, who graduated from Morrisville High School in 1962, lives in the borough with his wife, Margaret.

It's Much Easier With the Answer Key

2009-04-21T07:12:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Pa. boy orders secret state tests to 'play school'
The Associated Press

The Pennsylvania Education Department plans to tighten security after a fifth-grader who wanted to "play school" ordered a batch of secret state school assessment tests from his western Pennsylvania home.

The shrink-wrapped tests were delivered to the Hempfield Area School District's warehouse, not to the 10-year-old boy's home, which department spokeswoman Leah Harris said shows the existing security system works.

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests, which are administered annually to youngsters in fourth, eighth and 11th grades, are automatically shipped to districts or individuals schools and "can't be shipped anywhere else," Harris said.

The boy, whom officials did not identify, wasn't trying to cheat, said the district's director of pupil services, Rebecca Costello.

"He wants to be a teacher. He wanted to play school," she said.

The boy even requested that the exams be delivered on the last day of testing so that he wouldn't see it before he took it in March, she said.

The incident was the first of its kind. Because of it, the department plans to require people ordering tests, which measure student achievement and how well schools are educating students, to enter a personal identification code, Harris said.

"We take security breaches very seriously," Harris said.

The boy completed an order form on the Education Department Web site, where he found two codes needed to complete the transaction _ one identifying the school district, the other identifying Bovard Elementary School, where he is in the fifth grade. He listed his home address and the names of his school and teacher, officials said.

He faxed the form to Data Recognition Corp., of Maple Grove, Minn., the company that produces the exams for Pennsylvania several other states, Costello said.

District officials traced the order to the boy when they discovered they received more tests than they had ordered, said Barbara Marin, assistant superintendent for elementary education.

Officials declined to say if the boy faced discipline as a result.

"The child was upset. He meant no harm. The parents were upset with the child," Costello said.

Columbine aftereffects reach local schools

2009-04-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Columbine aftereffects reach local schools
By: RACHEL CANELLI
Bucks County Courier Times

Security has been transformed in Bucks County schools. But one violence prevention group gives a grade of D+ to a $10 billion effort to improve safety in the nation's schools.

More than 10 years ago, Lou Muenker was watching a group of eighth-graders stroll into a Neshaminy school just like any other morning.

Then an administrator, Muenker noticed one of the students had a cell phone. Since mobiles were rare and prohibited in the mid-1990s, he asked the boy why he needed it.

In case my mom needs to reach me for an emergency, the young man said. Muenker light-heartedly teased back that the school already had that covered with a phone in the office.

If only life were still that simple, said Muenker, the district's acting superintendent.

"Now, I can't argue," he said. "[Having a phone] could be very valuable [in a crisis] and we have to be conscious of that."

In the aftermath of Columbine, school officials have been forced to take a step back from their assumed sense of security. When Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold walked into their Colorado high school with guns 10 years ago today, killing 13 and wounding 24, their massacre altered authorities' skewed views of safety across the country.

Administrators began implementing tougher procedures such as locked doors and surveillance cameras. They've instituted security personnel and crisis drills.

And since authorities originally thought Harris and Klebold were taking revenge on popular teens for being bullied, officials also got involved in anti-bullying plans.

Not enough

After $10 billion has been spent on security nationwide, one nonprofit says it's still not enough.

A report card on school violence and prevention by Community Matters gives America's efforts a D-plus. Even though zero-tolerance laws have been passed in more than 28 states, with at least 19 also having anti-bullying legislation, kids are bullying at younger ages and using electronics to do so, the study said.

Between 1999 and 2007, the percentage of students who didn't go to school because of safety concerns increased, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2000 to 2005, there was a 50 percent increase in the percentage of youth who were victims of online harassment.

What's lacking, according to the foundation, is funding and an emphasis on emotional, social and behavioral skills.

Many Bucks County school officials, though, disagreed with the grade and said they are doing everything they can to protect children.

For districts like Morrisville, Quakertown and Bensalem and schools, including Bucks County Technical High School in Bristol Township and Holy Ghost Prep in Bensalem, that has meant increasing awareness, cooperation and prevention through emergency plans, training, safety committees, and mentoring and anti-bullying programs, administrators said.

Bensalem staff also must wear ID badges, and people have one entry point only to each building, said Superintendent James Lombardo.

In Neshaminy, where officials continue to offer peer mediation, Internet safety forums and a sanctuary room for immediate intervention, visitors must be buzzed into facilities, Muenker said.

Monitoring visitors

It's a policy similar to Bristol Township's, where greeters have been hired to watch the doors and grant or deny access to the district's nine elementary schools, and monitor guests' visits, said Jim White, operations, safety, environmental and training coordinator.

Their visitors' passes also change color if people stay more than an hour. Though it's rare, greeters could spot the color changing IDs and make sure guests are where they're supposed to be and not just hanging around for no reason.

"Security has changed drastically," said White. "Years ago, when we talked about safety, we meant falling on the playground, not keeping intruders and weapons out. It was assumed and that's sad."

White said he also never dreamed that Bristol Township would own metal detectors, even if they're mostly used on suspicion and not a regular basis.

"What's dramatic and profound is that the effect of Columbine has been for every asset of education," said White. "It's almost become a part of the curriculum and as important as reading, writing and arithmetic."

But security experts say there's still always so much more schools can do - like install mass notification systems and locators into laptops.

That's what Tony Ciambrello, a senior technician for THREE sigma LLC recommends. The Morrisville-based company distributes security products, including fire alarm systems and motion detectors, to mainly higher educational institutions like Delaware Valley College.

"The concern has increased, but I'd say a D-plus is just about right for how well schools are doing," said Ciambrello. "I realize there's money involved and they're limited without alarming parents too much, but they could do more."

A basic system could start at a few thousand dollars. That would increase by several hundred with each location included and speakers for a wireless broadcast system that could transmit pre-recorded messages in emergencies, specifically on college campuses, Ciambrello said.

However, studies show that schools are still the safest place for kids, said Lombardo.

Investigators now know that the Columbine boys weren't bullied and seeking retaliation. But they also know that Klebold was suicidal and Harris had psychological problems.

It is that understanding that convinces schools like Neshaminy and Pennsbury to maintain participation in events like Challenge Day to increase tolerance and understanding, officials said.

"It's difficult to suggest that kids at all times are safe from people who want to do them harm," said Muenker. "I'm not sure what prevents it in the long run. We can only minimize by anticipating. There are no guarantees. We've just got to wake up every day, and hope that they'll be safe by the end of it."

"Years ago, when we talked about safety, we meant falling on the playground, not keeping intruders and weapons out." - Jim White, safety coordinator for Bristol Township schools

Ten years after Columbine, school security stepped up

2009-04-20T08:04:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

10 years after Columbine, school security stepped up
By Kristen A. Graham and Bonnie L. Cook, Posted on Sun, Apr. 19, 2009

Some schools have banned backpacks. Others have locked doors, installed cameras, bought metal detectors, and started disaster drills.

Ten years ago tomorrow, two teenagers killed 13 people and wounded 23 others inside Columbine High School in suburban Littleton, Colo., a massacre that forever altered the nation's school-security landscape.

"We used to just worry about drugs and alcohol, but now we're all overwhelmed by this fear that our children aren't safe in schools," said Al Hall, director of security for the Hatboro-Horsham School District.

While some national experts say schools are no safer now than they were a decade ago, educators from around the region point to new efforts to keep students out of harm's way. Among other things, they're training staffers, attending safety conferences, putting cameras on buses, and setting up emergency-notification systems.

Like many regional districts, Hatboro-Horsham has never had tragedy, but it has opted for a proactive approach - just in case. Hall's position is new, and the district also stresses security in small and large ways.

Visitors must now surrender IDs when they enter schools. Emergency plans are updated frequently. Students drill for specific events - a suspicious package found, an intruder inside the building. There's a hotline to report worrisome activity, and reminders for school staff to keep an eye out for troubled students.

"We're constantly monitoring. What are our students drawing in art class? Are they drawing a stick person with a knife stuck in, or are they drawing flowers in a field?" Hall said.

Last week, dozens of school staffers from around Montgomery County gathered in a King of Prussia conference room to hear security expert Kenneth Trump talk about the post-Columbine security landscape and answer questions about lockdown drills, safety fixes on a tight budget, and cyberbullying.

"Some people are dealing with communities that still have the philosophy 'It can't happen here,' " Trump told the educators. "There are glaring gaps, and lots of work remaining."

Just after Columbine, school safety was the hot topic, with awareness at an all-time high and money readily available.

Then came 9/11, and the nation's focus shifted to terrorism, Trump said.

These days, school security is a mixed bag, he said.

Some schools fall short, mostly at keeping safety plans updated and well-practiced, and at investing in training.

It's easy to slip on the basics - failing to enforce a universal ID policy, allowing visitors to enter a building without signing in, leaving a door unlocked by mistake.

Steven Beck, school-safety coordinator with the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, sees that firsthand.

"At times, I still have to go out and convince school personnel that this is important, that there isn't a guarantee it won't happen in your particular location," Beck said.

But in general, Beck said, school shootings and narrow misses elsewhere have served as wake-up calls.

Locally, in 2006, a multi-student plot was averted in Winslow, and a Springfield Township student killed himself at school with an AK-47.

In 2007, a plot by a home-schooled student to kill people at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School was thwarted, and last year, a student's plan to kill individuals he did not like at Pottstown High also was averted.

Now, there's much better communication among schools and police and fire departments, Beck said.

Students are kept aware of the importance of a safe school environment and warned of tough stances on bullying.

In Radnor, Leo Bernabei, the school district's director of operations, has seen a sea change in the 30 years he's been around.

Gone is the custodian with the overflowing key ring to secure buildings; now, codes are digital. Professional security consultants are hired.

"As a parent, I would say hi to the secretary and walk right to my child's classroom," Bernabei said. "Not anymore. You have to have a background check to go deep in the building."

In Cherry Hill, staff are reminded to be on the lookout for mental-health issues, and students are schooled in stopping bullying before it starts, said Michael Nuzzo, director of security for the district.

New to the district this year is an emergency parent-notification system - should a school be locked down or evacuated, for instance, parents would get the message automatically.

"A lot of school districts are moving in that direction," Nuzzo said. "The mind-set has changed. We know a tragedy can happen any time, any place."

Urban districts have their own set of safety challenges - violence in school communities, huge buildings with dozens of doors - but Columbine still jarred Philadelphia into beefing up security measures.

"And every year, the anniversary of the event is a poignant reminder for us to focus on school safety," said James Golden, who heads that department for the Philadelphia School District.

Before Columbine, the district had metal detectors in some schools.

Afterward, it went to universal metal detection in high schools. With cameras, locked doors, and IDs, it has adopted the same strategies most suburban schools are using, Golden said.

Golden also said the district had sent more than 1,000 administrators and staff to federal emergency-preparedness training.

"They go through training as if they're first responders," he said.

In Washington Township, where voters endorsed a tax hike in 2004 for upgrades to school safety, including cameras for buses and high school hallways, Superintendent Cheryl Simone said safety was "foremost."

"Securing the building, securing the kids, is your number-one job," Simone said. "You have to do that before you can attend to your primary mission, educating kids."

School shootings during the last 10 years also have "upped the ante for the severity of discipline."

Now, zero-tolerance policies mean that a penknife on a key chain or a pair of scissors in a kindergartner's backpack equal an automatic suspension.

"It's a very different perspective," Simone said. "We do take these things seriously, at all grade levels."

Jim White, who handles security for Bristol Township schools, has seen "drastic changes" since Columbine.

From ID badges and surveillance cameras to a portable metal detector and more regular locker checks, it's a new world order, White said, with staff required to be on alert about safety.

"Teachers, the custodial staff, are constantly looking for something out of place," White said. "The guidance counselors are trying to get students to say, 'Hey, this person is a threat.' "

Children are different, too, White said - no longer innocent about the danger that's out there.

And though there was some initial parent pushback on stepped-up security measures, White said, that has faded.

"People appreciate your trying to protect their kids," he said.

Board to vote on allowing members to phone it in

2009-04-20T07:56:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

Board to vote on allowing members to phone it in
By: RACHEL CANELLI
Bucks County Courier Times

Other districts, including Council Rock, have allowed board members to participate in meetings via phone.

When it comes to a policy letting board members remotely participate in meetings, Neshaminy officials hung up and are trying again.

After debating the rule's language last month, the school board expects to vote on it during the April 28 meeting.

The process would let no more than one director per meeting call into a public board meeting and vote via phone. And each board member would be able to make such a request only once a year through the board president or superintendent, according to the policy.

Board member William O'Connor requested the guideline so he wouldn't have to miss too many board meetings for unexpected business trips. O'Connor wanted the rule to allow two directors per meeting to vote by phone twice a year.

The policy gives the board the ability to increase those numbers in the future, administrators said.

Board member Richard Eccles expressed concerns that board members would miss too many meetings. But district solicitor Thomas J. Profy III said it wouldn't count as an absence if a board member participated via phone.

Profy also said the board member participating remotely cannot be used to reach a quorum. At least five other board members must be present to hold the meeting, said Profy.

Board member William Spitz said he favors remote participation, which he believes could be monitored and adjusted to avoid abuse.

The concept already is used in some districts, including Council Rock, where a board member recently participated by phone for more than one meeting after having surgery, officials said.

And Neshaminy allowed board member Joseph Blasch to attend an executive session by phone, Blasch said.

Representatives of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association said 35 school districts across the state have adopted similar protocols.

After not allowing a councilman who was on military duty overseas to vote from his post, the Tullytown council later agreed to let members on active military duty vote by phone early last year.

But Neshaminy board member Frank Koziol argued the policy isn't necessary. By his calculations, only five votes out of more than 200 in the past few years failed due to a director's absence.

Board President Ritchie Webb said he could see why the policy might be beneficial, but he'll be voting against the policy, too, because voting over the phone doesn't allow directors to look residents in the eyes.

Council Meeting Reminder

2009-04-19T19:14:00.002-04:00

Morrisville Council: Monday, April 20, 2009
7:30 p.m., borough hall, 35 Union St.
Agenda: regular business items. 215-295-8181

U.S. Supreme Court to hear school strip-search case

2009-04-19T08:21:00.000-04:00

From the Austin (TX) Statesman via the Los Angeles Times

Supreme Court to hear school strip-search case

By David G. Savage
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Sunday, April 19, 2009

SAFFORD, Ariz. — When Savana Redding, now 19, talks of what happened to her in eighth grade, it is clear that the painful memories linger.

She speaks of being embarrassed and fearful, and of staying away from school for two months. And she recalls the "whispers" and "stares" from others in this small eastern Arizona mining town after she was strip-searched in the nurse's office because a vice principal suspected she might be hiding an extra-strength ibuprofen in her underwear.

The Supreme Court will hear her case Tuesday. Its decision, the first to address the issue of strip-searches in schools, will set legal limits, if any, on the authority of school officials to search for drugs or weapons on campus.

If limits on searches are imposed, the school district warns, its ability to keep all drugs out of its schools would be reduced. In this case, said district lawyer Matthew Wright, the vice principal was concerned because one student had gotten seriously ill from taking unidentified pills.

"That was the driving force for him. If nothing had been done, and this happened to another kid, parents would have been outraged," Wright said.

Only once in the past has the high court ruled on a school search case. In 1980 a New Jersey girl was caught smoking in the bathroom, and her principal searched her purse for cigarettes.

The justices upheld that search because the principal had a specific reason for looking in her purse. But they did not say how far officials could go, and how much of a student's privacy could be sacrificed, to maintain safety at school. That's the issue in Safford Unified School District v. Redding.

Judges have been split over whether Redding's rights were violated. A federal magistrate in Tucson, Ariz., upheld the search because the vice principal was relying on a student's tip. In a 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed.

Last year, however, the full 9th Circuit Court took up the case and ruled 6-5 for Redding. Last fall, the school district appealed to the high court, saying it "finds itself on the front lines of the decades-long war against drug abuse among students."

Also on the docket

This week, the Supreme Court will consider the reverse-discrimination claim of Matthew Marcarelli and a group of white firefighters from the New Haven, Conn., department. They all passed a promotion exam, but the city threw out the test because no blacks would have been promoted, saying the exam had a "disparate impact" on minorities likely to violate the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Mary Frances Berry, a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania and head of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights during the Clinton administration, said the firefighters' case has broad implications.

"This is about whether we are going to see a sea change in how the judiciary looks at the need for these (protections), and how the popular culture and electoral politics influence their perceptions," Berry said.

Besides the firefighters' lawsuit, the Supreme Court will soon hear a case seeking to overturn a Voting Rights Act requirement that all or parts of 16 states, including Texas, with a history of discrimination must get approval from the Justice Department before changing election procedures.

Tea and taxes

2009-04-19T07:59:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

Editorial: Tea and taxes Posted on Sun, Apr. 19, 2009

Tax protesters who held "tea parties" in Philadelphia and other cities are both right and wrong.

They're right that the national debt is out of control. But they're wrong about taxpayers now bearing an especially heavy burden.

The demonstrations ignited partisan disagreements about motives, but they also raised a point that's beyond dispute: The federal government must get serious about balancing its books, soon.

Despite bailouts and massive government spending to combat the recession, overall tax burdens today are not as high as in previous years. That's because the federal government, instead of paying its way, habitually takes the easy way out by borrowing too much.

Still, the average taxpayer this year will pay 28.2 percent of his or her income in federal, state, and local taxes, according to the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation in Washington. That's the lowest overall tax burden since 1967. The high was 33.6 percent in 2000.

Middle-income households in 2006 paid an average of 14.2 percent of their income in federal taxes, the lowest level since 1979, according to the left-leaning Center for Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington.

Tax Freedom Day, billed as the day each year when Americans have worked enough to pay off all of their taxes, was April 13. That's two weeks earlier than 2007, and the earliest date since 1967.

That doesn't mean taxes are low everywhere. Certain states and cities have chronically high taxes. New Jersey ranks second behind Connecticut in overall tax burden (Pennsylvania is 11th). Philadelphia, with its wage and business privilege taxes, is one of the highest-taxing cities in the nation.

Overall tax rates are lower than in the past, but what's high is the government's credit-card balance. Federal spending has soared in the past decade, and tax revenue hasn't kept pace.

If taxes funded all of Washington's spending this year, Tax Freedom Day wouldn't arrive until May 29, which would be the latest ever.

When President George W. Bush took office in 2001, the national debt stood at $5.7 trillion. Bush cut taxes but boosted spending dramatically. When he left office, the national debt had risen to more than $10 trillion, with nary a tea party in sight. For most of that time, Republicans controlled Congress.

With Democrats now in charge of Congress and the White House, the deficit in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 will hit $1.85 trillion. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office calculates that President Obama's budget would add $9.2 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years, a level that can't be sustained.

Overall tax rates are lower now than in previous years, but deficits are a looming tax bill that must be paid eventually. Faced with that, arguing whether tea-party protesters have partisan motives is like playing the violin badly while Rome burns.

Spending to fight the recession and create jobs was necessary. And anti-tax protesters don't talk enough about what spending they'd like to cut. The Pentagon's half-trillion-dollar budget? Government pensions or Medicare's prescription-drug program?

The deficit problem didn't begin with the economic-stimulus plan. Nor will it be solved without public pressure, including tea parties.

A National Education Standard?

2009-04-19T07:28:00.000-04:00

From TIME.com

How to Raise the Standard in America's Schools
By Walter Isaacson Wednesday, Apr. 15, 2009

National standards have long been the third rail of education politics. The right chokes on the word national, with its implication that the feds will trample on the states' traditional authority over public schools. And the left chokes on the word standards, with the intimations of assessments and testing that accompany it. The result is a K-12 education system in the U.S. that is burdened by an incoherent jumble of state and local curriculum standards, assessment tools, tests, texts and teaching materials. Even worse, many states have bumbled into a race to the bottom as they define their local standards downward in order to pretend to satisfy federal demands by showing that their students are proficient.

It's time to take another look. Without national standards for what our students should learn, it will be hard for the U.S. to succeed in the 21st century economy. Today's wacky patchwork makes it difficult to assess which methods work best or how to hold teachers and schools accountable. Fortunately, there are glimmers of hope that the politics surrounding national standards has become a little less contentious. A growing coalition of reformers — from civil rights activist Al Sharpton to Georgia Republican governor Sonny Perdue — believe that some form of common standards is necessary to achieve a wide array of other education reforms, including merit pay for good teachers and the expansion of the role of public charter schools. (See pictures of inside a public boarding school.)

The idea of "common schools" that adopt the same curriculum and standards isn't new. It first arose in the 1840s, largely owing to the influence of the reformer Horace Mann. But the U.S. Constitution leaves public education to the states, and the states devolve much of the authority to local school districts, of which there are now more than 13,000 in the U.S. The Federal Government provides less than 9% of the funding for K-12 schools. That is why it has proved impossible thus far to create common curriculum standards nationwide. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush summoned the nation's governors to Charlottesville, Va., to attempt a standards-based approach to school reform. The result was only a vague endorsement of "voluntary national standards," which never gained much traction. In 1994, President Bill Clinton got federal money for standards-based reform, but the effort remained in the hands of the states, leading to a wildly varying hodgepodge of expectations for — as well as ideological battles over — math and English curriculums.

The No Child Left Behind Act pushed by President George W. Bush unintentionally exacerbated the problem. It required each state to ensure that its students achieve "universal proficiency" in reading and math — but allowed each to define what that meant. The result was that many states made their job easier by setting their bar lower. This race to the bottom resulted in a Lake Wobegon world where every state declared that its kids were better than average. Take the amazing case of Mississippi. According to the standards it set for itself, 89% of its fourth-graders were proficient or better in reading, making them the best in the nation. Yet according to the random sampling done every few years by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test, a mere 18% of the state's fourth-graders were proficient, making them the worst in the nation. Even in Lake Wobegon that doesn't happen. Only in America. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, led by reformer Chester Finn Jr., has been analyzing state standards for more than a decade and concludes, "Two-thirds of U.S. children attend schools in states with mediocre standards or worse."

See the rest at TIME.com

I'm Looking for a Few Good Men (Women Too)

2009-04-18T08:14:00.001-04:00

This is not Texas and they're called school directors here. It looks like the job requirements are the same.

One quoted quality really stepped out and saluted: "School board elections are not the place to resolve personal grievances against the schools (or district)"

Ask yourself: What values do the people I voted for in 2007 represent?

Ask yourself again: What do I want in 2009?

What does it take to be an Effective School Board Trustee?
Posted on April 16, 2009 at 8:59 pm
By PHYLLIS SNODGRASS
President, San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce

It’s that time again – the time when candidates run for school board trustee for the San Marcos CISD. Why should the Chamber of Commerce care? Because school board trustees put into motion actions which ultimately lead to the success or failure of our schools. They are the governing body that the Superintendent of Schools reports to. If education is truly the number one economic development tool of our community– then school board trustees are absolutely critical to the future success of our community.

The quality and equity of education is a priority concern of educators, parents, business and community leaders and public officials in San Marcos. To ensure high quality education, the citizens of San Marcos must identify and elect Board Trustees who are qualified to meet the many difficult challenges facing the district. In an effort to identify and define the attributes that a school Board Trustee needs to meet these challenges, more than sixty leaders from 30 community organizations and many businesses came together in 1993, then again in 2007, to develop an Attribute Profile of an Effective School Board Trustee. Based on national best practices, regional experience, and the expertise of these leaders, this Attribute Profile was created.

The following organizations participated in the collaborative development of and/or endorsed this profile:

• Austin Area Research Organization (AARO)
• Austin Area Urban League
• Austin Council of PTA’s
• Austin Independent School District
• Austin Interfaith
• Austin Partners in Education
• Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce
• Capital Metro
• City of Austin Mayor’s Office
• Community Action Network
• E3 Alliance
• Executive Women International
• Greater Austin Chamber
• Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Junior League
• Leadership Austin
• League of Women Voters in Austin
• Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA)
• Ready By 21 Coalition
• Southwest Key
• Texas Business & Education Coalition (TBEC)
• The Austin Project
• The University of Texas at Austin
• United Way – Capital Area
• Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Texas
• Community, Civic and Business Leaders
• Other regional school district representatives

This representative and very knowledgeable group has created a brochure to help communities in Central Texas choose the very best possible school board trustees. The brochure details the qualities highlighted by this broad range of community partners as the most important attributes of a successful school board trustee.

An Effective School Board Trustee Should:

• Be a visionary, goal-directed, and willing to take risks. Be willing to set and have experience setting policy priorities.

• Have proven and appropriate organizational, fiscal and leadership skills suitable for the size and complexity of the school district.

• Demonstrate commitment to equity and access to quality education and world-class standards of achievement for all students.

• Demonstrate the ability to build consensus and to achieve collaborative outcomes.

• Value diversity and equity as criteria for decision-making.

• Be willing to set an example and establish accountability at all levels for achievement of all students, by understanding how to identify relevant data and use it appropriately.

• Practice good and efficient governance, understanding the role of policy-maker versus administrator.

• Represent the population served by our district and be a strong advocate for public education.

• Understand the need for alignment from early childhood through college and career success and across education providers to create a continuum of success for students.

• Exhibit personal qualities that embody a positive role model for our children and our community.

School board elections are not the place to resolve personal grievances against the schools (or district) nor should they be used merely as a stepping stone for future public office. Our schools deserve quality candidates that possess the above attributes and are willing to bring their knowledge and skills to the table to benefit the students of San Marcos CISD. There is a huge time commitment involved in serving as a school board trustee and each and every one of us should be thankful to our current trustees for the dedicated service that they provide to our community. A full list of questions that should be asked of every candidate for school board trustee can be found on the chamber’s website at www.sanmarcostexas.com. Our students deserve the best, and it is up to us to support the candidates that will best meet the needs of those students.

Community Craftsmen Award

2009-04-18T07:31:00.002-04:00

From the BCCT.

Congratulations to the teachers and students who give of their time and talent. Good show!

Morrisville students show off toy-making talents
By: MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times

Morrisville Middle/Senior High School students have been recognized for volunteering their time and toy-making talents to benefit kids in the community.

The school recently achieved runner-up status in the national Minwax Community Craftsman Award, which rewards groups or individuals who are "doing good with wood" for other people.

Fourteen Morrisville students enrolled in woodworking made 48 toys, ranging from wooden Flintstone cars to Tic-Tac-Toe boards and two large alphabet trains. They gave the trains to displaced M.R. Reiter Elementary School Pre-K and kindergarten children to use during the school day. All the toys started as wood grown in Morrisville that was sawed by a Morrisville graduate, said technology education teacher Kevin Jones.

Some of the toy ideas come from woodworking books and the Internet, while others are unique student creations, said Jones.

This is the fourth year the students have worked on an annual toy drive in conjunction with Ivin's House, a community service organization that distributes the toys to needy children each year.

As an award, the school's technology education department will receive $1,500 worth of Minwax products. The top prize is a $5,000 cash grant, a supply of Minwax products and a consultation with leading finishing expert Bruce Johnson.

Neshaminy Budget: Good News and Bad News

2009-04-18T07:25:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Board facing tough budget decisions
By: RACHEL CANELLI
Burlington County Times

Good news! Neshaminy’s budget should fall within the Act 1 tax spending limit. The bad news: Everybody won’t like something about it. That’s what business administrator Joseph Paradise told the Neshaminy school board this week about the district’s previously projected $167 million spending plan. To meet the tax law’s allowable 4.1 percent increase, which equals 6 mills or $4.6 million in Neshaminy, officials said they need to shrink a $14 million deficit to $4.5 million.

It’s unclear who, or what, will suffer the most. But administrators said the cuts will involve program changes and elimination and service reductions from the cabinet to the custodians, including teachers.

“We’re not sure how we’re going to do that yet,” said Paradise. “It’s still a work in progress. Every part of the district will be affected. But there’s no other way to do it. There’s no magic bullet.”

Revenues, including property and business taxes, are down almost $3 million to about $153 million, Paradise reported last month. Since officials don’t want to use any more of the dwindling $1.2 million savings account, taxpayers would see an average $500 increase to help fill that gap, administrators said.

For that reason, some homeowners, many senior citizens, have been petitioning the board for a zero percent budget/tax increase.

To ease the burden, board members and administrators have discussed sharing elementary art, music and gym teachers, advertising at sporting events, reducing the pre-first program, going paperless, increasing class size, charging community groups to use facilities, eliminating lead teachers, decreasing bus routes and charging for extra-curricular activities.

Neshaminy qualifies, though, for about $3.3 million in exceptions, including for special education. So, that could bump the district’s allowable total increase to 7 percent, or 10.32 mills. But the board members previously voted to try their best not to use those.

Paradise is expected to present the updated budget to the board during its April 28 meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., in Maple Point Middle School’s board room.

Baseball in the Schools

2009-04-17T09:28:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Seems like Morrisville is in the bottom the ninth with two out, bases empty, the bottom of the order coming up, and three back to back grand slams needed to tie.

Architect says new school project is in ‘great shape’
The district has used about half of the contingency funds it set aside to cover unforeseen costs.
By JOAN HELLYER

The Bristol School District is “in the top of the ninth inning” with the construction of its new $33 million-plus school, the project’s chief architect said Thursday night.

Most of the work should be completed by June, added Angelo Rago, the district’s project representative, during the school board meeting.

The building at 450 Beaver St. will open in September and will serve approximately 1,100 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade.

School board members asked the chief architect, Michael Minton, to address rumors that the project was way over budget. It’s not, the Vitetta architect said. The district has used only about half of the contingency funds it had set aside to cover unforeseen costs in the project, Minton said.

That amounts to about 2.5 percent of the project’s entire cost.

The contingency funds, as well as capital reserve funds are being used to cover costs relating to a soil remediation delay in 2007, change orders and contractor claims, officials said.

Mayoral Candidate Question

2009-04-17T08:12:00.000-04:00

This was posted as a comment to the post and was prepared by one of our more perspicacious observers. It deserves open and serious consideration from all of us.

Peter has left a new comment on your post "Mayoral Candidate Speaks":

Mr. Thomson,

Let me start by saying thank you for reaching out to our little community of blogheads. I am hoping we can engage in some discussion and better understand your candidacy.

I'll be frank, your association with the QSRE makes me skeptical. I realize this may be unfair as we've never met (AFAIK) and I know nothing about you other than your name is attached to the QSRE and Stop The School crowd. In my experience, people can generally be judged by the company they keep, and in my opinion the QSRE/STS crowd is what this town does not need; they (or at least the most vocal among them) stand for stagnation, status quo, anti-progress.

That said, I am interested in knowing how you would improve Morrisville's position in the world. How did you feel about the Gateway project? How would you handle the legal wrangling of the proposed burlesque club? Smoke shops? In your mind, what are the top 3 things that are wrong with MV and how do we fix them? (notice the inclusion -- this is task for us all) What are the top 3 things that are RIGHT? And how do we capitalize on them? Have you read the 10 year improvement plan that was done last year? Please give us your thoughts on that.

If the other candidates are out there reading, I'd love to hear your responses too.

I suspect most of this blog readership will be voting in May and November. I know I certainly will.

I Ain't Bo Peep, and These Ain't Sheep

2009-04-17T07:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all the emailers on this situation. We previously discussed this in this post and this post last December.

April 16, 2009

Dear Parent/Guardian:

This afternoon at 1:00 pm, Morrisville Middle/Senior High School went into restrictive movement. The purpose of the restrictive movement was to clear the school so Interquest Detection Canines could conduct a search. This search serves several purposes with the most important being ensuring a safe environment for all members of the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School community. Additionally, this will send a message to any student considering bringing harmful substances to the middle/senior high school. The school administration, faculty, and students will not tolerate this type of activity in their school.

The search lasted approximately two hours. During this time, teachers and support staff not assigned to students were available to escort any student in need of medical assistance to the nurse’s office. Students needing to use the lavatory facilities were also escorted to the lavatory. Prior to being able to use the lavatory students were searched. This was done to keep students from getting rid of any illegal substances while they were using the facilities. If a student’s locker was identified by the dog, the content of the locker and the student was searched. Additionally, the parent/guardian was immediately contacted. At no time was a student subjected to a search by the use of a dog.

Today’s search was conducted following School Board Policy (#226) and with utmost respect for student privacy. Students, teachers, staff, and parents/guardians have the right to expect to come to a safe place to learn, work, or visit.

Sincerely,

William J. Ferrara Principal

Reading Olympics News

2009-04-16T07:49:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the emailer for this news tip.

Our 4th and 5th grade "Grandview Greats" won a blue ribbon at tonight's reading olympics, held at Bensalem High School, with a total 60 points! Please post the good news.

Philly Schools Plan Released

2009-04-16T07:36:00.001-04:00

From the Inquirer

School district reform plan released

By MENSAH M. DEAN
Philadelphia Daily News Posted on Tue, Apr. 14, 2009

After fielding ideas and concerns at more than a dozen meetings attended by an estimated 3,000 people since the first week of March, the Philadelphia School District has released the final draft of Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's signature reform plan.

"Imagine 2014, a 64-page document containing the "strategic direction for our schools for the next five years," was posted on the district's Internet site - www.phila.k12.pa.us - last night.

Due to community input, the number of reforms contained in the final plan has grown since Ackerman made public the rough draft on Feb. 18.

Added to the plan are: a call to decrease the student-to-counselor ratio to 500-to-1 in elementary schools; request to expand opportunities for middle school students to take world languages; and changes in class schedules at high schools to create smaller class sizes.

In addition, the plan says English language arts, math, science and social studies courses will be updated so that they are more integrated, rigorous and relevant in preparing students for college and careers.

The core curriculum will be linked to real-world and field experiences to provide students with instruction that is relevant to their everyday lives and reflects the diversity of the student population, the plan says.

School communities will be "integrally involved" in the process of reforming failing schools, the report says. The plan calls for placing 10 such schools under new management by September 2010, and a total of about 30 schools by 2014.

While the plan states that the district has made steady progress over the last seven years under state control, major problems remain.

Just 43 percent of schools are making adequate yearly progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act; just 33 percent of 11th graders are proficient in reading on the state's annual exam; and in math, a 28 percent point gap exist with white and Asian students outpacing African-American and Latino students.

The School Reform Commission is scheduled to review the plan during its 2 p.m. meeting tomorrow at the district's headquarters, 440 N. Broad St. The commission will vote on the plan at its April 22 meeting.

Some Officials Not Following Open Records Law

2009-04-16T07:23:00.000-04:00

From WGAL-TV

Some Officials Not Following Open Records Law
Legislation Allows Citizens To Request Information From Any State Agency

POSTED: 5:47 pm EDT April 14, 2009
UPDATED: 9:19 am EDT April 15, 2009

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The state's new open records law is designed to help citizens better understand how government works in Pennsylvania, and in many ways it is working. But some officials are still going out of their way to keep information from the public.

Nearly every day, the public can take a tour of the state Capitol building to learn about its architecture and history. But there is a lot that goes on in the Capitol that Pennsylvania residents never hear about. That's where Terry Mutchler comes in.

"There are public officials that view the Right To Know law as a nuisance," said Mutchler.

Mutchler is executive director of the state's newly created Office of Open Records, which is tucked away in a corner of the Keystone office building in Harrisburg. She said the law has only been in effect for a few months, but that hasn't stopped some public agencies from misusing it.

"I will sometimes hear from public officials who are following the letter of the law and the spirit of the law," said Mutchler. "But I'll also hear from folks who say they'll hide their Right To Know officer so they can never receive a Right To Know request," said Mutchler.

The law allows anyone to request information from any government agency in the state, from local municipalities all the way to the governor's office.

Agencies Must Copy, Mail Records

A recent dispute involved whether government agencies are required to make copies and mail records that are requested. Some have refused to do so.

"When the law talks about postage and photo copiers, the intent is that you do, as a government official, have the obligation to photocopy and mail records," said Mutchler.

She said workers in state agencies were also recently directed by the governor's office not to answer her calls because they felt requests from her office should be handled in writing. Mutchler said her office has been busy handling these types of concerns.

"Now that we have open government, we actually have a lot of work to do within that framework to see the actual results," said Mutchler. "I think there has to be a better balance struck."

A balance that, she said, would make open government in Pennsylvania a priority.

Open Records Resources

* For a "citizen's guide" with information about how to use the law, go to:
https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/rtkcitizensguidefinal.pdf

For a link to a generic form needed to file a request, go to:
https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/Form-Uniform_Request.pdf

For a list of open records contacts in local government agencies across the state, go to:
https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/orolist.pdf

For a list of open records contacts in state agencies, go to:
https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/aoroList.pdf

For a list of open records contacts in school districts, go to:
https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/orolist_sd.pdf

New Hope-Solebury: We're In This Together

2009-04-16T06:51:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

District strives to cut more
By: FREDA R. SAVANA
Bucks County Courier Times

Like everyone else, the New Hope-Solebury School District is feeling the squeeze from the rough economy.

Wrestling to bring down costs, without damaging the small district's strong reputation, New Hope Superintendent Raymond Boccuti said Wednesday his staff has found another $287,000 to slash from next year's budget.

In an impassioned and somewhat frustrated tone, Boccuti detailed cuts ranging from $144,000 from a teacher's retirement and a resignation, to $1,000 in professional books. Part-time custodians, consultants and new computers are being axed. Updated textbooks are being pushed off for another year.

"We've looked and looked at this budget. We're doing a lot of dramatic things while preserving the integrity of the school district," Boccuti told the school board.

If the new reductions make their way out of the budget, taxpayers are still facing a 4.98 percent tax hike, or a $217 increase for the owner of a home assessed at the district average. That's down from the $314 it projected earlier this year for a $33.3 million spending plan.

"To get it to zero," said the superintendent, "you'll have to gut the fund balance and cut staff and programs."

Among the proposed cuts is the "Artist in Residence" program, which brings art into schools, for a savings of $6,500. Cutting the district's school resource officer, a New Hope police officer who visits the campus periodically, would save another $45,000, according to Boccuti.
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The superintendent pointed out the officer has rarely been at the school in recent months, as he's been needed by the borough's police department, which is also struggling with budget cuts.

"I don't want us to be penny wise and pound foolish," said school director Laurence Fieber, expressing concern about the cuts. He suggested maybe the home and school association and the nonprofit New Hope Education Fund, which supports various school-related projects, could pick up some of the slack.

Board President Rebecca Malamis said parents offered to help when the district stopped running late buses to cut costs and would probably do it again.

"This is a time for our community to come together," she said.

Boccuti and the board agreed to discuss the program cuts with the local organizations and parents.

Parents, volunteers and community groups will be asked to help with some school programs.

April 16, 2009 02:20 AM

Mayoral Candidate Speaks

2009-04-15T07:59:00.000-04:00

Here's a comment that was made to the mayoral candidate posting that deserves to see the light of day as a posting of its own.

I am accepting it as a posting from Graeme Thomson, democratic candidate for mayor in Morrisville. If it later turns out not to be his posting, this will be removed.

In the interests of full disclosure, I believe this is the same person who was the administrator of several websites many of our readers are familiar with, but I would provide the opportunity to let the poster make that disclosure. It might make some people wonder how fervently this poster advocates investment in Morrisville while his friends would not.

Graeme has left a new comment on your post "3 Dems running for Morrisville mayor":

I guess it is time for me to chime in and introduce myself.

I am running for mayor I decided to run for mayor the day our incumbent told the school board and citizens at a school board meeting something to the effect that he had spoken to 1000 people about the school issue. It is time for absentee mayor to end and to bring someone in to the position.

I moved to Morrisville, I decided to live here, because of the town and because of the people.

When I chose Morrisville for my home I worked in New York, it was certainly not because it was close to where I worked but I wanted a home where I could raise my family. I can’t think of any place better then Morrisville.

I worked for 12 years in "Advertising and Public Relations", I know better then any of the other candidates how to talk to business leaders, and I know how to show them what a great opportunity Morrisville is.

Morrisville has some hard times ahead if we do not select a business leader. The Calhoun Street Bridge is about to be shutdown for an extended period of time cutting seriously into the number of consumers coming in to Morrisville. To make matters worse PA has increased the taxes on tobacco, making it more expensive for people from New Jersey to here and buy cigarettes then buy them in NJ. I do not smoke and wish we had a better “draw” in Morrisville but at the moment it is the biggest “draw” we have for consumers. More people come to Morrisville to buy cigarettes then any other single item. While they are here people stop at some of our other business. Weather they buy a slice of pizza or a haircut every dollar they spend while they are here adds to our economy.

We need to take strong action to remind Morrisville residents of Morrisville, this is the prime time to do just that. With the cost of fuel on the rise again it is time for the town to learn how to shop local again. During the 2nd world war there were billboards all over reminding people to conserve fuel. That combined with letting people know what businesses and services we have will bring local consumers into our shops. As the shops do better in the area we will be able to meet with business owners and show them that stores in Morrisville can make profit, if you gave a business a tax free ride they will not move here if they do not think they can make profit. It will be a long process, bringing more business into Morrisville but together we can.

As for my being a puppet, life would be a lot simpler if I were. The only person who tells me what to do is my wife, and honestly even she is not completely happy with those results☺ I have always stood up for what I believe and will fight for what I think is right, and though I am willing to listen to other opinions, my decisions are my own not what I was told. I think about my words and actions before I speak or act, so I do not need handlers.

With the work and this campaign keeping me busy I can not promise to keep popping in to this blog, but I am a computer nerd both professionally and at home so this is as good of place as any to leave questions.

Even if you do not vote for me in May I hope you will get out and vote. I also hope you will support who ever is elected in November.

Think Green, Buy Local

Inefficient, expensive, but an American icon

2009-04-15T07:10:00.000-04:00

From the Inquirer.

Inefficient, expensive, but an American icon
The neighborhood school helps to define who we are. Consolidation threatens that.
Commentary By Jonathan Zimmerman, Posted on Tue, Apr. 14, 2009

Imagine two school districts somewhere on America's checkered educational landscape. Each district has 1,000 students. But each one also has its own superintendent, clerical employees, and buses. And neither can afford electives in art, music, or technology.

Wouldn't you want to merge them?

Across the country, governors and state legislatures are trying to do exactly that. Here in Pennsylvania, Gov. Rendell has proposed a 12-member commission to suggest ways to consolidate some of our state's 501 school districts. Lawmakers in South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa are devising their own consolidation schemes. In these tough times, the argument goes, bigger districts will reduce administrative costs while enhancing curricula. So citizens will get more educational bang for their property-tax buck.

Only, the citizens don't see it that way. Especially in rural areas, voters have produced a flood of letters and petitions against consolidation. And in Maine, which passed a consolidation law two years ago, opponents are mounting a campaign to repeal it.

What's going on here? Part of the issue concerns money: Many voters doubt consolidation would cut costs or fear their taxes would actually go up.

But there's more. To Americans, school is not simply an institution to educate the largest number of children at the lowest expense possible. It's a symbol of community, of the geographic spaces and face-to-face relationships that help define who we are. If we give up our schools or our districts, we relinquish part of ourselves.

Consider the one-room schoolhouse, the ultimate emblem of our nation's educational localism. As late as 1913, fully one-half of the nation's students attended a single-teacher school. And they did so over the protests of state legislators and educational officials, who railed incessantly against the inefficiency of one-room schools.

In many ways, the critics were correct. These schools had children of different ages huddling around smoky stoves and reciting long passages to their young teachers, who often possessed not much more education than the kids. Meanwhile, despite the myth of the tidy "little red schoolhouse," many were barren, dilapidated shacks. They weren't even red, because parsimonious citizens refused to pay for paint.

But the schools were theirs, and that's what mattered. Often the lone public building within miles, the one-room school hosted marriages, funerals, spelling bees, and political rallies. It also featured evening dramas and debates, the only entertainment in many parts of the country.

One Utah school staged a debate about whether "a load of seed potatoes" or "a load of women" was "most needed in the community." In North Dakota, villagers deliberated on whether "the Farm Woman Works Harder and has Less Recreation than the Farm Man." (A three-judge panel ruled for the Farm Woman.)

Not surprisingly, then, these Americans bridled when states moved to consolidate their schools. "Individuality will be lost, the pride taken in 'our' school and 'our' teacher gone," warned one parent in upstate New York, identifying herself only as a "Rural Mother."

Hers was a lost cause. By 1925, 19 states had passed laws to encourage school consolidation, often giving cash awards to districts for each single-room school they closed. Thirty-five years later, in 1960, just 1 percent of our students attended a one-room school.

But we still celebrate the tiny rural school. Look at the eight entrances to the Washington headquarters of the Department of Education, installed for a 2002 rally kicking off the federal No Child Left Behind law. Each entrance is shaped like a one-room school, featuring a slanted roof and a bell tower; the only added modern element is the slogan "No Child Left Behind," emblazoned in bold letters across all of them.

"We serve the ideal of the little red schoolhouse," then-Secretary of Education Rod Paige told the rally. "It is one of the greatest symbols of America - a symbol that every child must be taught and every child must learn, that every community was involved and every parent's input valued."

How could a one-room schoolhouse become the icon for No Child Left Behind, which gave the federal government unprecedented new powers over American education? It was illogical - even laughable. Symbolically, however, it made perfect sense. Amid the anonymity and centralization of modern life, we need emblems of the local bonds that hold us together.

That's what we get from small school districts, which continue to embody America's communal ideal. A 1,000-student district is not a one-room school, to be sure, but it is still small - and it's still ours. It may not make economic or even educational sense, but it fits snugly into the story we tell about ourselves: our roots, our purpose, and our identity. Whoever wants to change that story will have to come up with a better one.

School district mergers worth talking about

2009-04-15T07:08:00.000-04:00

From GoErie.com

School district mergers worth talking about
Published: April 13. 2009 12:01AM

It's easy to anticipate the following arguments against Gov. Ed Rendell's proposal to pare Pennsylvania's school districts from 500 to 100.

-Large districts are unworkable.

-Smaller school districts are more attuned to the needs of the community.

-Previous mergers haven't saved money.

-Models from the business world can't be imposed on public education.

-Transportation costs would eat up savings and require students to spend too much time on the bus.

But instead of dismissing Rendell's proposal, those interested in improving public education should review Rendell's ideas with an open mind.

Rendell wants to create a legislative commission with a one-year timetable "to study how best to right-size Pennsylvania's local school districts," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Those who work in the private sector understand that businesses continually search for ways to stay competitive. Often, this leads to consolidations within a particular business or a specific industry. School districts should not escape this scrutiny.

Rendell has said that consolidation would not require individual schools to close, but that it would reduce administrative costs. In the current economy, we have reached a tipping point. Property taxes can't be hiked every year to cover government spending that grows when everyone else is cutting back.

Erie's educational leaders and taxpayers should look to previous attempts to merge school districts and learn how those districts that passed on a merger are functioning today. The Harbor Creek and Iroquois school districts received a grant to share a business manager and considered merging in 1999. Girard and Fairview almost merged 40 years ago, but the fear of loss of local control and identity killed the merger.

How do property taxes compare for those districts now? What about course offerings for students? How have administrative costs changed over a specific time frame?

"There comes a time when you have to look beyond maintaining inefficiencies because somebody wants to maintain their school colors or mascot," said Center Area Superintendent Daniel Matsook, whose district in Beaver County will merge with Monaca on July 1. We like his blunt assessment.

We also like the attitude of Robert Puerta, board president in the Saucon Valley School District. "We should appreciate the governor's courage in raising this issue at a time when there is no consensus for such action. We never lose when we take the time to honestly discuss reform, and there are some great questions to be debated in this subject," Puerta wrote in an Op-ed for the Morning Call in Allentown.

Let the debate begin, without preconceived conclusions.

Bensalem: Schools, Flooding, and Drainage

2009-04-14T07:22:00.000-04:00

From the BCCT.

Council reviews drainage project
By: JAMES MCGINNIS
Bucks County Courier Times

Township officials say the Eddington section needs a drainage basin because its storm system is old. A Democratic activist blamed area flooding on overdevelopment.

At Monday night's Bensalem Council meeting, engineers outlined an early stage plan for a soccer-field-sized drainage basin that could reduce flooding in the Eddington section.

Carroll Engineering representative Thomas Crawley said a 10-foot deep basin located on school property behind Cornwells Elementary School could reduce the flood risk for as many as 850 homes. The basin would be located closest to Cornwells Avenue and Hulmeville Road.

Crawley said it was too early to estimate the cost of the project.

Bensalem would need to first secure the land from the school district. The council took no immediate action Monday night.

Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo said the school board was currently reviewing the plan. DiGirolamo, who ordered the engineering work, said the Eddington basin "is a major project for a major problem."

Carroll Engineering attributed the flooding in the Eddington section to the age of the neighborhood.

Democratic activist Joe Kraher also said part of the problem can be tied to overdevelopment.

Members of council rejected that argument.

Councilman Joseph Szafran and Kraher got into a heated debate over the politics of flooding and development in Bensalem. The argument ended as Council President Ed Kisselback hollered, "Stop! Stop! Stop right now!"

Councilman Bryan Allen, the lone Democrat on the township council, questioned why plans for the Eddington basin were available on the Web site of the Bensalem Republican Executive Committee but not on the township's Web site.

The plans are public information and were offered to the public during a recent school board meeting, Kisselback said. Township officials said they would try to put the plans on the government Web site soon.

April 14, 2009 02:00 AM

Slots Payoff

2009-04-14T07:03:00.001-04:00

From the BCCT.

$200 tax break for Pa. homeowners
Bucks County Courier Times

Pennsylvania homeowners will receive nearly $770 million in property tax relief in 2009 under the latest installment from the historic Taxpayer Relief Act, Gov. Ed Rendell announced Monday.

Almost 2.7 million households' taxes across the state were lowered last year because of gaming revenues and, this year, the average statewide reduction is expected to be nearly $200 again.

That's good news for some local school districts, including Bristol Township, officials said.

"If we are at, or near, what we had last year, I am happy about it," said that district's school board president, W. Earl Bruck. "It will be a big help to taxpayers. I'm encouraged by it."

All Pennsylvania homeowners in 66 counties can receive reductions in the school property tax bills they will receive this summer. The state Department of Education in early May will provide the final figures, which will vary by district depending on how many homeowners signed up for their share of relief.

Other Lower Bucks school administrators, though, said they're hoping the rebate increases.

"Since it is possible that people who had not signed up for the homestead/farmstead exemption previously have now signed up in the past year + the amount of rebate to a taxpayer could be less than last year as we divide our total amount among more taxpayers eligible for the tax relief," said Robert Schoch, director of business administration in Council Rock.

The 2006 Taxpayer Relief Act created the Property Tax Relief Fund as a way to use gaming revenue to reduce property taxes for homeowners, specifically seniors.

Approximately 110,000 Pennsylvania seniors will pay no school property taxes again this year because of the tax relief, and many more will receive rebates of up to $975 in addition to the property tax relief that all homeowners receive. Nearly 580,000 seniors will be eligible for additional relief through the state's expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.

But many seniors said they'd still like to see more relief.

"Property taxes are the biggest hit seniors on a fixed income take," said Bill Kennedy, a Washington Crossing resident and president of the Bucks County Coalition of Senior Communities. "If you look at the millions taken in from gambling, $200, if we get that, is not very much."

In addition to delivering property tax relief to Pennsylvania homeowners, the law enacted the state's first-ever limits on school boards' ability to raise property taxes. Already this year, more than three in four school districts have reported they are going to keep any property tax increase at or below the rate of inflation. That includes Council Rock.

"In spite of the economic downturn, we are able to maintain the same level of property tax relief in the coming year that homeowners are receiving right now," Rendell said. "That is due in large part to the speed with which many of our venues were launched and their competitiveness with other states."

The act also dramatically expanded Pennsylvania's Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. Before the expansion, approximately 310,000 older Pennsylvanians benefited from the program.

Now older families with incomes up to $35,000 are eligible for rebates of up to $975, including additional relief for seniors who pay a large share of their income in property taxes or who live in high property-tax areas.

Those eligible have until June 30 to sign up for the program by calling 1-888-222-9190.

Who will benefit

Revenue from slot-machine gambling money will benefit:

? Homeowners and farm owners (outside Philadelphia):

Less than $200 average reduction per household on school property tax bills for 2009-10 school year.

Home and farm owners must complete and return an application to the county to receive a reduction.

? Philadelphia residents:

2010 wage tax rate remains at 3.93 percent, a 5.7 percent reduction from 2008 rate of 4.169 percent.

? Philadelphia nonresidents who work in the city:

2010 wage tax rate remains at 3.5 percent, a 5 percent reduction from 2008 rate of 3.685 percent.

? Low-income elderly:

Seniors with income $35,000 or less can get rent or property tax rebates of up to $975.

Source: Rendell administration

April 14, 2009 02:00 AM

Agenda Meeting Reminder

2009-04-14T06:50:00.000-04:00

Morrisville School Board agenda meeting:
7:30 p.m., large group instruction room of
Middle/Senior High School,
550 W. Palmer St.

To set agenda for next week’s regular meeting. 215-736-2681

2009-2010 Budget Links

2009-04-13T08:01:00.000-04:00

Here's links to the budget documents

# 09-10 Budget Calendar
# Preliminary 2009-10 Budget Presentation 3/11/09
# Proposed Preliminary 2009-10 Budget as of 4-3-09
# Preliminary Proposed 2009-10 Budget Power Point

MORRISVILLE BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

In accordance with the School Budget Calendar of the School District of Borough of Morrisville, the proposed Preliminary Budget for the 2009-2010 school year will be presented at the Finance Committee Meeting on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in Conference Room G-9 located in the Middle/Senior High School, 550 West Palmer Street, Morrisville, PA.

The Board of School Directors may adopt the proposed Preliminary Budget at their monthly Board Meeting on April 22, 2009, at 7:30 p.m., in the LGI Meeting Room located in the Middle/Senior High School. The proposed Preliminary Budget is available on the website at www.mv.org and at the Business Office located in the High School.

Marlys Mihok
Board Secretary

Appeared in: Bucks County Courier Times on Sunday, 04/05/2009

In high school, tougher eligibility standards?

2009-04-13T07:38:00.000-04:00

From the York Daily Record

In high school, tougher eligibility standards the new trend?
By SEAN McLERNON, Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 04/11/2009 10:34:49 PM EDT

The Northeastern school board's change to its academic eligibility requirement for extracurricular activities -- implementing tougher standards -- was motivated by the desire to stress academics first, according to Northeastern High School athletic director Bryan Stephens.

It could be the start of a local trend.

Earlier this month, the spotlight was cast on Eastern York's policy, which requires students to maintain a grade of at least 70 percent in each of their classes. It is more stringent than the PIAA requirement that student-athletes merely pass at least four full-credit subjects in an approved curriculum.

Three parents complained that Eastern's policy was too demanding, and the board agreed to review it.

Less than a week later, a Northeastern policy change that implements a 70 percent standard like the one at Eastern was passed unanimously by the school board.

The policies aren't identical. Eastern gives its students a five-day grace period to bring up a grade that drops below the threshold before the student suffers a 15-day suspension from extracurricular activities. Northeastern has no warning period, according to Stephens, but the penalty is only five days and students have to attend mandatory study hall sessions.

What the policies share more than anything else is a tougher baseline standard than most schools. And that could put athletic teams at a competitive disadvantage.

Stephens said that's not something he's concerned about.

"I'll never use that excuse," Stephens said. "I'd like to think that our kids are doing what they are supposed to be doing in the classroom and that will carry over on the field. If kids aren't keeping their grades up because they can't keep up with our policy, I don't want to say shame on us, but the policy is in place and the kids will understand what's at stake here and I'm not concerned if we suffer competitively or not.

"What's important is our kids are held to that academic standard. It's important that we're stressing the academics."

YAIAA executive director Herb Schmidt said he wasn't sure if more area schools would follow Northeastern's lead, but said any school district considering a change shouldn't be discouraged from doing so.

"I see nothing wrong with it," Schmidt said. "It shouldn't have any impact. They are there to get an education. They are there to study. That's why we refer to them as student-athletes."

At Northeastern, the change in policy does have some coaches concerned, Stephens said, mainly "about whether the kids understand what the ramifications are." Stephens said that most Northeastern students take only four classes because of block scheduling and there is little margin for error.

"I worry about kids getting stuck in a class where they just don't get it -- they don't understand the subject they have been put into and would have trouble getting out of there," Stephens said. "It's not like college when you can just go in and get a pink slip from a professor to get out."

The athletic director still expressed confidence in the school's teachers, coaches and students to step up to the task.

"I think that this policy gets us on the right track," Stephens said. "I am a firm believer and have faith in both my coaches and my kids that if they are educated and understand the policy, they are going to come through with flying colors."

Red Lion boys' basketball coach Steve Schmehl said that he doesn't anticipate a change at his school, which he said sets the bar at simply passing classes, like the PIAA standard. Schmehl said that he and most head coaches require students to get weekly grade updates and said his standard "would be higher than the standard for the school so you can catch it a little bit earlier" and avoid a suspension.

Since most students are interested in pursuing higher education after high school, Schmehl said raising standards makes sense, but it "would get pretty silly" if students were required to get higher than a 70 percent.

"If you have kids that are interested in going to college, obviously D's aren't going to cut it and a lot of times C's aren't going to cut it," Schmehl said. "Holding them to a standard of a C I don't think is a bad idea, but if you end up going any higher than that, you're going to end up losing some kids."

For the last 14 years, Central York girls' soccer coach Liz Critchfield has been coaching at the school in some capacity and said she has never had any academic issues with her athletes, who are also held to a standard similar to that set by the PIAA. Like Schmehl, she said 70 would be a reasonable grade to expect students to make, but would hesitate supporting a tougher standard than that.

Critchfield said that coaches and parents would have little to complain about if the minimum was bumped up to 70.

"Education has to be the No. 1 priority," Critchfield said. "Not every kid out there is going to become a professional athlete, and sometimes that's what parents are looking for or coaches are looking for -- a winning season -- instead of taking a look at the whole scenario."

PIAA'S STANDARDS

Academic and Curricular Requirements

1. You must pursue a curriculum defined and approved by your Principal as a full-time curriculum.

2. You must be passing at least four full-credit subjects, or the equivalent, as of each Friday during a grading period. If you fail to meet this requirement, you will lose your eligibility from the following Sunday through the Saturday immediately following the next Friday as of which you meet this requirement.

3. You must have passed at least four full-credit subjects or the equivalent during the previous grading period, except that eligibility for the first grading period is based on your final grades for the preceding school year. If you fail to meet this requirement, you will lose your eligibility for at least 10 or 15 school days of the next grading period, beginning on the first day that report cards are issued. If your school has four grading periods, you will be ineligible for at least 15 school days; if your school has six grading periods, you will be ineligible for at least 10 school days.

Enjoy Your Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Fee Based Government

2009-04-11T10:21:00.002-04:00

From The New York Times.

It sounds like a great deal at first. The guy who caused the accident cleans it up. "It's responsibility!", you think. The costs are targeted right at the user.

You already have the choice of buying Acme brand peanut butter or paying top dollar for "Bob's Super-Chunky Organic Stone-Ground Hand-Mixed Kosher USDA-Approved Mother-in-Law-Approved Peanut Butter". This is just taking the thinking another step forward.

The next step is to apply it to the schools. Make the parents pay for their little angels to be educated. Why burden the childless or the seniors who have put in their time and dollars already?

This is good! Do you want there to be light? Pay the streetlight tax. Want sidewalks and curbs? Pay up!

Ambulance? Fire department? Sewers? Flood remediation? Economic bailout? Pay for it yourself!!

This is the point where the idea falls apart.

When does the notion of "community" begin to be considered? What is "your" responsibility, and what is "our" responsibility? That's the thornier question to answer. Call it the(y)our question.

Old people and the youngest of us use more health services than the rest of the population: Is that(y)our responsibility or not? Without the oldest to guide us with their experience and wisdom, and the youngest to replace us, life tends to sputter out. Is that(y)our responsibility or not?

The fire at your house? Is that(y)our responsibility or not? Oops...it spread to the next door house. Is that(y)our responsibility or not? Paging Mrs. O'Leary: Your steak is ready. You did say "well-done", right?

We were all issued legs at birth and can walk anywhere we want. Roads? Is that(y)our responsibility or not? Efficient transportation and a robust supply network. Is that(y)our responsibility or not?

The streetlight in front of your house. Is that(y)our responsibility or not? Does it prevent accidents and prevent crime too? Is that(y)our responsibility or not?

Things that make you go hmmmmm.....

Cities Turn to Fees to Fill Budget Gaps
By David Segal, The New York Times

After her sport utility vehicle sideswiped a van in early February, Shirley Kimel was amazed at how quickly a handful of police officers and firefighters in Winter Haven, Fla., showed up. But a real shock came a week later, when a letter arrived from the city billing her $316 for the cost of responding to the accident.

“I remember thinking, ‘What the heck is this?’ ” says Ms. Kimel, 67, an office manager at a furniture store. “I always thought this sort of thing was covered by my taxes.”

It used to be. But last July, Winter Haven became one of a few dozen cities in the country to start charging “accident response fees.” The idea is to shift the expense of tending to and cleaning up crashes directly to at-fault drivers. Either they, or their insurers, are expected to pay.

Such cash-per-crash ordinances tend to infuriate motorists, and they often generate bad press, but a lot of cities are finding them hard to resist. With the economy flailing and budgets strained, state and local governments are being creative about ways to raise money. And the go-to idea is to invent a fee — or simply raise one.

Ohio’s governor has proposed a budget with more than 150 new or increased fees, including a fivefold increase in the cost to renew a livestock license, as well as larger sums to register a car, order a birth certificate or dump trash in a landfill. Other fees take aim at landlords, cigarette sellers and hospitals, to name a few.

Wisconsin’s governor, James E. Doyle, has proposed a charge on slaughterhouses that would be levied on the basis of each animal slaughtered. He also wants to more than triple the application charge for an elk-hunting license to $10, an idea that has raised eyebrows because the elk population in the state is currently too small to allow an actual hunting season.

Washington’s mayor, Adrian M. Fenty, has proposed a “streetlight user fee” of $4.25 a month, to be added to electric bills, that would cover the cost of operating and maintaining the city’s streetlights. New York City recently expanded its anti-idling law to include anyone parked near a school who leaves the engine running for more than a minute. Doing that will cost you $100.

“The most dangerous places on Staten Island are the schools at drop-off and dismissal time, when parents are parked three deep in the road,” says James S. Oddo, a City Council member from Staten Island who voted for the measure. “There is a mentality here that Johnny can’t walk 100 feet, he has to be dropped off right at the front of the school — and frankly that’s why Johnny is as pudgy as he is.”

Nothing, it seems, is off the table. In Pima County, Ariz., the County Board of Supervisors increased an assortment of fees, including the cost of AIDS testing. Florida has proposed raising medical visit co-payments for inmates in state prisons. Parking fees at the Honolulu Zoo could rise by 500 percent if a proposal there goes through.

Politicians tend to regard fees as more palatable than taxes, and more focused too. If a state needs to finance an infrastructure to oversee fishing, why shouldn’t fishermen foot the bill? But groups like the nonpartisan Tax Foundation in Washington worry that governments are now using fees to shore up budget shortfalls rather than cover specific costs incurred by specific users.

“When it comes to paying for bananas, you’ve got the market as a mechanism to make sure you’re paying a fair price,” says Josh Barro, a staff economist at the Tax Foundation. “But when it comes to getting your driver’s license renewed, the government has a monopoly, and you have no idea what it costs the state or what it’s doing with the money.”

Get-tough approach
In some cases, towns say they are merely enforcing rules that have long been on the books. For the first time in years, for instance, officials at Londonderry, N.H., have mailed notices to dog owners reminding them to renew their annual dog licenses, which cost $6.50 apiece, or face a $25 fine. Town leaders think the get-tough approach could raise an additional $20,000, but Meg Seymour, the town clerk, is dreading local reaction. When the town last sent out fine notices, in 2002, the calls to her office were vicious.

“Let’s just say that we’re the ones who take the venting,” she said. “You have no idea.”

If past patterns hold, the new wave of fees is just getting started. Gary Wagner, a professor of economics at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, was one author of a study of moving-vehicle and parking tickets in North Carolina, covering a 14-year period. He found a strong correlation between a dip in government revenue and a rise in ticket-writing by the police.

“But there’s a lag time,” Mr. Wagner said. “Typically, it’s about a year after the revenues drop that the police start writing more tickets.”

If you date the start of the downturn to last September, the ticket-writing is just getting under way. And New Yorkers can expect more days like the one in mid-March, when the police wrote 9,016 driving-while-phoning tickets within 24 hours, roughly 20 times the usual number.

The “accident response fee” idea could spread, too. A company in Dayton, Ohio, called the Cost Recovery Corporation specializes in setting up collection systems for municipalities that bill for police and fire responses. (The company keeps 10 percent of billings.) Inquiries have tripled in the last year, says the company’s president, Regina Moore.

“What we’re hearing from towns is, ‘The taxpayers are all over us; they don’t want to surrender more tax money,’ ” she said. “And response fees are basically a form of restitution, like paying for a stay in jail.”

Insurance companies loathe the idea, because inevitably customers assume that a crash fee is covered by their policies. (It isn’t, in most cases.) And unlike the pay-to-stay approach to jails, crash fees rarely play well in the media. The mayor of Duluth, Minn., backed off a crash fee proposal shortly after Jay Leno joked about the city, by name, in a “Tonight Show” monologue last year.

In Winter Haven, the accident response fee seemed to leaders to be a reasonable way to help finance the police and fire departments, but so far only 20 percent of the $32,000 that has been billed to at-fault drivers has been collected.

“We chose not to contract out the collection part of this, and frankly, because of staff cuts, we don’t have enough people to handle all the paperwork,” says Joy Townsend, the city’s communications officer. “We’re now evaluating how cost-effective this program is.”

Ms. Kimel, the S.U.V. driver in Florida, will not make the numbers look any better. She has no idea whether the city will come after her for that $316 bill, but she doesn’t care.

“I’m not paying,” she said, “because it isn’t fair.”