Keeping the public at bay in Morrisville

Kate Fratti has a column in the BCCT today looking at the SHHHHHH...*secret meeting* from last Sunday.

So here's another documented time when these yokels refuse to follow standard public meeting procedure and hide away from the public here in Morrisville.

They hid the Hellmann Report (although the Emperor did that more on his own, his accomplices backed him up. Accomplices are held equally accountable in the eyes of the law.); they hid the farming scheme; they hid any discussions or contacts with Delaware Valley High School. Now they're hiding their opposition to the special education kids. Maybe they want to farm them out too? Who knows? The Emperor never wants to tell us what silly stuff he's thinking about.

Our rights to free and open deliberations by our governmental representatives are being violated. Speak up and tell them you will not allow this to continue! *THEM* means all of this immoral majority. Despite the obvious imperial performance by William Hellmann, CPA, he cannot do this without accomplices: "Angry" Al Radosti, Marlys "Minutes take Months" Mihok, Brenda "Two for One" Worob, Bill "Honest Talker" Farrell, and Gloria "Do What Bill Says" Heater.

Look below and see about the emails going to Hellmann's private email address. This is another example of this board's skirting of laws and not leaving a public record. In the U.S. government, the checks and balances are there, and a House of Representatives Government Oversight committee is functioning. In this situation, YOU, the public, is the oversight.

If you don't speak up now, don't complain when they ignore you too.

Keeping the public at bay in Morrisville

I was muttering about open meeting laws again last week after getting off the phone with a caller who alleged Morrisville’s majority school board members were set to meet secretly on a recent Sunday.

He gave me the time, the address, and a tip about the agenda — a sexual harassment complaint by one worker against another.

Just what this little district needs: more controversy.

The board majority elected to block high school construction appears to want to do away with the high school program entirely. Without public deliberation, the majority contacted other schools about taking Morrisville kids on a tuition basis. Next, a Philadelphia outfit offered to privatize the high school. No public discussion about that either, so there’s no way to know where the offer stands.

Also without public debate, the board contracted with engineers for a cursory review of conditions in all three district schools. This, instead of the more thorough review and renovation action plan the board unanimously voted on in December.

We learn this month that the solicitor who protested the secret hiring and insisted on a public vote after the fact to “clean this up,” is expected to be replaced as early as the next school board meeting. Originally, school board President Bill Hellmann asked that all resumes for the job be sent to his private certified public accounting office instead of the school administration building.

And recently, the American Civil Liberties Union expressed interest in Morrisville schools. Why?

Here’s a clue.

Saying special ed costs must be controlled, Hellmann acknowledged he asked for the names and addresses of all special educations students, along with the services they receive and the individual cost for each child. Hellman said he’d settle for knowing whether each child lives in a house or an apartment if he can’t have names and addresses.

That kind of stuff will perk up the ACLU’s ears.

A week ago Sunday, I drove by the address my caller gave me — the home of school board member Brenda Worob and husband Stephen, a borough councilman.

The house was gaily decorated with patriotic buntings. An American flag was flapping at the front door. Surely the caller was mistaken.

But, I’ll be darned. I wrote down the makes of several cars to match them with board members later.

But I needn’t have been so Brenda Starr.

Hellmann conceded to Sunday’s gathering as soon as I asked him about it. No sleuthing needed.

“I’m not sure what there is to comment on,” he said, since there was never a quorum Sunday.

“This was a gathering of friends, some of whom — never more than four school board members — happen to be on the school board. … We will continue to meet with each other, mindful of the law, whenever we wish.”

Although five school board members were at the Worob home Sunday afternoon — Worob, Hellmann, Marlys Mihok, Bill Farrell and Al Radosti (who left before some others arrived) — we are asked to believe no specific school business was discussed.

That harassment complaint? There was one. It was brought to the full board’s attention at a legal executive session after the agenda meeting.

“The way I see it, we have to do just three things,” Hellmann told me after that executive session. “We have to provide students with an education, to do it in a way that is affordable, and to follow the law.”

Patriotic buntings aside, I think he refers to the letter of the law, not necessarily the spirit.

Kate Fratti, whose column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, suspects that once this board concedes to deliberate all matters in public, they’ll do it in pig Latin.
Editor: Carl LaVO, 215-949-4227 clavo@phillyBurbs.com

Inquirer Education Scorecard 2008

Today, the Philadelphia Inquirer published the regional report card for the schools. Take a look and let us know what parts of the report made you sit up and take notice.

Bond...James Bond

When I read this, all I could think about was the craven small minded people from Morrisville who have nothing better to do than to sit like latter day trolls at the foot of the Delaware bridges and watch license plates, waiting, watching, hoping, to find an *GASP* outsider being schooled inside the Morrisville School District.

Don't get me wrong. Following up on reports of non-district students attending here, especially when we're in the financial straits we are, is reasonable and required. I'm looking at the wannabe Mrs. Kravitz who devotes time to a rather fruitless pursuit where the return on the time invested is minimal to zero. The time would be better spent volunteering INSIDE a classroom, where the return is timeless and priceless. What a great MasterCard commercial this could make.

The story is from the UK, but could have been headlined from just about any US city.

Poole council spies on family over school claim

A council has used powers intended for anti-terrorism surveillance to spy on a family who were wrongly accused of lying on a school application form.

For two weeks the middle-class family was followed by council officials who wanted to establish whether they had given a false address within the catchment area of an oversubscribed school to secure a place for their three-year-old.

Notes on the movements of the mother and her three children
The council logged the family's actions in detail- click to enlarge

The "spies" made copious notes on the movements of the mother and her three children, who they referred to as "targets" as they were trailed on school runs. The snoopers even watched the family home at night to establish where they were sleeping.

In fact, the 39-year-old mother - who described the snooping as "a grotesque invasion of privacy" - had held lengthy discussions with the council, which assured her that her school application was totally in order.

Poole borough council disclosed that it had legitimately used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) to spy on the family.

This has led to fears that parents all over the country could be monitored by councils cracking down on those who bend the rules to get their children into a good school.

The Act was pushed through by the Government in 2000 to allow police and other security agencies to carry out surveillance on serious organised crime and terrorists. It has since been taken up by councils to catch those carrying out any "criminal activity".

The mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "I'm incensed that legislation designed to combat terrorism can be turned on a three-year-old. It was very creepy when we found out that people had been watching us and making notes.
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"Councils should be protecting children, not spying on them."

The surveillance began when the mother, who runs an online toy business, and her 36-year-old partner, a computer programmer, applied for their youngest child to go to Lilliput First School, where their two elder children, aged six and 10, were educated.

The primary school, near the millionaire suburb of Sandbanks, Dorset, is heavily oversubscribed.

At the time they were in the middle of moving house but, after consulting the school, they held off selling because that may have meant moving just outside its catchment area.

When the deadline passed for them to get into the school, which the girl joins in September, they moved a mile down the road and put the house back on the market. Then the council began its investigation. "We have lived in the house for 10 years, our eldest went to the school and our middle child is still at the school and so it seemed only right to send our youngest, especially as all her friends were going there," said the mother.

"We checked with the school and everything was above board and then we were called in and told we had been under surveillance. I could not believe my ears. Not only is it an invasion of our privacy but what a waste of money, especially as we had done nothing wrong."

Yesterday the council defended using the powers, claiming that lying on a school application amounted to fraud. It said it had used the law on two other occasions during the past year and on both had proved that parents had lied about where they lived.

However, James Welch, of the human rights pressure group Liberty, said: "It's one thing for anti-terror police to use covert surveillance, but it has come to a pretty pass when it becomes the tool of the school catchment area police. This is a disproportionate and unnecessarily intrusive use of RIPA."

Agenda Meeting Wrapup

Any comments?

Secret Meetings?

I got an email from a reader suggesting that the current school board has been holding secret meetings on topics unknown. Does anyone have information they want to share?

Reminder: Agenda Meeting Tonight

Make sure to check in and see what new tricks the board has up their collective sleeves. In the MHS LGI room at 7:30 P.M. Don't forget the committee meetings either.

Now It's Time For YOUR Three Minutes

Last evening, I received this as a comment to the Morrisville Schizophrenia entry from February 20. I posted it there, but thought it was worthy of a posting of its own.

Do you agree or disagree with the writer?

Posted by over40yrsinmville to Save The Morrisville School at April 7, 2008 8:00 PM
over40yrsinmville has left a new comment on your post "Morrisville Schizophrenia":

I have lived in this town for 46 yrs so far. I was born and raised here. Though I didn't attend MHS, all my good friends were from MHS. I went to Egan by my choice, not because I thought MHS wasn't a fine school. I went through Holy Trinity and thought I would finnish at Egan. I married a MHS Grad. We have three wonderful Boys. All of who Graduated from MHS. One is still working his way through college. One graduated Cum Laude from a very fine Private College. This fine college presented him with a VERY generous Financial package, (almost tuition free), He did this because of his hard work in MHS and the help of the best teachers at MHS. My last boy is a freshman at another fine private college. Again all because of hard work and the great teachers of MHS. All three boys finnished in the top of their respective class at MHS. I used to think very highly of this town and was proud to call this town my home. Unfortunately, I can't say that now. I'm so amazed at the disinterest our elected officials have in this community. They claim that is not true. I don't see any proof of their work in beautifying this town. We have become the laughing stock of communities. Our schoolboard doesn't care of the future of this town either. The only thing in their eyes are dollar signs. Well people, you have to spend money in order to make money. No person in their right mind would want to move into this town, as it stands right now, and I don't blame them. I only wish the "residents" who have only been here a few years would wake up and see the light, just maybe we could move ahead. Until then, I'm so afraid to imagine how much worse this town might become.

Media Alert/Sneaker Drive on Channel 10

I got a late tip that the sneaker drive is being profiled on WCAU Channel 10 at 6:15 P.M. tonight.

UPDATE: 7:30 P.M. Great story! See the Morrisville High School National Honor Society in action. Congratulations to advisor Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury, junior Michael Leather, 8th grader Keivanna Lacey, junior Nichole Kamann, and the rest of the middle and senior high honor society members for a job well done.

Maybe you can bring a pair of sneakers to the board agenda meeting to prove to the naysayers on the board that people out there still care about the great job Morrisville kids are doing inside and outside of the classroom? The next agenda meeting is Wednesday April 9 at 7:30 P.M. and the next business meeting is April 23.

Video and Still Pictures or if you want to help

Students Step Up, Send Sneakers To Africa

POSTED: 5:57 pm EDT April 7, 2008
UPDATED: 6:55 pm EDT April 7, 2008

MORRISVILLE, Pa. -- Bucks County is a long way from Africa. But some students there with big hearts are taking a big step to bridge the borders with, of all things, old sneakers.

In Morrisville Middle/Senior High School classroom, you might not be able to tell what lesson the students are learning from a bunch of old sneakers, but the lesson is one of compassion.

"All my friends know me for having a lot of shoes," Michael Leather, an 11th-grader, said. "I always like to have great shoes."

Leather is learning that not everyone can afford great shoes, clothes or even food. He is one of several students gathering old sneakers to help people living in African villages.

Keivanna Lacey, an eighth-grader, said she knows about poverty in Africa firsthand. She visited Chad with her family three years ago during the sweltering summer.

"We have air conditioning and everything, and people there were just fanning themselves," Lacey said.

French teacher Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury read about the program called the Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation in a magazine.

"Lot of the kids come back from Christmas, and they have a new cell phone, and they have a lot of gadgets," Glaum-Lathbury said. "I think it's important for them to understand that not everyone has everything."

The donated shoes are refurbished and sent to Ghana. That's where they're sold, and the money from the sales helps families in Africa.

The school's goal is to collect 600 sneakers by the end of the school year.

That will give a family intensive training and resources in organic farming for a year to help sustain them for decades.

"I think it's a rewarding experience because we're able to collect shoes and give hope to other people in different countries," Nichole Kamann, an 11th-grader, said.

Kamann said she hopes someday she can see her footprint on the world.

"I really want to go over there and see what kind of a difference we can make," she said.

In that sense, the school lesson is really a life lesson.

For information on how you can donate, click here.

“We do pretty well for a small school.”

As a followup to the MHS Students Working in Community post on March 24, the BCCT has an update. I love the last line though. For all you anti-Morrisville school people, read and be ashamed and ask yourself: What did YOU do to help other than to come out to a board meeting and trample on the work of these students and their teachers?

Sneakers make tracks to Africa

By MANASEE WAGH
Bucks County Courier Times

Do you have any sneakers hanging around unused at home?

Don't throw them away.

Drop them off at Morrisville Middle/Senior High School, where students are trying to collect at least 600 pairs to help families in African villages.

So far, National Honor Society adviser Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury and her middle school counterpart, Patti Ebert, who represents the school's 21st Century Service Learning Club, have collected about 70 pairs for the project.

The money made from refurbishing and selling the sneakers could kick-start a new family farm or provide clean drinking water.

“We get to help other kids who aren't as fortunate. It's something we can do to help kids on another continent,” said Kyle Burger, a sophomore and one of the 25 members of the honor society.

Glaum-Lathbury saw the idea in a National Honor Society Leadership magazine, in which she read about Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation. It's a nonprofit organization trying to collect sneakers across the nation.

While the foundation wants only sneakers in adult sizes seven and larger, Glaum-Lathbury and Ebert welcome people to clean their closets of any size.

“I'll give the smaller sizes to other organizations, like the Red Cross or the Salvation Army,” said Glaum-Lathbury, who has gathered 25 to 30 small pairs so far.

Her classroom has a round bin about 4 feet high that's filling up with athletic footwear. The side of the bin is printed with a vertical ruler displaying what the old footwear could buy. For instance, 50 sneakers can purchase a bicycle. Three hundred is good for a colonized bee hive, which could serve as a starter hive for a honey farmer. Five hundred sneakers are enough for a quarter acre of a vegetable farm, while 600 sneakers buy more than a year of training in intensive organic farming.

Irrigation systems, malaria medication and micro-finance training are just a few of the other possible long-term benefits.

Glaum-Lathbury handed out fliers about the program to students from sixth to 12th grade, and Ebert and another teacher distributed fliers to community groups. Students passed along the message to donate sneakers among friends and family.

Kyle said he would like to do more service projects that touch international communities.

Right now, the students are involved in other, locally oriented service projects.

Both middle school and high school students will walk up to 8 miles in Newtown's Tyler State Park to raise money for multiple sclerosis on May 4.

The students try to do 10 service projects a year, including a monthly food drive with a specific theme, like juice, baby food and cereal.

A future idea to raise donations is to charge both a bit of cash and a donated item like a sneaker or a can of food to get into a school dance, said Ebert.

“Next year we'll try to team up and get someone from Philabundance [hunger relief organization] to talk about what's needed in area communities,” said Glaum-Lathbury. “It would give students a true picture of what's needed.”

Then the students can pick better themes for food collection next year, she said.

“We do pretty well for a small school.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

For more information about the nonprofit Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation and a comprehensive list of sneaker collection sites, go to http://www.pppafrica.org/. You can drop off your old sneakers and soccer cleats at the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School's front office, at 550 West Palmer St. in Morrisville.

Manasee Wagh can be reached at 215-949-4206 or mwagh@phillyBurbs.com.

April 7, 2008 5:07 AM

It STILL Ain't Just Us!

The results are in and it seems that students nationally are failing to be proficient. I'm not sure that my math skills are good enough to count up all of the children being left behind.

Let's be sure to note that all our students nationally should be doing better, but it's pretty clear that Dr. Yonson and her cabinet are doing the job here in Morrisville.

U.S. Students Achieve Mixed Results on Writing Test
New York Times
By SAM DILLON

About a third of the nation's eighth-grade students, and roughly a quarter of its high school seniors, are proficient writers, according to nationwide test results.

That proportion of students demonstrating writing proficiency is about the same as in 2002, when a similar exam was last given.

But the results of the latest test, administered last year, also found modest increases in the skills of lower-performing students. Nearly 9 students in 10 can now demonstrate at least a basic achievement in writing, defined as partial mastery of the skills needed for proficient work.

As in the past, girls outperformed boys by far, most decisively at the eighth-grade level, where 41 percent of them achieved proficiency, compared with 20 percent of boys. The racial achievement gap narrowed slightly, with black and Hispanic students’ writing improving a bit more than did whites’.

The results for eighth graders, though not for seniors, were broken down by states, the top performers of which were New Jersey, where 56 percent of students scored at or above proficiency levels, and Connecticut, where the number was 53 percent. Nineteen states ranked above New York, where it was 31 percent.

That a third of the nation’s eighth graders can write with proficiency may not sound like much, but it is the best performance by eighth-grade students in any subject tested in the national assessment in the last three years. Only 17 percent of eighth graders were proficient on the 2006 history exam, for example.

Though some experts questioned whether the writing test, which requires students to compose only brief essays in a short time, was an accurate measure of their ability, officials of the government’s testing program said they were encouraged by the results.

“I am happy to report, paraphrasing Mark Twain, that the death of writing has been greatly exaggerated,” said Amanda P. Avallone, an eighth-grade English teacher who is vice chairwoman of the board that oversees the testing program, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as “the nation’s report card.”

The results were released at the Library of Congress in Washington. The host, James H. Billington, the librarian of Congress, drew laughs when he expressed concern about “the slow destruction of the basic unit of human thought — the sentence,” as young Americans do most of their writing in disjointed prose composed in Internet chat rooms or in cellphone text messages.

“The sentence is the biggest casualty,” Mr. Billington said. “To what extent is students’ writing getting clearer?”

Ms. Avallone sought to allay his concern.

“I know that the sentence has not been put to rest as a unit of communication,” she said.

Ms. Avallone also said the difference in scores between girls and boys might result in part from lower literacy expectations for boys in the public schools.

“These days I seldom if ever hear the message that math and science do not matter for girls,” she said, “yet I do still encounter the myth that many boys won’t really need to write very much or very well once they leave school.”

The national writing test was given to 140,000 eighth graders and 28,000 12th graders selected to form a representative sample of all students nationwide in the two grades. Each student wrote two 25-minute essays intended to measure skills at writing to inform, persuade and tell stories.

Thirty-three percent of eighth graders scored at or above the proficiency level, which the test designers defined as competency in carrying out challenging academic tasks. Eighty-eight percent scored at or above the basic level, up from 85 percent in 2002.

“These results pleased and encouraged me,” said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, which represents the nation’s 60 largest urban districts. “A lot of cities have introduced explicit writing programs. You go into urban schools and you see hallways lined with samples of student writing. Writing programs have gotten better.”

If Mr. Casserly was encouraged, some others were not, particularly in light of other indicators of Americans’ writing prowess. A survey of 120 corporations conducted by the College Board in 2003, for instance, concluded that a third of employees in the nation’s blue-chip companies, including many recent college graduates, wrote poorly.

“American students’ writing skills are deteriorating,” said Will Fitzhugh, founder of The Concord Review, a journal that features history research papers written by high school students.

Mr. Fitzhugh expressed skepticism that the national assessment accurately measured students’ overall writing skills, because, he said, it tested only their ability to write brief essays jotted out in half an hour.

“The only way to assess the kind of writing that students will have to do in college,” he said, “is to have them write a term paper, and then have somebody sit down and grade it. And nobody wants to do that, because it’s too costly.”

Strip Mall Sunday

I received some interesting news this morning while sitting in church. It was announced from the pulpit that at long last, it seems like there could be a tenant in the former Pryor's Pharmacy/The Record Collector storefront at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Bridge under the watchful gaze of Robert Morris himself.

The only problem is that it seems that the proposed tenant is apparently a less than G-Rated adult facility. The exact nature of the business that would be going in there was not disclosed. What was disclosed was that the zoning board would be entertaining a variance request at their meeting tomorrow, Monday evening, at 7:30 P.M.

If there is anyone who has more specific or better information, would you please share it with all of us?

We can argue about a great number of things, but I really do not think any of the respectable citizens here in the borough would want an adult oriented facility right at our main intersection. Please, show up for the meeting Monday evening, or call the borough directly at 215-295-8181 to register your opposition.

Gateway Land Sale Update

Nice to see that Morrisville can appear in the local Trenton newspapers once in a while. Here's a story on the first step of the Gateway project land sale.

Land sale to create office park
To be built on former site of bar
Sunday, April 06, 2008
BY CURT YESKE
Special to the Times

MORRISVILLE, Pa. -- The former site of a nuisance bar on East Bridge Street between North Delmorr and Central avenues will be developed into an office project as a result of an agreement between the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and borough officials.

The land was acquired more than 10 years ago prior to the renovation of the Lower Trenton Morrisville Free Bridge (the "Trenton Makes" bridge) and was considered excess land by the current members of the interstate agency who said the sale will help the Morrisville Economic Development Corp.'s effort at revitalization.

The commission agreed to sell the property -- which no longer has a bar on it -- for its appraised value of $100,000. Morrisville officials have said they in turn plan to sell the property to a private developer who plans to build an office park with a publicly accessible recreational trail.

In published reports, developer Penn Jersey Real Properties estimated the project would create 400 to 600 jobs and involve a 55,000-square-foot building.

"This property transaction will provide economic, recreational and aesthetic dividends for Morrisville," said Frank G. McCartney, the commission's executive director. "The borough has always been an important partner with the commission, and we are happy to be able to support its revitalization efforts."

"With this sale we are one step closer to bringing in new taxes and hundreds of new jobs into the borough," said Morrisville Councilman George Bolos, chairman of the development corporation. "We appreciate the commission's willingness to recognize the importance of this project in the future of the borough."

RFPs Are Meant to be Ignored

So here we go again, spending "emergency" repair money cluelessly. tossing it after issues without an overall plan. The Emperor's snarling "But what if there's a fire" comments have spurred immediate action on advertising for a RFP. Contrast that, of course, to the RFP that was commissioned in December. Emperor Billy-Boy meant to read it and approve it for publication quickly, but well, it wasn't a priority, so it got ignored.

But, BY GOD! What if there's a fire! responses mean the RFP gets done pretty quickly.



NOTICE TO BIDDERS
The Board of School Directors are requesting bids for the individual items listed below. Specifications may be obtained from the Business Office, School District of Borough of Morrisville, 550 West Palmer St., Morrisville, PA 19067 (215-736-5933). The individual items and bid opening times are as follows: Electrical Repair Work
8:30 a.m. April 21, 2008
Fire Alarm/
Fire Suppression Repairs
9:30 a.m. April 21, 2008
Plumbing Code Repairs
10:30 a.m. April 21, 2008
Sealed Bids must be received before the above listed deadlines at which time they will be opened publicly in Conference Room F-10 of the Mid/Sr. High School. The owner reserves the right to waive any information and to accept or reject any/all bids in its best interest.
Marlys Mihok
Secretary

Appeared in: Bucks County Courier Times on Friday, 04/04/2008

It's a dance that everyone gets to participate in, but I ask why anyone would really bid on these jobs? Yes, I know, it's like the lottery (you cant win it unless you're in it) but why would I, as a somewhat respected and competent craftsman, bid on something with these yokels? The board freely and cluelessly meanders through the process, ignoring those who have actually done the hard work of planning a construction project AND shepherding it through the PlanCon process. Here they reject reality and replace it with their own rather unusual reality. Paging Adam Savage: The Emperor is calling.

But therein lies the answer: They will have many, many bids. Because as anyone knows, when a client has money to throw away and can afford to do the same job two or three times, it's always better to be there to be awarded the same work repeatedly. Without an overarching plan here to control spending, that is exactly what will happen.

Make sure you take note of the disjointed thinking patterns. The Emperor is aghast at the costs for special education students and wants to nickel and dime those costs. But when it comes to supporting the construction industry, it's belly up to the bar time!

Progress on Gateway?

4.3.2008
Bridge commission sells land to Morrisville EDC

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has reached an agreement to sell about an acre of land to Morrisville’s economic development corporation, the commission announced Thursday afternoon. The move could make way for a new office complex in the borough that has residents split.

The commission will sell the property on East Bridge Street at North Delmorr and Central avenues to the EDC for $100,000. The EDC is then expected to sell the property to Morrisville-based developer Penn Jersey Real Properties looking to build the Morrisville Gateway Center.

Are We Being Shunned?

Shunning is a word that usually brings to mind our Amish friends in Lancaster County. However, is Morrisville being shunned by potential teachers?

It was brought out at the March business meeting that some teacher candidates are canceling their interviews or rejecting job offers because they do not believe that the Morrisville school district would provide a stable employment environment.

I am very mindful that airing our dirty laundry in public is a cause of this. I also understand that this blog is one of those washing machines leaving the stains behind. That is definitely the double edged sword of public discussion. The BCCT and even Comcast airing our monthly free-for-alls certainly contribute as well.

I know the dissension has been around for many years, and we're going to be paying the price for it.

Is this a good place to work? That's a fair question, considering there's a revolving door on the administration wing at the high school. Change the board: change the superintendent and business administrator. If the new board has its way, Dr. Yonson will be leaving shortly, just like her predecessor.

If the high school teachers are going to be out of jobs in a few years, why would any candidates accept jobs today? There are plenty of surrounding districts that offer more stability.

Let's remember how strident and contentious the Stop the School people have been. They have been bullies from day 1 and are only interested in one thing: Lower taxes. That's fine, but they have savaged and berated good people left and right, and persist in doing it today. If you missed where Ed Frankenfield gets verbally abused to the point of being taken to the hospital, check out this months business meeting now playing on channel 28.

This is no way to run a community. Even if you wanted lower taxes and wanted to stop the school, is this REALLY the way you wanted things to go?

It's time for the reckoning. This is the bed we've had made for us, and now it's time to lay down in it.

Don't You Find It Amazing?

I'm watching the replay of the business meeting, and it is amazing to see just how cocky and arrogant our bully Emperor is. Really. Just watch it. It's a great show in public, but on tape he really gets two thumbs up for most obnoxious performance by an elected official.

Isn't there someone out there who can give him some warm fuzzies? Anyone?

Are Other School Districts Doing Better?

Doesn't seem like it...

Just go away

Regarding the March 1 article about the Neshaminy school board planning to have a workshop to enhance communications between members: This did not at all come as a surprise to me after watching the board meetings. After seeing board member William O'Connor operate, there is no question that the Neshaminy board is having problems.

From the moment that O'Connor was sworn in, he has been one-sided in his thinking. O'Connor's Web site is incredible with all the anonymous comments. If someone has something to say, he or she should put their name on the comment. Why doesn't he just try to do the job he was elected to do?

I hope O'Connor quits the board, as he has threatened, as a favor to the public.

Stop the whining

I was disturbed after reading the March 6 editorial, “Dissing Democracy.”

Neshaminy school board member William O'Connor stated he cannot see himself serving on the board any longer if the board could not work together to solve serious issues. O'Connor has only been on the board for three months and he is already talking about leaving.

It is hard to believe this because the O'Connors have been loyal board attendees for years and should know the ins and outs of board meetings. If O'Connor is thinking of leaving, then he apparently has his own personal agenda and is frustrated.

O'Connor must stop whining and represent the entire Neshaminy community. He should not get upset when events don't go his way.

Here's the original editorial. I really like the last lines. Too bad the Emperor does not tolerate public discussion and revelation of information.

Dissing democracy

Russia held an election this week and it was amazing that a nation so sprawling and diverse produced such a huge plurality of votes for one presidential candidate. That democracy is suffocating under the boot of resurgent totalitarianism might have something to do with the margin of victory. Conflicting points of view simply aren't welcome.

With that in mind, we turn to the Neshaminy school board and its plan to hold a so-called retreat.

The board has some big helpings on its plate, including the possibility of closing schools, teacher contract negotiations and a multimillion dollar deficit. In the interest of forging a spirit of cooperation and at the administration's request, board members have agreed to a workshop/retreat in order to “get everyone in place,” according to Superintendent Paul Kadri.

Seems that there's been disagreement among members and, God forbid, behind-the-scenes conflict. This has strained the cohesiveness of the board, some members complain.

“I cannot see myself serving on this board any longer if this continues,” member William O'Connor fretted.

Pardon us if we don't share O'Connor's alarm. But isn't disagreement — even conflict — part of democracy?

We don't elect anybody with the expectation that he or she will fall into lockstep agreement with their elected colleagues. If so, they're not doing much independent or critical thinking. Nor are they serving their constituents well.

In fact, doesn't a diversity of ideas produce a variety of solutions from which to pick? And aren't debate and compromise key elements of good government?

Speaking of good government, we note that the “retreat” will be a closed-door affair at an undisclosed time and location. It's worrisome, though not surprising, that this passes muster with Pennsylvania's woeful open meetings law. The only way anyone will know if board members discuss business that ought to be discussed openly is if a member has the conscience to come forward. We hope that's the case.

Meanwhile, Neshaminy residents should hope that board members aren't cowed into acquiescence despite their gut feelings or against their better judgment. Indeed, we encourage members to be vocal — whether they agree or disagree with their colleagues.

Discussion is a good thing. Public discussion is even better.

Miscellaneous Items

First off, kudos to phillyburbs.com and their new homepage.




Let's also remember that the PSSA testing is taking place over the next few days.

There's five districts that exceeded the 4.4% cap. Morrisville, as we know, is not one of them.

The Bucks County Technical School budget is out. Fulminations from the Stop the Schoolers to follow!

Complete breakdown of communication causes major issue with school construction! Correction: Oopsie corrected with media coverage attached. Check out the reader comments to complete the hilarity.

Education Articles of Note

The CSI crew won't be adding any new techs from the Las Vegas/Clark County Schools System anytime soon.
91% + 87% + 88% = FAILED

But...do we need to know this anyway?
What is the Rationale for Requiring Higher Mathematics Proficiency for All K-12 Students?

And why did we do so poorly?
It’s not easy to understand why students perform dismally on high school standard math tests

Starting over from scratch is easier than rebuilding and restoring?
Vallas: New Orleans is a breeze

At Least We're An Example

Here's a letter from today's BCCT regarding the new William Tennent High School. Sounds like someone has seen the long term effects of our bad decisions here in Morrisville. I'll post the direct link shortly.

The right decision

I believe that, in our great country, governments at all levels should operate as constitutional republics, wherein elected officials govern the people as opposed to direct democracies wherein the elected officials are bound by the so-called will of the people as oftentimes expressed by referendums.
In theory — at least at the local level, certainly not at the federal level — I wouldn’t have a big problem with a referendum vote as long as the electorate was informed of the facts surrounding the issue at hand and understood the facts and voted accordingly as opposed to voting based on emotion or self-interest or to follow a party line. I’m not big on anarchy or mob rule!
I have witnessed cases where the voting public was purposely given false information promulgated by a vocal minority of community members that resulted in the defeat of a worthwhile referendum in one case, and the passing of a very questionable, if not detrimental referendum in another case.
Regarding the construction of a new William Tennent High School,all the facts indicate that it is in the best interest of everyone concerned that a new building be constructed, as opposed to renovating the existing building or, as some have suggested, do nothing. Since people tend to vote with their wallets, a referendum asking for approval to raise their school tax would likely be rejected by the residents of the Centennial School District. In this case compliance with the will of the people would be a tragedy.
Robert A. Shaffer Upper Southampton

Documents Now Available

The rather incoherent and poorly written defeasement defense documents are available at the district website. Considering that the defeasement was approved January 30 and actually done in February, the documents are available on a timetable similar to the meeting minutes.

Also available is the proposed 2008-2009 budget.

Here's the district's strategery plan too.

Discussion?

Residents may see lower taxes

The BCCT today covers the budgetary aspect of Wednesday night's slugfest and headlines the story as "Residents may see lower taxes." Note the "may" in the headline. That's only because it's a proposed budget. The "may" there does not really apply. The correct word is "will." That's why the Emperor and His Court of Toadies exist.

I'm sure that if commonwealth law allowed it, the budget would start out something like this: We have decreed that the taxes are absolutely lowered in this, the first Royal Budget Proclamation released in the first Year of the Reign of William I, over all the Dominions and Countries which then did, or thereafter should belong, to the Imperial Educational Crown of this Realm.

I love the way royalty sure can speak the lingo goodly!

We've discussed this before, and the lower taxes are a certainty. The actual amount was the only variable. And I welcome it. Lord knows how much I cringe each month as that escrow payment goes out. Keeping in mind the story told Wednesday evening by one of the seniors in the audience, I know the folks on fixed incomes welcome it as well.

Echoing Ed Frankenfield for a moment though, what's the plan? Lower the taxes, and then what? "Shhh...", says the Emperor. "It's a secret."

My cloudy, cracked, and overused crystal ball sees what's next. Tell me if you agree.

In the first year, the bond money is returned, the taxes are lowered, and the Emperor basks in the general huzzahs and acclamations. As a result of this popularity, there is a general exodus of talented people from the district as well. Lily pads will be installed in the district offices as loyal toadies receive the jobs they were promised.

In year 2, it's much harder. The three schools are still here, and without an overall strategy (as in the Frankenfield plea for a plan), money is thrown left and right at issues and problems. All of a sudden, the money used to repair something yesterday becomes meaningless as it now has to be replaced today. The budget, well folded, spindled, and mutilated, has no room for the expansion to cover the rising expenses that we all face. Where does the money come from? Glad you asked.

Watch November 2009. There will be a general election that will have four board seats up (depending of course, on the primary results from the previous May), but there will be a referendum on the ballot to raise the taxes because they were lowered too much this year. And when the referendum fails, then what?

Yes, I did say that taxes are being lowered too much. Without an overall plan in place, there is no real way to plan for the future and how to pay for it. This is no different than the idiots who took out home mortgages without a clear plan on how to actually pay for them. We're all paying for the home mortgage mess. And we're going to all pay for the penny-wise and pound-foolish follies right here at home.

And then all local control will be stripped from Morrisville. The Hellmann dream of having the state come in will finally be fulfilled. We'll be mandated to do certain things and pay certain costs. And there will be no one to complain to.

Update on Ed Frankenfield

I received this message and the poster asked that it be spread out to the public. Please consider dropping Ed a line. He has come through for all of the people of Morrisville. Despite the "shame on you" catcalls the other night from some of the duller witted people in the crowd, Ed has a vision and sees a future for this little town and all of us together.

I'd like to request that you put this information up as a post, please.
Ed Frankenfield is in the ICU at Frankford Hospital (Oxford Valley).
I spoke with his wife, Pat and she said he'll probably be in the
hospital for a while as he's fighting a bad case of pneumonia. It
would be great if we can get a Santa-bag of Get Well cards mailed to
Ed's house. The address is 613 Crown St., Morrisville, 19067.

--Some believe there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world's ills -- against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the world's great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man. A young monk began the Protestant reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and 32 year old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. ‘Give me a place to stand,’ said Archimedes, ‘and I will move the world.’ These men moved the world, and so can we all. - Robert F. Kennedy

March Business Meeting News

Any updates from last night's meeting?

Dear Abby

I received this email today and I thought I would leave it to the audience to answer the question posed.

Hello,

I was reading your blog and found it very interesting. My fiancé' and I are contemplating buying a house in Morrisville. I don't know much about Morrisville other than it's close to Princeton, where I work. Your blog makes it seem like Morrisville is, well simply, a mess. The taxes are high and the school system, which is not on par with others in the region show's no sign of improvement. So, would you recommend that a young couple with a 8 month of child move to Morrisville?

Thanks.

Dear Reader,

I can understand why this blog would appear to make Morrisville appear to be a mess. There's some validity to that statement. I would compare Morrisville to a maturing teenager where the process is somewhat messy and painful, but will ultimately be successful. Right now is the messy and painful part.

This is a great place to raise a family. I've been here for quite a while now and I'm glad I made the choice to live here for my family's sake. My children are receiving a good grounding and education at the high school. They received a very good education at the elementary schools. The town seems ready to move forward (hopefully) with a downtown revitalization program that will ultimately lead to a much more prosperous Morrisville.

Williamson Park is a great place to take the children to play. Check out Imagination Island. It was built by the hard work and dedication of community volunteers, damaged by fire, and rebuilt better than before. There are many, many other opportunities available. Yes. Come. Explore Morrisville and see the opportunities and join the team making Morrisville better. Do not let the actions of a few unhappy people stop you.

Yeah, But Could Rich Little Do It Better?

Here's an interesting item. An impression of the Emperor, as performed by an aspiring impersonator. It's as haughty, disdainful, and dismissive a performance as the original. So?

Speaking of the original, come on out tonight to Wednesday Night Live, starring Bill Hellmann and eight other rather insignificant and minor cast members. The warm ups start at 6:30 with the Education Committee and at 7:00 with the Human Resources Committee. Both of those meetings are in the G-Hall conference room.

This is followed by the full show at 7:30 in the LGI. Bill's topics tonight include waffling on the $2.4 million dollars he spent to save the district, and seeking to remove the superintendent, Dr. Yonson, and the facilities director, Tim Lastichen. It looks like Mr. Lastichen is going to be the ceremonial scapegoat to take on all of the sins of the past boards for failing to fund proper maintenance.

We're also going to go ahead and use the $2500 Hellmann Buildings Report to fund repairs. This might be a problem as Robin Reithmeyer has already shown that once this item was defeated at the February meeting, it needs to be off the schedule for three months before it can be reintroduced. (Memo to Emperor: You really needed to have an item in the agenda rescinding the rule before introducing the repairs item.)

Finally, we're going to approve some of the minutes outstanding since Marlys Mihok assumed the secretarial office. It doesn't seem like this is all of them though.

Come on out and join the fun. Come out and SUPPORT YOUR KIDS!

Or Maybe Sheepish School Board Members?

Has anyone found out ANYTHING specific about the $2.4 million toilet flush yet? Have any of the other eight lemmings even squeaked public disapproval since the last business meeting about the lack of information provided to the public?

Considering all factors, I'm guessing the information will be released at 7:29 P.M. tomorrow night, just in time to proudly say "We released it before the meeting." This is the public equivalent of a report in the board packet two hours before the meeting, and would also effectively silence the public commenting that would ensue for at least another two to four weeks.

Isn't anyone else tired of the silliness?

MHS Students Working in Community

Those horrible MHS kids (you know, the ones we want to farm away?) are at it again.

Morrisville students collect sneakers to help families in Africa

Do you have some sneakers hanging around unused at home? Donate them to Morrisville High School students, who are collecting them to help families in need in Africa.
The money from refurbishing and selling the sneakers would help pay for livestock, wells and other essential resources. It would help families create a perpetually sustainable income through the tools that the sneaker money would buy.
So far, National Honors Society advisor Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury has collected about 20 pairs in her classroom. She’s working with the middle school service advisor and said she expects the Sneakers for Africa initiative to bring in more than 600 pairs by the end of the school year.

The High Cost of Repairs

My commute was impacted rather severely by the innocent yen for a sausage sandwich that was experienced by a PennDOT engineer, yet the Inquirer today talks about an even larger bill to repair and maintain the 50-year old U.S. Interstate Highway System.

Sounds like the Morrisville school system, except that thousands of commuters do not use the school here, just a few kids that we can safely farm out. Who cares what those kids and their parents think: Just lower my taxes!

For the people who voted in the Stop the School candidates, let's re-ask the question I've been posing: What's Next?? It's pretty clear that you voted to lower your taxes. Have they dropped yet? Well, fast on the heels of the $2.4 million dollar squander to give back the bond money, it's nearly time for the Emperor's budget to be unveiled.

The budget and your taxes will be a bit lower, I'm sure. But how much? And what will we have to show for it? The $4.5 million dollar open-air sports complex pretty much looks like it used to, except that the grass grows a little faster due to the dumping of post-board meeting waste in the fields. Expect for the grass to be REALLY green around the time the budget comes out.

Just imagine...you're still paying the same taxes, but if the school had been allowed to be built, it would be just about half completed. For all the distress about the high taxes and how the school would bankrupt us, I guess you were right. We still have the high taxes, and the cost of the school that never was is bankrupting us.

Oh The Comments I Receive...Part 2

Sorry to take everyone's time up with housekeeping details, but I've received several responses so far to the anonymous posting and comment I discussed earlier, and several of them are probably not the person I want to talk to.

If you are the anonymous commenter who left me a detailed response, please, go to Google or Yahoo, or another free emailer, create a fictitious email for yourself, and drop me a line at savethemorrisvilleschool@yahoo.com so that we can communicate in some sort of real time. To prove you are really the same person, you mentioned a person's name in the 3rd paragraph of your reply. Please mention that name again.

Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting for the Answer

A letter from the BCCT today:

How can they run a school if they can’t run a meeting?

Regarding the Feb. 27 meeting of the Morrisville school board: I found it interesting that in the public comment portion of the meeting, when people were trying to figure out why it would cost so much to dissolve the $30 million bond, board President William Hellmann said, “It is too complicated to explain here.”

He did make an offer to explain it in private.

How as a resident and taxpayer can I get that information — and the explanation should be public record and explained at a board meeting in detail.

The new school board ran on a platform to save money and now it will cost the borough another $2.4 million (as reported in the Feb. 28 Bucks County Courier Times). This “new” board and its president showed that they cannot conduct a proper meeting — how are they going to run a school? Has the board ever read the Morrisville schools mission statement?

Hellmann has created a new fiefdom in Morrisville.He continues to go around the board members by acting on his own with his own agenda, as pointed out by several board members and by the board’s legal council, Thomas Kelly.

I applaud Robin Reithmeyer, Edward Frankenfield and Joseph Kemp for not following Hellmann and the other members of the board and actually speaking their mind for the good of the children and the residents of the borough.

The question that we have no answer to as of yet is, “What is the plan for the schools in Morrisville Borough?” Does anyone see that we are in a Catch-22 here? No school plan = lower property values = more rental properties = less involvement in the community = less tax base = HIGHER TAXES for all. Good schools mean families moving in to the borough and getting involved.

Mr. Hellmann, what is your plan? Please tell us; we are waiting.

David H. Masse` Morrisville

Oh The Comments I Receive...

Going back to the February Job Performance Poll post of February 10, a thread of comments was started on March 16 that I am reposting below.

I have an answer from anonymous addressing peter's comment that is currently pending approval for posting. I generally have no problem posting anonymous comments. This one is rather lengthy and specifies certain areas where there appear to be issues.

Without corroboration or substantiation, I cannot print this reply. If there is something the poster would like to add with some sort of independent proof, I'd be happy to post it. Send me an email at savethemorrisvilleschool@yahoo.com with the details. To prove you are really you, you mentioned a person's name in the 3rd paragraph of your reply. Mention that name when you reply.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone realize that over the past 10 years, almost 10 million was appropriated to address the physical conditions of our school buildings? Yes, all of this for absolutely nothing. Face it, were a big cow that's been getting milked for years through corruption and mis-managment but it is politically incorrect or people are the scared to speak of it. Good concerned citizens are to busy working 2 jobs to pay attention. So who then runs for the power positions? Yes, the oppertunists. If you divide the total school budget by the TRUE amount of students and compare that cost to state assessment scores, taxpayers should be outraged. Clearly, as much as it may hurt some, Mr. Stout is absolutely correct.
March 16, 2008 2:22 PM

Peter said...

anonymous said...

"Does anyone realize that over the past 10 years, almost 10 million was appropriated to address the physical conditions of our school buildings? Yes, all of this for absolutely nothing. Face it, were a big cow that's been getting milked for years through corruption and mis-managment but it is politically incorrect or people are the scared to speak of it. Good concerned citizens are to busy working 2 jobs to pay attention. So who then runs for the power positions? Yes, the oppertunists. If you divide the total school budget by the TRUE amount of students and compare that cost to state assessment scores, taxpayers should be outraged. Clearly, as much as it may hurt some, Mr. Stout is absolutely correct."

Anonymous, I'd really like to understand your position. I have a few questions:

[1] What corruption and/or mis-management are you speaking of? I'm not saying none exists, or has existed, but what specifically do you mean?

[2] Why do you feel opportunists run for the "power positions?" I can only speak for myself, but I really had the best of intentions, to serve our town as best I could and do what I thought was best. I can think of several others that have also served on the school board and I believe their intentions were pure as well. I'm not sure what personal gain you think we get from this.

[3] I do agree that our cost per student is high. I also know that we have areas that require improvement. I'm not sure that makes Mr. Stoudt right, though.
March 16, 2008 9:43 PM

Are You Sure This Isn't From Morrisville?

When the words "Residents Are Split..." show up in the headline, I assume that our intrepid BCCT reporters have just come from another Palmer Avenue free for all session.

However, this time it's our brethren in Neshaminy where the fight is over closing some schools to save money. The only real difference between this fight and ours in Morrisville is that the Neshaminy students would remain inside their own district. The Morrisville school closure would scatter the students to the lowest bidder.

Otherwise, it's the same fight. Senior citizens want the board to close schools to ease growing tax bills. Kids and parents want the schools to stay open.

Take a look at the comments from the BCCT readership. Looks like another contentious schools fight is brewing in Lower Bucks.

Residents are split on closing schools

By RACHEL CANELLI
Bucks County Courier Times

To many Neshaminy students, parents and teachers, a school isn't just people - it's a place they call home.

That's what some educators, parents and pupils told the Neshaminy school board Friday night when more than a few hundred people turned out for two public hearings to discuss the possible closure of Neshaminy Middle School and the Tawanka Learning Center, the district's alternative program facility.

That program would be moved to another district building, officials said. But kids and teachers said it's important that Tawanka have its own separate place.

“I strongly believe that the program will not be as effective in any other setting,” said senior Katie Colon. “It's a tremendous difference to go to school where the hallways are never crowded, and the classrooms are safe and inviting.”

The edifice, built in 1964, and its 21 acres, could be worth $4.25 million officials said.

“My fear is that students will return to the very environment where they felt unknown and unwanted,” said teacher Josh Krieger.

Many senior citizens, though, asked the district to consider closing both schools to help ease their burden of growing tax bills.

With declining enrollment, underutilized buildings and a projected more than $12 million deficit, business administrator Joseph Paradise said the district has to consider closing schools.

Neshaminy Middle School was previously scheduled to close next year when ninth-graders move to the newly renovated high school. The board recently decided to reconsider this year as an option due to financial constraints and a strict timeline.

But students asked the board to wait one more year.

“We're searching for our identities,” said Jacqueline Kramer, an eighth-grader at Maple Point Middle School who presented the board with a petition of 260 students opposing the closure. “If our schools are combined, we'll be lost in the crowd.”

Both educators and parents like Fran Weiner said they're concerned the board is rushing into the decision to close a middle school and redistrict without planning.

“Allow the ninth-graders to finish in the school they started,” said Weiner, of Langhone.

With more than 660 students, Neshaminy Middle was built in 1965. The school, nationally recognized for its health initiatives, has 47 classrooms and 40 acres, officials said.

Teacher Kevin Knowles called Neshaminy Middle School a community that's created a tradition of culture and achievement.

“It's more than just a building, you'll be closing the spirit of our school,” said ninth-grader Mark Stanford.

Students also expressed concern over continuing extracurricular activities at another school and asked for the chance to have one last great year in their building.

In anticipation of a possible closure, a redistricting committee has already been formed of board members, administrators and parents. Their recommendation is expected in May, administrators said.

The school board did not make any decisions Friday night to close either facility because school code mandates that 90 days pass before they vote.

Schoolyard Bullying

I found some of these articles and links fascinating. Just wish I could remember why I was drawn to them...

Expert Answers on Workplace Bullying

Workplace Bullying: What Can You Do?

The Workplace Bullying Institute, WBI

Agenda Meeting Wrap-Up

I usually start this out by asking if anyone has anything to report. The first report is in! Thanks jon.

Any news to report from tonight's agenda meeting? I heard the following has made the agenda for the March 26 board meeting - whose theme should be "We've learned nothing, except how to punish anyone who disagrees with us or tries to tell us things we don't want to hear":

1. Hiring law firm Curtin & Heefer to review Dr. Yonson's contract;
2. Replacing Solicitor Robert Kelly;
3. Replacing the district's insurance broker.

Attempts were also made to put on the agenda the ~$200,000 in repairs to the Middle-High School that failed in a 3-3 vote at last month's meeting. But Robin Reithmeyer pointed out that the rules say this (and other items that failed at last month's meeting), can't be put back on the agenda for 3 months. Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!

Can't wait until everyone takes the "How to be a School Board Member" class at taxpayer expense - then things will be just grand...

Let's watch the rules get speedily changed at the next meeting in item 4a so that the repairs can be done in item 4b. It's school safety! Don't you care about the children?? *sigh*.

Wasn't the Emperor "doing lunch" with the insurance broker candidates mano-a-mano last month in violation of board rules? Did anyone call him on this?

Anyone else? Anything about the survey? Anything about the $2.4 million dollar toilet flush? Anything about Marlys and her magical writing skills?

Now What?

You talkin' to me?

Yeah. I'm talkin' to you.

If you're angry, irritated, infuriated, exasperated, aggravated, upset, wound up, bothered, maddened, frustrated, displeased, provoked, riled, incensed, cheesed off, put out, hacked off, narked, ticked off, dissatisfied, discontented, disaffected, displeased; fretful, complaining, querulous, pettish, testy, petulant, cranky; chafed, annoyed, piqued, vexed, aggravated, amplified, angry, anxious, augmented, beset, bothered, browned-off, bugged, burnt-up, chafed, deliberately provoked, distressed, disturbed, embarrassed, embittered, enhanced, enlarged, exacerbated, exasperated, galled, griped, harassed, heated up, heightened, hotted up, huffy, inconvenienced, increased, intensified, irked, irritated, magnified, miffed, nettled, peeved, perturbed, piqued, plagued, provoked, put-out, put to it, puzzled, resentful, riled, roiled, ruffled, sore beset, soured, troubled, vexed, worried, worse, worsened, or something else in that general mood, then you're exactly the one I want to talk to.

The problem is that I need you to take action. Are you ready? Thanks to jon for providing this comprehensive list of the Hellmann Administration's successes so far:

1. Hire a note-taker for Marlys;
2. Pay back this year's portion of the $2.4 million bond defeasement costs;
3. Pay this year's costs to switch banks to satisfy Bill Hellmann's vendetta against the original bond broker, if he succeeds at next month's meeting in passing the vote, provided his buddies Marlys, Al, & Gloria are there this time to bail him out);
4. Pay for the $2,500 flimsy unauthorized study Hellmann unilaterally commissioned on the Middle-High School;
5. Pay for $8,000 in similar flimsy studies Hellmann wants to do on the elementary schools, if he succeeds at next month's meeting in passing the vote, provided his buddies Marlys, Al, & Gloria are there this time to bail him out);
6. Pay for the ~$200,000 in repairs to the Middle-High School mentioned in the flimsy unauthorized $2,500 study above that Hellmann claimed were safety-related but Dr. Yonson, Reba Dunford, the District's maintenance guy, and about 15 other engineering firms indicated are not - again, if he succeeds at next month's meeting in passing the vote, provided his buddies Marlys, Al, & Gloria are there this time to bail him out);
7. Pay again to fix the doors at MR Reiter that were not fixed properly on the cheap in another unilateral move by Hellmann and will now have to be re-done, at a greater cost than the original estimate.

I know there's more. But isn't this enough?

The parents WILL be shut out of the decision process unless you take action now.

Tell the board you are disgusted with their antics so far. You can do it by email or by telling them face to face at one of the opportunities listed below:

**Parent Advisory, Tuesday March 11, 6:00 P.M. in the MHS LGI
**Infrastructure and Finance Committee Meetings, Wednesday March 12 at 6:30 and 7:00 P.M. MHS G-Hall conference room.
**Board of Ed Agenda Meeting, Wednesday March 12, 7:30 P.M. MHS LGI
**Education and Human Resources Committee Meetings, Wednesday March 26 at 6:30 and 7:00 P.M. MHS G-Hall conference room.
**Board of Ed Business Meeting, Wednesday March 26, 7:30 P.M. in the MHS LGI

Your silence or inaction gives them the courage to continue their disregard for the parents as an integral part of the education process. Don't let that happen.

Push Polling

Thank you to everyone who has contributed their experiences with the biased push poll that they received from the "school district." As previously noted, the district did not authorize this poll.

So before we take a look at this poll, let's review some of the bias that the phrasing of the questions and the recording of the answers can cause. A great sample of this bias comes from the Non Sequitir comic from Sunday.

A quote that has been attributed to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin goes like this: Those who cast the Votes, they decide nothing. Those who count the votes, they decide everything. A variant translation is: The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything. **Please note: Hold the hate mail. Despite the dictatorial similarities between the Emperor and Stalin, I am not comparing them. Stalin is still far more autocratic than a local school board president.**

So in this case, we answer a biased poll and the desired answers are pulled from the loaded questions already asked. Check out this short video on how to make a biased poll.

For those of you who were not blessed by the postal fairy with a survey, TA-DA! Here it is.

The sound you just heard was a million English teachers crying out in unison in great pain and torment.

Among the misspellings and grammatical errors are "INFARSTRUCTURE" in the title (should be "INFRASTRUCTURE") and return no later "that" 3/17/2008 rather than "than." Question 4 references "formally" rather than "formerly", and also does not capitalize "high school" as in "Morrisville high school."

That's the easy stuff that probably lowers this by at least one grade level. Now for the advanced errors in presentation.

Question 1 sets up the idea that *gasp* we might need a single school to service the approximately 1000 students.

Question 2 addresses the urgent need for plumbing, HVAC, electric and window infrastructure upgrades, as well as an opportunity to determine which one is more important, of if we should do them all together. This sounds like one of those triage scenes from M*A*S*H where Hawkeye and BJ decide who gets to be operated on first and then get into a fight over the diagnosis. The patient is terminal. Almost no amount of renovation will be a cost-effective life saver.

Question 3 goes to the heart of the screaming from the people so concerned that their little 4 year old pre-schoolers would be subjected to 18 year old seniors in the same school building. Do we need one, two, or three buildings in town. For everyone who missed it, the defeated new high school was specifically designed to keep the grades separated in different wings. Now we'll reverse engineer the process on the fly.

Question 4 is the payoff question that you were led to from the first three questions. You already agreed to renovate the high school for 1000 students. You agreed that one or more of the critical systems are failing, and you agreed to fix at least one building. So you are committed to answering yes. You are further committed to closing the two elementary schools OR closing 75% of MHS. How? To "continue as usual" is a ridiculous answer because you already said that we cannot continue along the same path.

You also unknowingly agreed to the fallacious argument that a reduction of 75% in the number of students means that 75% of the school is unused. With this same logic, since we had nine school board members for 4000 students, we should now reduce the board down by 75% and eliminate 6.75 members. Ouch! Sounds like it might be painful to be the designated 1/4 member.

What about the heating costs? We're using oil heat in inefficient boilers with antiquated single pane window glass. Both are well past their useful life and need to be replaced. Just doing the boilers and windows would reduce the heating costs. I'd even like to see floor plans of just what 75% you want to shut off. With the hallway configurations available, show us what is superfluous.

Question 5. My, oh my. There was an audit done in 2008? Perhaps you are referring to the I'll take "Cover The Emperor's Butt" for $2500, Alex hastily prepared defeasement report? If that is an audit, then I want these people working at the IRS for my next audit. You have an RFP out for a real audit that includes poking and prodding into critical systems.

In fairness, we pretty much already know what the audit will find. That we were getting off easily with a $32 million dollar new school. We'll probably find that even with cost overruns, we were getting off easily with a $37 million dollar new school.

There's another issue here as well. Have you ever heard about the the five phases of any project: “Enthusiasm, trouble, search for a scapegoat, punishment of the innocent, and praise and reward for all non-participants”? It looks like the board is setting up one or more scapegoats to accept punishment for the condition of the schools. Maybe they should keep in mind that the political side (the board itself) sets priorities and spending limits and the operational side (the people who actually do the work) work within those limits.

So you want to hire a "skilled facilities director"? With what money? What rich uncle died and left money to the district? Maybe we can ask the secretary to give back her (so far) under-earned stipend to help defray part of the cost. I see a lot of spending going on ($2500 for the Hellman building report, $2.4 million to return the bond money, for example) but I am unclear on the savings that have been achieved so far.

Final thoughts: Where are replies sent? Where is anything identifying this as a product of the MSD? Well, maybe that was a saving grace, because this is an embarrassing contribution to this contentious battle. Is there no one else out there who can obtain the information in a reasonably fair and unbiased way without embarrassing us all?

Gym Night Participation

Last night was the 44th annual Morrisville Gym Night fought between the Gold and the Blue teams at the high school. For those of you who keep score, Gold won last night over Blue.

I'm not a fan of the "everyone is great" school of recognition. Once the fundamentals are learned and you reach a certain age of awareness and accountability, it's time to learn the stark real-life lesson that not everyone wins every time. Life doesn't award participation trophies.

This time though, it's different. If you participated in gym night, then the reality that one team will win and another will lose was clear. However, all of the participants won, and here's why.

Those sixth through twelfth graders learned real life lessons like:
** Just because I worked hard does not mean I or my team will win. I and my team may not have won, but my hard work is still meaningful.
** A team together is stronger than the individual alone, but the team fails without the individual contribution.
** I am an individual, but my contribution toward the team goal raised all of us up. I may not necessarily be good performing a cheer, acting in the skit, or playing the sports, but I do know where I can contribute, and I did.
** I can be a good winner, because the next time I could be the loser. I can be a good loser, because I could be the winner the next time.

Were you there? What other life lessons do you think our kids learned last night?

The next time someone tells you that Morrisville produces lower quality students, point to gym night and tell them that you were there and saw the high quality of our students. Ask if they saw this alleged low quality themselves. The answer will probably be "NO", because they were not there to see the reality of the schools, and the good students that are the products of the Morrisville school system. Sadly, that probably includes the school board members and their sycophants who are bent upon the destruction and eradication of this little school system. I know I did not see any of them there. If this is wrong, please feel free to send word of your school board member sighting. Take a look at that "Citizenship" theme that was included in the programs last night. The next time you hear them talking, ask yourself if they are demonstrating "good citizenship" or "poor citizenship."

Thank you to the MHS administration, teachers, staff, and especially the students, who worked together to make this a success. You deserve a lot more than a mention here for your hard work and dedication. Also, a special thank you to everyone who participated in the "Locks of Love" donations. I know the hair will grow back, but I hear several Bulldogs had a rather close shave.

Items to Think About

Here's a sample of some items that have crossed my browser.

Another submission for the Wayback Machine, from October 2003 where Steve Worob was concerned that a sham feasibility study was being used by the administration to build the new school. Wow. Now it's a sham study for renovation and squandering $2.4 million in administrative fees to defease the bond. Some things never change. (Thanks to the anonymous submitter.)




















Defense of Testing Series: The Forgotten Middle: Improving Readiness for High School
The percentage of eighth graders on target to be ready for college-level work by the time they graduate from high school is so small that it raises questions not just about the prospect that these students can eventually be ready for college, but also about whether they are even ready for high school. But when students' skills are improved during middle school, the results by the end of high school can be astounding.

Who Shall Govern Our Schools?
The question of how best to "inform their discretion" while retaining control by "the people" is the task facing democratic-minded school reformers. If democracy be our ends, noted another famed educator, John Dewey, then it must also be our means.

Control school budgets; give the voters final say

Where Are We Going Today, Mr. Peabody?

Anyone remember Sherman and Peabody and the Wayback Machine?

I came across this mention from the New York Times, April 20, 1997. Did this policy work as well as it was hoped? What are we doing today?

School Districts Are Getting Tougher on Illegal Students Who Come From Other Places
By TAMAR LEWIN
Published: April 20, 1997

It's crackdown time in Morrisville, Pa.: this summer, in an effort to stop students from trickling across the state line from New Jersey, the school board will require all students in the district to re-enroll and prove their residency.

And if that doesn't do the trick, the board in the 1,050-student suburban district near Trenton has also voted to award a $500 bounty to any school security guard who identifies, and turns in, an out-of-town student illegally attending the local schools.

''When school lets out and you see a lot of cars with out-of-state license plates picking children up, that's a problem,'' said Stephen Worob, treasurer of the Morrisville board and a leading supporter of the new policy. ''Another board member and I followed some over the border, on a kind of fact-finding mission. We're convinced that there are a substantial number of out-of-district kids in our schools illegally.''

The bounty payment may be unique to Morrisville. But as American society generally becomes more hostile to outsiders -- witness the backlash against immigration -- many school districts are taking a tougher line on families who illegally enroll their children in school districts where they do not pay taxes.

Usually, it is affluent suburban districts with reputations for educational excellence that guard their borders most zealously, but some urban districts, too, have discovered outsiders enrolling illegally at specialized or magnet schools.

In New York City, it was still news last year when two suburban youngsters were found to be attending Public School 41.

But on Long Island, many Nassau County school districts routinely spend much time and effort weeding out students from Queens by requiring re-registration, hiring private detectives or making home visits. In January, in the first such case on Long Island, a couple from Far Rockaway, Queens, were charged with criminal fraud for enrolling their 12-year-old son in Lawrence Middle School. The charges were based on a five-month investigation that grew out of a tip to a school registration phone line that the Lawrence district set up last year.

''I think what's driving this is that in the last two or three years, all kinds of school districts have come under more pressure to account for every dollar and every kid than in years past,'' said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of the largest urban school systems.

In Ohio earlier this year, a single mother who drove a bus for the Cleveland school board was sent to jail for five days for illegally sending her kindergarten son to school in Euclid, a nearby suburb.

There are no good statistics on how many students, nationwide, enroll illegally in schools outside their own districts. But the New Jersey School Board Association estimates that 8,000 to 10,000 students in that state alone enroll illegally in suburban districts to avoid school in their poor urban areas.

According to the Education Commission of the States, 14 states have adopted legislation that either requires or encourages school districts to accept children from elsewhere in the state. Even in those states, however, districts are generally allowed to set limits and rules on how many, and which, out-of-district students they will accept, based on the openings available.

And in most states, districts can ban out-of-district students. ''Over all, on the state level, I'd say the trend is toward school choice,'' said Kathy Christie, information coordinator of the commission. ''But the wealthier school districts tend to be very concerned about out-of-district students trying to come in.''

Given the mix of tighter financing, crowded classrooms and parents' increasing sense of urgency about getting their children into good schools, education lawyers and school boards say that student residency questions seem to be arising more frequently, especially in suburban districts near struggling big-city school systems.

An Illinois law that took effect earlier this year makes illegal school registration a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine and tuition reimbursement.

''Our hope is that the new law will provide some type of chilling effect on those who are undermining the system by falsely enrolling their children and not paying their share,'' said State Representative James Durkin, a chief sponsor of the law.

Mr. Durkin said the legislation had been spurred by complaints from his constituents, in a district that includes Oak Park, River Forest and other affluent suburbs just outside the Chicago city limits.

''Whenever I went to forums in my district, I would hear a great deal of concern about the number of students from Chicago falsifying their addresses,'' he said. ''In a most basic sense, it's a theft from the people who provide the funds. My constituents would tell me they were paying incredibly high local tax bills of $5,000 to $8,000 to support their schools, while these district jumpers were getting a free ride.''

Many school officials, echoing Mr. Durkin's feelings, see the issue as simply a matter of fairness to insure that only those who pay for the district's services get them.

''We have a wonderful educational program, tops in technology, with quality staff and small class size,'' said Elizabeth Fineberg, the superintendent of the Morrisville district. ''But we're only staffed for the number of children we're supposed to have in the district. We don't want to have to give less to our students. So we have worked very hard, and made every effort, to keep illegal students out. In past years, we've put out 10 or 12 students a year.''

Like many districts nationwide, Morrisville used to allow out-of-district students to attend its schools if they paid tuition. But it ended that program several years ago.

And this summer, said Mr. Worob, the board treasurer, the district will require every family to re-enroll, by requiring four proofs of residency, such as a utility bill or driver's license, and three proofs of identity. Anyone who is not the parent of the child being registered will also have to show proof of legal guardianship, he said, and other checks are being devised for divorced families with dual custody when only one parent lives in Morrisville.

But others say the number of students trying to sneak across the lines from poor neighborhoods in big cities into richer suburban schools is a powerful indicator of the poor-quality education offered in many cities.

They argue that it is not good social policy to criminalize parents' efforts to get their children into better schools -- efforts prompted by a lack of resources and a commitment to a good education, rather than by any malicious intent.

''If this country has gotten itself into a situation where we criminalize parents for searching out the education they want for their kids, we're going in the wrong direction,'' said Mr. Casserly of the urban schools coalition.

And many are troubled by the undertone of racial inequality: it is no accident, they say, that the policies tend to fall most harshly on poor black parents who cannot afford either out-of-district tuition or private school, women like Judy Kincaid, the 36-year-old Cleveland school bus driver who went to jail for sending her 5-year-old son, Quenten, to school in Euclid, Ohio.

''I put my child in the Euclid school system because I wanted him to have a better life and a better education,'' Ms. Kincaid told reporters when her case was being heard.

There was good reason for Ms. Kincaid to think the Euclid schools might be better for her son: Euclid has smaller classes, a lower dropout rate and a higher graduation rate than the troubled Cleveland schools. For Ms. Kincaid, who gave the authorities a false address, reporting that she lived with her son's aunt, the difference came down to something simpler and more tangible: in Euclid, Quenten got his own workbook, while his Cleveland kindergarten uses photocopied work sheets.

Last month, Ms. Kincaid lost her job with the Cleveland school board, said a spokesman for the schools, who said the dismissal was related to her driving record, not the district jumping. Ms. Kincaid, who now has an unlisted telephone, could not be reached for comment.

Ms. Kincaid, the first parent caught by Euclid's new enforcement policy, was confronted after a tip from a school bus driver who saw that Quenten got into a car each day when the driver dropped him off.

''The Kincaid case was our first one,'' said Patrick Newkirk, a retired detective from the Euclid Police Department who was hired by the district as a full-time residency officer in October. ''But we've referred five other fraud charges to the city prosecutor since then. And there's a lot more people we've found who registered legally, then moved, but didn't take their kids out of our schools. Those we just tell to withdraw.''

So What Did You Think?

I'm sitting here through the viewing of the Emperor's meltdown session. It's just about to end. Does anyone have any comments or observations?

The joint council-board meeting is also going on tonight. Anyone care to report from there?

Who Will Win in Ohio?

I can't answer that just yet, but thanks to the emailer who alerted me to this piece by Andrew Sullivan today. Sullivan was looking at the appeal of Hillary Clinton in Ohio and the reader forwarded the article to me with the comment: "Saw this, thought of Morrisville. In fact, if you replace Ohio with Morrisville, you will get a very accurate assessment of where the drivers of the town have put us."

The shame of it all is that it is a very apt illustration of life circa 1950 right here in Pleasantville...er...Morrisville.

Ohio still wants to have those high paying, manufacturing jobs of the 50's and 60's, and agriculture. I was struck by the interviews on 60 Minutes, Sunday night, from Chillcothe, Ohio. They all seemed to be bemoaning not being able to go to Florida once a year and buying a new car every two years. But only one had tried to get more education for the new challenges of the Global Market.

The state legislature has dragged its feet on fulfilling the Ohio Constitution’s mandate for state funding of education. The Supreme Court of Ohio has told them many times of the requirement, but is ignored. The legislature’s laughable solution was school vouchers, in effect, subsidizing the haves’ private education while giving the have-nots a limited choice. So Ohioans still are in a 50’s movie, play football in high school and Dad’s job will be waiting for you.

NAFTA did not kill the manufacturing jobs in Ohio; they were going, going, gone, before the agreement. But Ohioans have been waiting for some miracle to bring them back, and if their children do get an education, the children leave the state for better opportunities.

So we are in a state very much fighting the culture wars of the last century, educated in the last century, looking for the last century’s solutions.

Comic Relief Vision Quest

This is an oldie but a goodie.


Planning ahead is vision. Can anyone tell me the vision of the Emperor and his Trusted Toadies?

A closed and shuttered school system in Morrisville is the vision. It's like the cans you put out twice a week. Someone comes around and it just goes away. *POOF* No more pesky uncooperative administrators and no more parents concerned about their children. No more teacher labor contracts, cafeteria expenses, books, wintertime plowing and salting, PSSA or SAT scores, and Thank God!, no more feasibility studies for these decrepit school buildings.

The district problems become someone else's problem. Instead of too many IEP students in Morrisville and too low test scores, the surrounding districts each have a few more and either they prosper in their new surroundings, or the larger class numbers statistically mask their failure.

If you have time to visit the Home Depot on Route 13 at the old Levittown Shopping Center site, take a moment to stand in the parking lot and gaze east across Route 13. You can't miss it. The non-stop line of trucks with their seagull heralds. It's the Tullytown landfill.

Those things we got rid of never just "went away." They were just transported somewhere else and became some one else's problem. I know we can do better. Do you?

Joint Council-BOE Meeting Tuesday

Here's a reminder that we all need to take notice of: A joint borough council-board of education meeting. It will be tomorrow evening, March 4, 2008, at BOROUGH HALL ON UNION STREET at 7:30 P.M.

What would you ask the combined members of our joint tax force?

Buildings Survey?

What's up with this? Does it have anything to do with this previous post?

DISCLAIMER - SCHOOL BUILDING SURVEY
Recently some district residents received a survey concerning the school district buildings.

This survey was NOT authorized by the Administration of the school district.