Thanks to the emailer for this information.
If you feel the re-registration is being conducted in such a way that puts your privacy at risk, there is a federal office that handles such complaints.
Below is the address and phone number of the Family Policy Compliance Office.
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
202 260 3887
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Sentences Never Heard in the LGI
“You acted alone...You have no authority to do anything on your own."
“This puts us in a bad light with the...community,”
“We’re a team, and we all have to be on the same page
Panel removes provision for 30 advertising signs
The district goes to the Warminster zoning board today to have advertising signs for the high school baseball field removed from its application.
By MANASEE WAGH
Centennial school board’s finance committee unanimously voted to remove a provision the board president had added to a zoning board application without the board’s knowledge.
The original application to the Warminster board was for a new Coca-Cola scoreboard at Claude Lodge Field behind William Tennent High School.
Board President Michael Monaghan added a request for 30 advertising signs on the high school’s baseball field as well, but he didn’t inform the board of his intentions.
“We needed cheaper advertising than what’s to be available on the Coca-Cola sign,” Monaghan said Monday night at a board finance committee meeting.
The cost for each of the six advertising slots available on the football sign is $5,000. Presumably, it would be cheaper to advertise on the baseball diamond, said Monaghan. However, the price for an advertisement has not been determined.
Monaghan said he was also worried about incurring an additional zoning application fee for a separate advertising request for the baseball field. He said that former district Superintendent Michael Masko had encouraged combining both requests to facilitate the matter. So Monaghan instructed Victor Lasher, director of facilities, to add the 30 signs to the application.
The superintendent is responsible to the nine school directors. As such, both Masko and Monaghan should have notified the board immediately, said other board members.
“I appreciate you were trying to save the district money,” board member Thomas Reinboth said Monday. “His heart was in the right place, but maybe he should have informed the board.”
Some board members learned about the zoning board addition from other sources in the community and brought up the issue in mid-July at the board’s operations committee meeting.
Board member Jane Lynch was bewildered and upset when she discovered the additional request only through the zoning board, of which Lynch is also a member.
“The [football stadium] scoreboards are our top priority. The baseball signs came from nowhere. It’s embarrassing,” she said.
The baseball diamond was never part of the stadium complex.
Board member Cynthia Mueller also expressed her consternation.
“You acted alone,” she told Monaghan. “I was very taken aback and extremely disappointed. You have no authority to do anything on your own.
“This puts us in a bad light with the Warminster community,” she added. The matter at least should have been introduced before a committee of the school board for discussion before taking it to the zoning board, she said.
Board member Betty Huf encouraged the entire board to learn from the mistake and move forward together.
“We’re a team, and we all have to be on the same page,” she said.
Today, Lasher will request that the zoning hearing board remove the Tennent baseball field signs request from Centennial’s application.
Now that the board is aware that Monaghan was looking to raise funds for the district through less expensive signs on the baseball field, the issue might be revisited in the future, said Mueller.
“This puts us in a bad light with the...community,”
“We’re a team, and we all have to be on the same page
Panel removes provision for 30 advertising signs
The district goes to the Warminster zoning board today to have advertising signs for the high school baseball field removed from its application.
By MANASEE WAGH
Centennial school board’s finance committee unanimously voted to remove a provision the board president had added to a zoning board application without the board’s knowledge.
The original application to the Warminster board was for a new Coca-Cola scoreboard at Claude Lodge Field behind William Tennent High School.
Board President Michael Monaghan added a request for 30 advertising signs on the high school’s baseball field as well, but he didn’t inform the board of his intentions.
“We needed cheaper advertising than what’s to be available on the Coca-Cola sign,” Monaghan said Monday night at a board finance committee meeting.
The cost for each of the six advertising slots available on the football sign is $5,000. Presumably, it would be cheaper to advertise on the baseball diamond, said Monaghan. However, the price for an advertisement has not been determined.
Monaghan said he was also worried about incurring an additional zoning application fee for a separate advertising request for the baseball field. He said that former district Superintendent Michael Masko had encouraged combining both requests to facilitate the matter. So Monaghan instructed Victor Lasher, director of facilities, to add the 30 signs to the application.
The superintendent is responsible to the nine school directors. As such, both Masko and Monaghan should have notified the board immediately, said other board members.
“I appreciate you were trying to save the district money,” board member Thomas Reinboth said Monday. “His heart was in the right place, but maybe he should have informed the board.”
Some board members learned about the zoning board addition from other sources in the community and brought up the issue in mid-July at the board’s operations committee meeting.
Board member Jane Lynch was bewildered and upset when she discovered the additional request only through the zoning board, of which Lynch is also a member.
“The [football stadium] scoreboards are our top priority. The baseball signs came from nowhere. It’s embarrassing,” she said.
The baseball diamond was never part of the stadium complex.
Board member Cynthia Mueller also expressed her consternation.
“You acted alone,” she told Monaghan. “I was very taken aback and extremely disappointed. You have no authority to do anything on your own.
“This puts us in a bad light with the Warminster community,” she added. The matter at least should have been introduced before a committee of the school board for discussion before taking it to the zoning board, she said.
Board member Betty Huf encouraged the entire board to learn from the mistake and move forward together.
“We’re a team, and we all have to be on the same page,” she said.
Today, Lasher will request that the zoning hearing board remove the Tennent baseball field signs request from Centennial’s application.
Now that the board is aware that Monaghan was looking to raise funds for the district through less expensive signs on the baseball field, the issue might be revisited in the future, said Mueller.
Happy Birthdays and Sunny Days
With the potential for Mr. Rogers to nearly disappear from the airwaves, it's nice to see something else continue an unparalleled run on TV.
Why 'Sesame Street' still counts
Monday, August 11th 2008, 1:26 PM
I like the number 39 because Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella wore it.
It also seems to work pretty well for television.
Jack Benny, one of the great TV personalities, had a running gag about never getting older than 39.
The greatest sitcom ever, "The Honeymooners," is most famous for the 39 episodes it filmed in 1955-56.
This morning "Sesame Street" enters its 39th season, having lost nothing except its newness.
CLICK TO SEE CELEB STARS ON "SESAME STREET."
"Sesame Street" is such a part of the culture that to anyone born after 1965, Oscar and Bert and all the others are family.
So they rarely surprise us anymore.
But they do still delight.
This latest season kicks off with a show featuring "Telly Monster and the Golden Triangle of Destiny," a spoof of "Indiana Jones."
Many of its younger viewers won't get the Indiana Jones reference, or the hat. But they'll have fun, while their parents will find it at worst painless and often charming.
That's probably one reason "Sesame Street" has lasted so long. It doesn't overreach and aim for blinding brilliance with every line.
While it doesn't condescend to kids, it also recognizes that's what they are: kids. Sometimes they just want silly.
In one scene, when Texas Telly is looking for the Golden Triangle of Destiny, he gets a hint that it may be underneath something in the Laundromat.
An energetic search follows, during which piles of socks and neatly folded shirts are randomly tossed into the air and scattered on the floor. There, they are forgotten despite the pleas of Leela, an Indian-American, the show's newest cast member, who joins this season.
If "Sesame Street" went strictly by the rulebook, Telly and his cohorts would go back, pick up all that laundry and put it back neatly where they found it.
But if doesn't happen in life, "Sesame Street" figures, maybe sometimes it shouldn't happen on the show, either. There's always a little anarchy in the lives of children, however hard parents try to order, coax, plead and pound it out of them, and there's still a little anarchy on "Sesame Street."
"Sesame Street" doesn't shy away from good deeds, of course. When Telly finds the Golden Triangle of Destiny, he decides not to keep it but to donate it to the Museum of Triangular History so everyone can enjoy it.
Nor do the writers forget that however endearing we find the cute parts, their show's core mission is to teach fundamental things like letters and numbers.
This episode features the letter "L," and tempting as it might have been for the writers, it never slips in even a remote reference to the fact there's another L-word show out there in another part of television.
There's plenty of time for that later. On "Sesame Street," the fundamental things apply.
Why 'Sesame Street' still counts
Monday, August 11th 2008, 1:26 PM
I like the number 39 because Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella wore it.
It also seems to work pretty well for television.
Jack Benny, one of the great TV personalities, had a running gag about never getting older than 39.
The greatest sitcom ever, "The Honeymooners," is most famous for the 39 episodes it filmed in 1955-56.
This morning "Sesame Street" enters its 39th season, having lost nothing except its newness.
CLICK TO SEE CELEB STARS ON "SESAME STREET."
"Sesame Street" is such a part of the culture that to anyone born after 1965, Oscar and Bert and all the others are family.
So they rarely surprise us anymore.
But they do still delight.
This latest season kicks off with a show featuring "Telly Monster and the Golden Triangle of Destiny," a spoof of "Indiana Jones."
Many of its younger viewers won't get the Indiana Jones reference, or the hat. But they'll have fun, while their parents will find it at worst painless and often charming.
That's probably one reason "Sesame Street" has lasted so long. It doesn't overreach and aim for blinding brilliance with every line.
While it doesn't condescend to kids, it also recognizes that's what they are: kids. Sometimes they just want silly.
In one scene, when Texas Telly is looking for the Golden Triangle of Destiny, he gets a hint that it may be underneath something in the Laundromat.
An energetic search follows, during which piles of socks and neatly folded shirts are randomly tossed into the air and scattered on the floor. There, they are forgotten despite the pleas of Leela, an Indian-American, the show's newest cast member, who joins this season.
If "Sesame Street" went strictly by the rulebook, Telly and his cohorts would go back, pick up all that laundry and put it back neatly where they found it.
But if doesn't happen in life, "Sesame Street" figures, maybe sometimes it shouldn't happen on the show, either. There's always a little anarchy in the lives of children, however hard parents try to order, coax, plead and pound it out of them, and there's still a little anarchy on "Sesame Street."
"Sesame Street" doesn't shy away from good deeds, of course. When Telly finds the Golden Triangle of Destiny, he decides not to keep it but to donate it to the Museum of Triangular History so everyone can enjoy it.
Nor do the writers forget that however endearing we find the cute parts, their show's core mission is to teach fundamental things like letters and numbers.
This episode features the letter "L," and tempting as it might have been for the writers, it never slips in even a remote reference to the fact there's another L-word show out there in another part of television.
There's plenty of time for that later. On "Sesame Street," the fundamental things apply.
Galloway votes to eliminate school property taxes
Thanks to the emailer who reminds us all about this. Be sure to let Rep. Galloway know you're out there and you want relief. Check out the link below to HB1600 with the text of the bill.
State Rep. John T. Galloway, D-Bucks
www.pahouse.com/Galloway
Galloway votes to eliminate school property taxes
'Independence from school property taxes closer than ever'
HARRISBURG, July 3 – State Rep. John T. Galloway, D-Bucks, today voted to move a bill out of the House Finance Committee that would eliminate school property taxes for Pennsylvania homeowners.
House Bill 1600, introduced by state Rep. David Levdansky, D-Allegheny, and co-sponsored by Galloway, would establish the Supplemental Homeowner Property Tax Relief Act and would cut school property taxes on homesteads by increasing income and sales taxes.
"I am pleased that on the eve of our Independence Day holiday that independence from school property taxes is closer than it has ever been," said Galloway, who is a member of the House Finance Committee. "This issue has been a political football for more than 30 years and the state legislature has done little but fumble. But with the dedication and ambition of the freshmen lawmakers, and the cooperation of seasoned House members from both sides of the aisle, it looks like we are about to score a touchdown for homeowners across the Commonwealth."
Galloway said an amendment added to the bill by Levdansky, and approved by the Finance Committee, would take away school districts' authority to impose school property taxes and set a date of Dec. 31, 2009, for the legislature to come up with an alternative way to fund education, such as increasing the personal income and/or sales tax.
House Bill 1600 now moves to the House Appropriations Committee, where Galloway is also a member.
"I am hopeful the bill will quickly move to the House floor for a vote," he said.
State Rep. John T. Galloway, D-Bucks
www.pahouse.com/Galloway
Galloway votes to eliminate school property taxes
'Independence from school property taxes closer than ever'
HARRISBURG, July 3 – State Rep. John T. Galloway, D-Bucks, today voted to move a bill out of the House Finance Committee that would eliminate school property taxes for Pennsylvania homeowners.
House Bill 1600, introduced by state Rep. David Levdansky, D-Allegheny, and co-sponsored by Galloway, would establish the Supplemental Homeowner Property Tax Relief Act and would cut school property taxes on homesteads by increasing income and sales taxes.
"I am pleased that on the eve of our Independence Day holiday that independence from school property taxes is closer than it has ever been," said Galloway, who is a member of the House Finance Committee. "This issue has been a political football for more than 30 years and the state legislature has done little but fumble. But with the dedication and ambition of the freshmen lawmakers, and the cooperation of seasoned House members from both sides of the aisle, it looks like we are about to score a touchdown for homeowners across the Commonwealth."
Galloway said an amendment added to the bill by Levdansky, and approved by the Finance Committee, would take away school districts' authority to impose school property taxes and set a date of Dec. 31, 2009, for the legislature to come up with an alternative way to fund education, such as increasing the personal income and/or sales tax.
House Bill 1600 now moves to the House Appropriations Committee, where Galloway is also a member.
"I am hopeful the bill will quickly move to the House floor for a vote," he said.
Education Law Center questions school enrollment policies
From the Lebanon Daily News.
Advocates question Pa. school enrollment policies
By MARTHA RAFFAELE AP Education Writer
HARRISBURG, Pa.—A legal advocacy group for public school students has asked the state to examine whether enrollment policies in some of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts are unnecessarily preventing children from going to class.
In the last school year alone, the Education Law Center has been asked to intervene in 270 cases where questionable policies and practices delayed the enrollment of new students by up to a month or longer, according to a complaint the center sent to the state Education Department.
State law requires families to provide proof of age, residency and immunizations for new students before they can enroll in public schools. It also requires districts to enroll students who live with caregivers other than their parents if the caregivers meet certain qualifications.
But some families have encountered requirements that are too rigid, exceed what the law requires or are specifically banned by the law, said Janet Stotland, co-director of the Philadelphia-based center.
"The whole point is not to make it a crapshoot to enroll students in school districts in Pennsylvania," Stotland said.
The Education Department was reviewing the complaint, but had no immediate comment Tuesday, spokesman Michael Race said.
The complaint, sent on Friday, cites four examples of its concerns without identifying school districts or students.
In one case, a mother of twins could not comply with a requirement to provide photo identification because she did not have a driver's license or other ID. The children missed one month of school until the law center got involved, according to the complaint.
Children who move frequently due to poverty, homelessness or foster care placements are most often caught in the middle of enrollment disputes, Stotland said. Nearly 13,600 Pennsylvania school-age children are in foster care, according to the Department of Public Welfare.
The complaint also suggests that the enrollment policies of at least 162 school districts may be illegal, based on the law center's review of policies posted on district Web sites. Since about 40 percent of all districts do not post enrollment policies online, the complaint said, the problem could be more widespread.
Common problems include many districts' insistence that only a birth certificate is acceptable proof of a student's age, the complaint said. Guidelines published by the state education department in 2002 say documents such as baptism certificates and notarized statements also can be accepted.
Nearly 60 school districts asked for a student's Social Security number, 34 required parental identification, and less than a handful demanded documentation of a student's immigration status—all prohibited by law in order to streamline the enrollment process, the complaint said.
The center wants the department to inform all school districts about the legal requirements for enrollment, review all enrollment policies and ask for revisions from districts not in compliance with state law, Stotland said.
Emily Leader, an attorney with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said determining whether a student can legally enroll in a school district can be tricky, but that most districts contact the association "at least once a year" to seek guidance.
"I think most schools are enrolling most children when they come in," Leader said. "My guess is that some enrollment policies and procedures go back to the beginning of time ... and there may need to be modifications."
———
On the Net:
Education Law Center: http://www.elc-pa.org
Pennsylvania Department of Education: http://www.pde.state.pa.us
Advocates question Pa. school enrollment policies
By MARTHA RAFFAELE AP Education Writer
HARRISBURG, Pa.—A legal advocacy group for public school students has asked the state to examine whether enrollment policies in some of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts are unnecessarily preventing children from going to class.
In the last school year alone, the Education Law Center has been asked to intervene in 270 cases where questionable policies and practices delayed the enrollment of new students by up to a month or longer, according to a complaint the center sent to the state Education Department.
State law requires families to provide proof of age, residency and immunizations for new students before they can enroll in public schools. It also requires districts to enroll students who live with caregivers other than their parents if the caregivers meet certain qualifications.
But some families have encountered requirements that are too rigid, exceed what the law requires or are specifically banned by the law, said Janet Stotland, co-director of the Philadelphia-based center.
"The whole point is not to make it a crapshoot to enroll students in school districts in Pennsylvania," Stotland said.
The Education Department was reviewing the complaint, but had no immediate comment Tuesday, spokesman Michael Race said.
The complaint, sent on Friday, cites four examples of its concerns without identifying school districts or students.
In one case, a mother of twins could not comply with a requirement to provide photo identification because she did not have a driver's license or other ID. The children missed one month of school until the law center got involved, according to the complaint.
Children who move frequently due to poverty, homelessness or foster care placements are most often caught in the middle of enrollment disputes, Stotland said. Nearly 13,600 Pennsylvania school-age children are in foster care, according to the Department of Public Welfare.
The complaint also suggests that the enrollment policies of at least 162 school districts may be illegal, based on the law center's review of policies posted on district Web sites. Since about 40 percent of all districts do not post enrollment policies online, the complaint said, the problem could be more widespread.
Common problems include many districts' insistence that only a birth certificate is acceptable proof of a student's age, the complaint said. Guidelines published by the state education department in 2002 say documents such as baptism certificates and notarized statements also can be accepted.
Nearly 60 school districts asked for a student's Social Security number, 34 required parental identification, and less than a handful demanded documentation of a student's immigration status—all prohibited by law in order to streamline the enrollment process, the complaint said.
The center wants the department to inform all school districts about the legal requirements for enrollment, review all enrollment policies and ask for revisions from districts not in compliance with state law, Stotland said.
Emily Leader, an attorney with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said determining whether a student can legally enroll in a school district can be tricky, but that most districts contact the association "at least once a year" to seek guidance.
"I think most schools are enrolling most children when they come in," Leader said. "My guess is that some enrollment policies and procedures go back to the beginning of time ... and there may need to be modifications."
———
On the Net:
Education Law Center: http://www.elc-pa.org
Pennsylvania Department of Education: http://www.pde.state.pa.us
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