From BucksLocalNews.com.
No, it's not a surprise. Now there's two sure votes to close Reiter. We already know about the Emperor's RATTRAP!!! Now, Jack Buckman confirms his vote to close Reiter: "We have to restructure to fit all the students in the space we're going to have."
Then there's this gem of a quote: Buckman, who previously served on Morrisville Borough Council, said the board majority had planned on restructuring "long before we had any problems with M.R. Reiter School."
There's a plan? Let's see it. Jack: You have now confirmed it exists. Release it to all of us.
Reliable toadyism: Morrisville has it.
Grades 4-12 under one roof
The school board approved putting kids ages nine through 18 in the same school.
By Petra Chesner Schlatter; Staff Editor Posted on Thu, Mar 5, 2009
A controversial restructuring plan was adopted for Morrisville schools in which elementary school children will attend class in the same building as high-school students. The plan was approved at the Morrisville School Board meeting Feb. 25 in a 6-2 vote.
Students in fourth through 12th grades in the Morrisville School District will attend classes in the Middle/Senior High School building. The new plan will be effective July 2009.
Voting to approve the restructuring was Board Chairman Bill Hellman, and Board Members Marlys Mihok, Bill Farrell, Al Rodosti, Brenda Worob and Jack Buckman.
Voting against the measure were Gloria Heater and Joe Kemp.
Board Member Robin Reithmeyer was not present.
Buckman, who previously served on Morrisville Borough Council, said the board majority had planned on restructuring "long before we had any problems with M.R. Reiter School." He noted people have objected, saying the board was restructuring because of the problem with Reiter.
In December, Reiter was closed because the school's furnace had exploded. Reiter students have been going to class since then at either Grandview Elementary School or the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School.
As a result, Morrisville Borough Council voted to make a portion of Grand-view Avenue one-way because children were being dropped off or picked up with children running across the street.
Attending Grandview Elementary School in the fall will be pre-K to third grade. Fourth through eighth grades will attend an intermediate-level school within the Middle/Senior High School. Under the plan, the fourth to sixth grades will be separated from seventh and eighth grade classes.
Board Member Joe Kemp was not in favor of the restructuring. Later, he tried to table the motion, but was unsuccessful.
According to Buckman, the school district "has to plan on doing this. This involves changing structure - you want to prepare a head of time."
He added, "We have to restructure to fit all the students in the space we're going to have."
Some students at Grand-view will attend classes in modular units as a result of the closing of M.R. Reiter.
The school board recently held a public hearing about whether to close Reiter, during which time parents vehemently opposed the proposal. The board had 90 days after that hearing to decide if the school should be mothballed.
Showing posts with label Morrisville District Reorganization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morrisville District Reorganization. Show all posts
Friday, March 6, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
More Middle-High School restructuring?
Thanks to the emailer for this tip. Just like all the plans of the Emperor, we find out piece by piece.
Does anyone have any other information?
Apparently, the middle/high school will be going to a six period day next year (as opposed to eight). I am curious to know if this program restructuring is happening for educational reasons, or out of necessity to accommodate two additional grades What does this mean for middle and high school students? Will course options be reduced as a result? Will students still have full-year English and Math, and other core classes. Something (1/4 of each days classes) is going to give. What? Not so long ago, we moved away from block scheduling. This appears to be a move in that direction again - what changed?
Does anyone have any other information?
Apparently, the middle/high school will be going to a six period day next year (as opposed to eight). I am curious to know if this program restructuring is happening for educational reasons, or out of necessity to accommodate two additional grades What does this mean for middle and high school students? Will course options be reduced as a result? Will students still have full-year English and Math, and other core classes. Something (1/4 of each days classes) is going to give. What? Not so long ago, we moved away from block scheduling. This appears to be a move in that direction again - what changed?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
What 90 Day Period?
From the BCCT.
If Reiter cannot be closed until April 29, and this vote is on March 25, what 90 day waiting period is there? "Reiter is expected to be sold."
Don't you people see? Just like the big farce of "listening" to the public during the CAP meetings, the board presided over a big play about "listening" to the public and provided a nice pretty document for us all to read while they just do what they want.
"The plan still has to be worked out." Dear Mr. Emperor: Please, pretty please, can you just show us the cover page of the plan? We'll even come down to the accounting emporium to worship you there. Or you can post it on the school website.
How can any of you vote seriously on a half-baked plan and say you're doing your sworn duty?
OK. Yes. You're right. I answered my own question.
Board to vote on restructuring schools
Morrisville Middle/Senior High School would be split into two parts: an “intermediate school” for grades four to eight, and a high school for grades nine to 12. Grades pre-K to three would be at Grandview Elementary.
By MANASEE WAGH
The Morrisville School District could see a restructuring of its schools next year.
The school board will vote next Wednesday on redistributing the district’s roughly 850 students between two of its three buildings.
In the administration’s plan, the current Morrisville Middle/Senior High School would be separated into two parts: an “intermediate school” housing grades four to eight, and a high school for grades nine to 12.
Grades pre-K to three would be housed in Grandview Elementary.
“It’s a better utilization of rooms and teachers, and our funds would be better allocated,” said acting interim Superintendent William Ferrara, who has taken over some of Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson’s duties while she’s on medical leave for the next four to six weeks.
No new construction would be required, he said.
Details on the physical layouts are still being worked out, but grades four to six would be separated from seven and eight, and nine through 12 would also be kept apart, with separate entrances, he added.
The middle/senior high school building currently houses grades six through 12 in separate wings, as well as some younger students who were relocated after a furnace explosion in M.R. Reiter Elementary School in December.
Reiter is expected to be sold and the revenue used for renovation money for the district’s remaining school buildings.
At this point, the school board plans to spend up to $7 million on renovations, said board President William Hellmann.
“I highly recommend (the restructuring plan). It’s a lot more efficient use of space,” he said.
If the board votes in favor of the plan, the changes would become effective July 1.
If Reiter cannot be closed until April 29, and this vote is on March 25, what 90 day waiting period is there? "Reiter is expected to be sold."
Don't you people see? Just like the big farce of "listening" to the public during the CAP meetings, the board presided over a big play about "listening" to the public and provided a nice pretty document for us all to read while they just do what they want.
"The plan still has to be worked out." Dear Mr. Emperor: Please, pretty please, can you just show us the cover page of the plan? We'll even come down to the accounting emporium to worship you there. Or you can post it on the school website.
How can any of you vote seriously on a half-baked plan and say you're doing your sworn duty?
OK. Yes. You're right. I answered my own question.
Board to vote on restructuring schools
Morrisville Middle/Senior High School would be split into two parts: an “intermediate school” for grades four to eight, and a high school for grades nine to 12. Grades pre-K to three would be at Grandview Elementary.
By MANASEE WAGH
The Morrisville School District could see a restructuring of its schools next year.
The school board will vote next Wednesday on redistributing the district’s roughly 850 students between two of its three buildings.
In the administration’s plan, the current Morrisville Middle/Senior High School would be separated into two parts: an “intermediate school” housing grades four to eight, and a high school for grades nine to 12.
Grades pre-K to three would be housed in Grandview Elementary.
“It’s a better utilization of rooms and teachers, and our funds would be better allocated,” said acting interim Superintendent William Ferrara, who has taken over some of Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson’s duties while she’s on medical leave for the next four to six weeks.
No new construction would be required, he said.
Details on the physical layouts are still being worked out, but grades four to six would be separated from seven and eight, and nine through 12 would also be kept apart, with separate entrances, he added.
The middle/senior high school building currently houses grades six through 12 in separate wings, as well as some younger students who were relocated after a furnace explosion in M.R. Reiter Elementary School in December.
Reiter is expected to be sold and the revenue used for renovation money for the district’s remaining school buildings.
At this point, the school board plans to spend up to $7 million on renovations, said board President William Hellmann.
“I highly recommend (the restructuring plan). It’s a lot more efficient use of space,” he said.
If the board votes in favor of the plan, the changes would become effective July 1.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Vitetta Chooses Grandview
From buckslocalnews.com
Firm concludes Grandview is better than Reiter
By Petra Chesner Schlatter; Posted on Wed, Feb 4, 2009
Vitetta, an architectural and engineering firm, recently concluded a study of M.R. Reiter and Grand-view elementary schools in Morrisville School District.
A recommendation was made at a special public hearing on Jan. 29: if any school is going to be used for an elementary school, Grandview Elementary School is the better choice from a physical standpoint.
Bill Corfield, a regional director of Vitetta, said his firm was directed to conduct a study, comparing M.R. Reiter and Grandview in order to determine which school is in "better condition."
The auditorium at the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School was sparsely filled with parents, mostly who were asking if the Morrisville School Board has any long-range plans about displaced schoolchildren from M.R. Reiter Elementary School. A public hearing was held to give the community a chance to voice their opinions.
Reiter was closed in mid-December after a furnace exploded on the weekend. The Morrisville School Board is considering whether to close the school permanently.
As a result, the children who were displaced from M.R. Reiter were sent either to Grandview or the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School.
Vitetta's study was conducted prior to the explosion. At M.R. Reiter, the firm had checked the heating units, boilers, electric, plumbing, exhaust fans and lighting.
According to Vitetta's Corfield, M. R. Reiter does not have handicap accessibility. He noted that Reiter is 2 1/2 stories high and that it is "hard to get around the building." Grandview is one floor.
"When planning an elementary school, it is always advantageous to have it on one floor," Corfield said.
He noted there is a water problem in the multi-purpose room at Reiter. "We have some major concerns about the amount of water and how to stop it," he said, noting the source of the water is unknown. The floor had to be replaced once because of the problem.
Corfield explained, "because of the water entry, the building is settling. Major cracks have been there. They're not getting any better."
"The Grandview School is in better condition," he said. "We did not see cracks or water infiltration in Grand-view."
Reiter sits on about three acres at the corner of Harper and Clymer avenues. The square footage for the entire building is 46,200 and it is zoned CS-1 (Community Service District.)
The current estimated insurance loss due to the furnace explosion is $1.15 million. "It's growing as we speak," said Paul DeAngelo, business manager for the school district.
"They're still in the process of cleaning the building," he said.
Meanwhile, he said after the meeting that the Morrisville School District entered into an appraisal agreement on Dec. 7 with Gleason Real Estate.
The value of the building and the land at Reiter is estimated at $995,000.
DeAngelo gave some history about Reiter, which previously was the site of the Robert Morris High School and was built on the site in 1924.
In 1959, the school was destroyed by fire. Later, it was rebuilt as M.R. Reiter Elementary School.
DeAngelo said the last record about the furnace was recorded in 1959. "They're well over 40 years old. They should have been replaced twice," he said.
The clean-up at Reiter continues. Teachers have received the supplies and materials from their classrooms. The clean-up company is focusing on the content first and the building last.
"What's still there are desks and filing cabinets," DeAngelo said. They are being cleaned and will be taken to the modular classrooms at Grandview Elementary by Feb. 20.
"The clean up is going pretty much as we thought," he said. "It's a slow process because it's the entire building.
The insurance claim is for $1.15 million. DeAngelo said a big chunk is the modular classrooms. Leasing eight modular classrooms with bathrooms will cost $500,000, he noted.
The insurance company sent a forensic engineer. "His recommendation is to replace the boilers," DeAn-gelo explained. "The school district will put it out to bid to determine the costs-we're estimating $300,000 for two boilers."
Other big-ticket items, he said, include the clean up for $93,000. Some computers are being tested, which will cost $134,000.
"We have a whole list of miscellaneous items from staff time, to the windows that got blown out to cleaning and inspection," DeAngelo added.
The cost to renovate and install a new furnace at Reiter would be $4 million. Meanwhile, the cost to renovate Grandview Elementary School is $2.6 million.
The modulars are being installed and will be finished Feb. 20, according to DeAngelo. "The snow and ice put us behind."
He said the immediate priority is getting the modular classrooms installed at Grandview, where some of the Reiter children are going since the blast.
In the summer, the school district could "look at the possibility of bringing the fourth grade to the high school," DeAngelo indicated, stressing that plan could be contingent upon the board's decision whether or not to close M.R. Reiter.
DeAngelo also talked about what could happen if the board ultimately votes to close Reiter. The long-term plan, according to the business manager, could be to create an intermediate high school for fourth-to eighth-grade. That group could be sectioned off from 9th-to 12th-graders. K-3 could be at Grandview.
Firm concludes Grandview is better than Reiter
By Petra Chesner Schlatter; Posted on Wed, Feb 4, 2009
Vitetta, an architectural and engineering firm, recently concluded a study of M.R. Reiter and Grand-view elementary schools in Morrisville School District.
A recommendation was made at a special public hearing on Jan. 29: if any school is going to be used for an elementary school, Grandview Elementary School is the better choice from a physical standpoint.
Bill Corfield, a regional director of Vitetta, said his firm was directed to conduct a study, comparing M.R. Reiter and Grandview in order to determine which school is in "better condition."
The auditorium at the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School was sparsely filled with parents, mostly who were asking if the Morrisville School Board has any long-range plans about displaced schoolchildren from M.R. Reiter Elementary School. A public hearing was held to give the community a chance to voice their opinions.
Reiter was closed in mid-December after a furnace exploded on the weekend. The Morrisville School Board is considering whether to close the school permanently.
As a result, the children who were displaced from M.R. Reiter were sent either to Grandview or the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School.
Vitetta's study was conducted prior to the explosion. At M.R. Reiter, the firm had checked the heating units, boilers, electric, plumbing, exhaust fans and lighting.
According to Vitetta's Corfield, M. R. Reiter does not have handicap accessibility. He noted that Reiter is 2 1/2 stories high and that it is "hard to get around the building." Grandview is one floor.
"When planning an elementary school, it is always advantageous to have it on one floor," Corfield said.
He noted there is a water problem in the multi-purpose room at Reiter. "We have some major concerns about the amount of water and how to stop it," he said, noting the source of the water is unknown. The floor had to be replaced once because of the problem.
Corfield explained, "because of the water entry, the building is settling. Major cracks have been there. They're not getting any better."
"The Grandview School is in better condition," he said. "We did not see cracks or water infiltration in Grand-view."
Reiter sits on about three acres at the corner of Harper and Clymer avenues. The square footage for the entire building is 46,200 and it is zoned CS-1 (Community Service District.)
The current estimated insurance loss due to the furnace explosion is $1.15 million. "It's growing as we speak," said Paul DeAngelo, business manager for the school district.
"They're still in the process of cleaning the building," he said.
Meanwhile, he said after the meeting that the Morrisville School District entered into an appraisal agreement on Dec. 7 with Gleason Real Estate.
The value of the building and the land at Reiter is estimated at $995,000.
DeAngelo gave some history about Reiter, which previously was the site of the Robert Morris High School and was built on the site in 1924.
In 1959, the school was destroyed by fire. Later, it was rebuilt as M.R. Reiter Elementary School.
DeAngelo said the last record about the furnace was recorded in 1959. "They're well over 40 years old. They should have been replaced twice," he said.
The clean-up at Reiter continues. Teachers have received the supplies and materials from their classrooms. The clean-up company is focusing on the content first and the building last.
"What's still there are desks and filing cabinets," DeAngelo said. They are being cleaned and will be taken to the modular classrooms at Grandview Elementary by Feb. 20.
"The clean up is going pretty much as we thought," he said. "It's a slow process because it's the entire building.
The insurance claim is for $1.15 million. DeAngelo said a big chunk is the modular classrooms. Leasing eight modular classrooms with bathrooms will cost $500,000, he noted.
The insurance company sent a forensic engineer. "His recommendation is to replace the boilers," DeAn-gelo explained. "The school district will put it out to bid to determine the costs-we're estimating $300,000 for two boilers."
Other big-ticket items, he said, include the clean up for $93,000. Some computers are being tested, which will cost $134,000.
"We have a whole list of miscellaneous items from staff time, to the windows that got blown out to cleaning and inspection," DeAngelo added.
The cost to renovate and install a new furnace at Reiter would be $4 million. Meanwhile, the cost to renovate Grandview Elementary School is $2.6 million.
The modulars are being installed and will be finished Feb. 20, according to DeAngelo. "The snow and ice put us behind."
He said the immediate priority is getting the modular classrooms installed at Grandview, where some of the Reiter children are going since the blast.
In the summer, the school district could "look at the possibility of bringing the fourth grade to the high school," DeAngelo indicated, stressing that plan could be contingent upon the board's decision whether or not to close M.R. Reiter.
DeAngelo also talked about what could happen if the board ultimately votes to close Reiter. The long-term plan, according to the business manager, could be to create an intermediate high school for fourth-to eighth-grade. That group could be sectioned off from 9th-to 12th-graders. K-3 could be at Grandview.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Maximum Disruption and Minimal Regard
I've received a few emails suggesting that a school closure is on the horizon in Morrisville, and that the students will be moved to the remaining two schools.
Apparently a rather disruptive personal survey tour was performed last week by the Emperor and Bill Farrell when they personally interrupted every class in session to find out how many teachers they were paying for and how many students were in the class.
Does anyone have any extra info on the Emperor's fact-finding mission they would like to share?
I'm sure that there's an overall plan of strategery out there. Anyone care to publicise it?
Apparently a rather disruptive personal survey tour was performed last week by the Emperor and Bill Farrell when they personally interrupted every class in session to find out how many teachers they were paying for and how many students were in the class.
Does anyone have any extra info on the Emperor's fact-finding mission they would like to share?
I'm sure that there's an overall plan of strategery out there. Anyone care to publicise it?
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