Monday, February 11, 2008
GREAT POINT!
At the very least, we get the opportunity to vote in three new Board Members...but more importantly, if indeed, the board members read this blog, as many suspect they do...I hope that they consider the uproar as they prepare their next budget proposal. The taxpayers cannot afford another double digit tax increase, and the BOE cannot blame it on the re-assessment...that's a cop~out! Once the re-assesment takes place, the towns will lower their "rate per thousand", thus keeping the increase manageable. The school district however, is under no such mandate!! Taxpayers should be aware that once the new assesed rates hit, that the BOE is under no obligation to lower the "rate per thousand" which could potentially double some peoples tax bill for EGCSD. The BOE's latest flyer goes to extremes to dodge this point, and they don't want us to know this important fact. I went to the first meetings that GAR held, and the woman from GAR was very explicit about the fact that the Town's will lower their rate per thousand, but she also very carefully said that the School District does not have to lower its rate per thousand. Taxpayers beware !!
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Most school districts are still in the budget process, and are awaiting state aide figures, as well as federal figures. They need that information to project revenues, so they can adjust their expenditures and ultimately their tax rates. They also need to determine the equalization rates, which are driven by NYS. As much as I would agree that the sitting BOE is dysfunctional, they need to know firm numbers before they can determine their final district budget. Once they have all of the information needed to determine the final budget to be presented to taxpayers, residents will need to attend the budget hearing to ask questions, and then determine if it is a reasonable and acceptable budget!! The membership of the BOE should be a seperate issue, and also determined on the day of the vote!!!
The biggest problem with the budget process, is that this BOE can't prepare a budget...if you look over the figures of the past few years, they throw in every single item, all the " whistles and bells" so to speak, so that when the voters pass the budget, they just sit back and admire themselves. The past four-(4) budgets that have been proposed , are so bloated with every little item they can think of, and yet they still threaten the voters if we don't pass these pork filled budgets, they will take away all the kids sports and after school programs. The BOE needs to trim their budget a little bit !! This garbage they throw at us each time is for the birds ! The last budget passed by ..... 27-30 votes ?!?! You would hope these folks would wake up...the "gold-lined" budget they have been proposing needs to be looked at closely and scrutinzed carefully. I would never advocate hurting the childrens programs, nor would I deny an honest , decent raise for district employees, however the top administrators in this district need their contracts re-evaluated and there's some other area's that could be "trimmed back" a bit. These BOE members have had their wishes granted the last few budgets, including ALL the school bus proposals, and special interest items. Its about time they rewarded the taxpayers with a decent, well scrutinized budget that does simply what it needs to do, maintain the programs that have been implemented, and provide the necessary programs that are mandated by the State...that's all .
With all the school district has going on, why did they decide to dedicate a FULL page to the Gay Straight Club at Columbia?????
I would have rather seen an article on the new interim superintendent, some more budget info, the academics in the school ... just about anything other than a FULL page on this club.
I can hear it now.... I'm being anti-gay, etc... Quite the contrary. I'd no more rather hear about the model railroad club or any other club now at the school. At least not a FULL page of it.
As a taxpayer in the district without kids in the school, I rely on the FOCUS newsletter and local media for my primary source of information. I just can't believe there was no mention of the change in administration in this issue.
Just one more example of the BOE not having their priorities straight (no pun intended!)
My biggest concern about this whole situation seems to be coming true. I remember back to the rise of the Tax-Pac in our district and the incredible damage done to the schools by their fiscal philosophy. Salaries aside (which are negotiated and subject to contract law) what areas could be "trimmed back?"
The writer above makes some interesting points regarding the salaries of administrators. However, before I jump on the band wagon, I'd like to know what the salaries are of the district level administrators and principals.
Does anyone have this information? I assume it's public knowledge. We all know Dr. Furlong is getting $160,000 to do nothing, but I'd really like to know the salaries of others before I vote yes or no on the budget. They may be very appropriate.
If anyone has this info, please post or point us in the right direction.
There is a severe shortage of qualified administrators across the nation.......so you have to make the positions marketable. Administative positions are a 24/7 job. These positions have been made more intense by all of the federal and state mandates, such as NCLB, and the work generated by these new and stringent standards. Are some administrators more dedicated than others??? Yes, just like other fields. There is a movement on to promote within.....all things being equal!!! There are many advantages to this. Encouraging those within to apply for admin. positions, because they are familiar with the district goals, and have a proven record of "doing a good job"!!! Administrators go through a tenure track, just like teachers, and if they do not "measure up', they do not recieve tenure in that area. Keep in mind that a principal is, in effect, the parent, while your child is in present in school.......and much like a parent, they are charged with guiding and protecting your child. Please take this into consideration as you evaluate your district!!
All good points, I don't disagree. However, like the writer above, I also would be interested in the salaries. We know what our town councilmen and state legislators are paid, we should have this info too.
I believe that salaries can be foiled, under the freedom of information law. Please keep in mind that administrators, like teachers, may have union representation. They enter into three or four year contracts, as well. Also, you must weigh their responsibilites as administrators. Not only are they the school day "parents" to the students, but are directly responsible for their faculty and staff, as well. Often, you will find that, if in the business world, as opposed to being an educator, you would most likely be earning a larger salary. The rewards of sharing knowledge and helping students fulfill their greatest potential is the reason most people go into the field of education!!!!!!!
If You go to board Meeting you will know what everyone gets paid. When the person is hired it is right there in the paper you are handed at the board meeting. Plus after the union sets contracts it is also there. The board members dont hide what anyone is paid. Plus once you get those amounts, which you can thru the district, call all the other school districts in the area and compare, you might understand then. Over the years the administrative sal. have not gone up that much the board wont allow it.
As we talk about school budgets, it's important to recognize that the Federal gov't institutes unfunded mandates which they then pass on to the state gov't, who also institite their own unfunded mandates, who then pass those unfunded mandates down to localities and school districts to implement........and figure out how to pay for them. Also, remember that school budgets are the only budget that the general public get to vote on. Often these federal and state officials sit in their "ivory towers" without real knowledge of the needs of the diverse school districts.........and create "one size fits all" mandates and regulations!!!! It is at the local level that officials struggle with paying for these unfunded mandates!!!! Although the EGCSD BOE has lost their credibility with the residents, I am trying to put things in the proper perspective, so that they have a better understanding of the strugglesw they encounter during a budget process!
Could someone try to post the administrative salaries for us? Many of us work 2 or 3 jobs and find it difficult to foil, attend board meetings, etc... I'm not against administrators, principals, etc... I'd just like to know what they're paid. I'd assume, most are around the 90k to 110k range, which would seem fair. But if someone with a little more time wouldn't mind posting, it would be appreciated.
90K to 110K is pretty accurate. They re-negotiate as their individual contract nears its end. Central Admin are not in a union, they are under contract. Principals, as of this year, for the first time ever, joined an administrators union. They negotiate as a unit.
I know people are always looking to cut at the top...It is easy to sit back and judge. I believe the majority of the community,and many staff members don't know the full realm of their duties. I wouldn't want their jobs.
To anyone that is interested, you can write a letter of request to FOIL salaries. The district then has a time period in which they have to respond, and they can charge you a minimal amount for each page!!! Remember that you can also attend workshops (a private meeting held in public) and find out what is happening during the budget process, about curriculum, accessment results, and generally what is going on in your district. (With the exception of executive session, which is limited by the Freedom of Information Law.) I would also urge those contemplating a run for a BOE seat, to start attending as many meetings as possible, to learn the ropes and familiarize yourself with educational lingo and the roles and responsibilities of a BOE member.
Is Dr. Furlong still getting the following:
1) Health benefits
2) Service credit towards her NYS Teachers Retirement retirement
3) Does time while getting paid, but on leave "count" towards years of service.
4) can she still participate in the EGCSD 125 plan?
The above post lists questions that should be asked at the public hearing on the proposed budget!!!!!
Let your voices be heard, but try to be objective, seperating the proposed budget from the Dr, Furlong fiasco!!!!!!! Although there are budgetary implications, a defeated budget can impact programs and students, as well as possibly staffing!!! A "yes" vote on the budget does not imply support for the sitting BOE, but rather support for your district and the future of our students!!! You can still hold BOE members accountable by voting them out of office, and/or requesting their resignations!!!!!!
I am not sure what all the administrative salaries are, but one question I would like answered is why we have not ONE but THREE assistant superintendents? Does anyone know of any other district that has more than one? How do the positions of Curriculum and Instruction, School Business Finance, and Personnel and Professional Development rate a title of Assistant Superintendent? That definately raises the salary amount paid. It only makes you wonder what responsibilities the Superintendent actually has. Regarding what should be cut from the budget is all the BOE's pork items. They can have them back when they are done paying for their boo boos. There also is a lot of unecessary spending in the schools. I do know that "selected" teachers during normal school hours who correct the NYS Assessment tests are given a catered lunch from Teagan's and that the excess (which there is always plenty of) is given to "selected" staff offices. Besides the catered lunch we are paying for substitute teachers too. The substitutes are necessary....not the catered lunches. Any other day they would bring a lunch or use the school cafeteria. Where is that money coming from. It doesn't matter really, what maters is that it should be going for "educating" our students. Another waste is when our district creates non-existing positions for tenured administrators who have not done their job satisfactorially and need to be replaced, adding another unecessary large salary to our budget. Another blogger said that they usually trim from the top. Not our district. They hit the lesser paid employees first. Such as monitors, bus drivers and maintenance workers. We can't save money by nickle and diming the hourly wage workers. We all pay the same price for bread...some just get to put fancier toppings on it. We all need to be at the budget meetings and make sure it is gone through with a fine tooth comb. We are a school NOT a corporation. We need to cut the fat and add it to the "protein"...educating our students, providing them with better "lunches".
Ideally, when you look at a budget, you look at it similiar to the rings of a cut tree, with the students as the center of the tree. When you are forced to make cuts, you should be looking at the outer rings and work inward. If you think of those rings as personnel, you would consider the inner rings as the closest to the students and the outer rings as those further from the students. You have to ralize that things are not now, as they used to be. With the advent of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and all of the new standards and regulations, which were put into place to produce a higher level of education for all students, districts were forced to increase their support staff and review their methods of delivery. The paperwork required of administrators can be overwhelming. They have to collect and analize all kinds of data, which then has to be sent to NYSDOE, for their annual report to stakeholders via school report cards! Once tenure has been granted, it is difficult to dismiss an employee. You have to institute a 3020A process, which is not only very costly, it is very lengthy. It is mandated that the employee be paid during the process until it is adjudicated. If there are criminal charges, that process can be different. It is easy to sit and think certain situations are an "easy fix", but there are always extenuating circumstances and laws to follow.
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