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Streetsboro Board Meeting 7-8-2010

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July 14, 2010

Was anyone able to stay after the executive session of the Streetsboro Board of Education on July 8th?

I was able to see the agenda online but I could only see an additional agenda on paper that night at the meeting. Apparently the board was going to lay off yet ANOTHER administrator. I am wondering if anyone was able to stay after executive session to see what happened? Does the superintendent have ANYONE left that she hired last spring? She got rid of a lot of old people to hire new people with fresh ideas. What happened?

If I understand correctly, the Board was planning to cut a director of teaching and learning, due to financial reasons, and yet turn around and create a new position. But I cannot find any information on the district's website to confirm this. Was anyone there -- can anyone say what happened? Does it mean we are bringing back the person who was laid off from the special ed job earlier this year?

If this recent layoff did happen, I am appalled. How can we lay off a person and turn right around and create a new administrative postition at the same time?

I know that the teaching and learning director worked hard in her first year here, because I have stayed connected with the district because I have kids in the schools. I have heard elementary teachers complain that they had to give an additional reading tests in the fall and the spring. But if I understand correctly from the principals, teachers were able to measure for the first time the reading gains their kids had made. I was at the board meeting when this person did a presentation. Seemed like she had a plan to me. And if I remember, the board seemed to appreciate the direction she was taking us. So what direction will we go in now?

I heard that one board member said he had concerns with the layoff but voted to support it anyway. If this it true, I wish that person would resign from the board. I would like some facts. Can any of you readers provide any facts? Please help if you can. I cannot find the minutes of the meeting online.

It seems like things are happening in this district in secret. I just saw that the board will be meeting 2 times in July for personnel issues. All this after the special meetings in June? Aren't these special meetings costing the taxpayers a lot of money? I think the Streetsboro public needs to come to these special meetings to find out what is going on. I can't see these meetings posted on the district website but I saw them earlier in the breaking news section of the paper. Can anyone provide any information about these meetings so we can let people know what is going on?

I would like to hear from some community people about this. This is my first time writing a post. How many board members actually knew about this latest layoff ahead of time? How many board members are willing to give up the pay they get for coming to all these meetings? If anyone has information I would be thankful if they would respond.

Why all the secrets?

Streetsboro Schools 911

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118.	Posted by whizzard1 August 11, 2010
	If the levies didn't pass they wouldn't be able to afford the salaries and benefits to begin with! Wait! Isn't that the problem we are having now? Isn't that why the students are getting supplies, materials, academic support equipment, books, technology? The salaries and benefits take such a huge chunk that safety of the children is not really a concern anymore? The preferred method to insure you are well off is to take from the children starting with their safety then turn a blind eye to it and pretend it isn't an issure or problem at all. It's what's in it for them. If they don't come first then we'll just move on. This is one of they points I have been trying to get across to many people. Approving the levy will let the Salaries and Benefits prevail over the education of the child. You'll be telling them it is okay if this happens to the children. Mr. Lesak indicated this in this weeks Gateway News. He's essentially not promising anything or even giving a hint as to if the busing would be restored. He is virtually guaranteeing it won't. So don't get your hopes up. Martin Fleming

117.	Posted by factualinfo August 11, 2010
	I hope everyone takes the time to go to the schools website and look at the current agenda for the board meeting this Thursday. Even if you aren't going to the board meeting, take the time to look at the agenda and read the contract for the treasurer. I'm sure this is just standard salary/benefits for a treasurer, but really, is it any wonder we can't afford to run our schools and that it cost over 10,000 per child for Streetsboro to educate our children. And that 10,000 doesn't even get you bussing or after school activities that don't cost an arm and a leg. Much less access to the buildings after hours for events for your kids. The new treasurer will make 85,000 per year and that might not seem like a lot but add in the benefits and you are talking a large amount of money for one employee. Who gets to leave one job and start another with 4 weeks vacation, plus 3 weeks of paid holidays and 3 personal days. After one year of service, she will get 5 weeks of vacation. Nice work if you can get it. Plus we will pay for her 200,000 life insurance policy, her education and licensure for treasurer, her FULL EMPLOYEE portion of retirement and her FULL Medicare tax. Normally, most people have to pay their own taxes and their own employee retirement portion but not if you are a school administrator apparently. Plus a paid cell phone (sure hope personal calls aren't made on it) and the paid car expenses for any travel, paid health benefits, severance pay, plus the sick leave and any other benefits that other administrators receive. Again, I am sure this has just become common practice for contracts of school employees (administrators mostly) but really, do they not have a conscience. Morally, how can they not see that this back door salary obtained by extreme benefits is ridiculous. Our kids can't even get to school safely but you're willing to take a salary of this type. Our kids can't afford school supplies or lunches/breakfasts but you get all this paid time off. As much as I understand the need for levies, this type of expenditures make me sick!

116.	Posted by whizzard1 August 4, 2010
	Our district is looking for funding, maybe they or some residents could try these ideas. http://www.greatschools.org/improvement/volunteering/five-fundraising-tactics-for-savvy-schools.gs?content=2909&cpn=20100804weeklysend Anyone concerned about our district and how we educate our children should become a member of this web site: http://www.greatschools.org They give information on our district that you either can't find anywhere else or information you didn't know existed. Interesting site. Martin Fleming

115.	Posted by changeisok August 2, 2010
	I agree that Gary Motz is wonderful. He has helped in so many ways. He truly cares. He and his family are wonderful.

114.	Posted by changeisok August 2, 2010
	Whizzard, A grants writer and manager would be wonderful. If I understand correctly from a Fall 2009 presentation by Mr. Barnes, the district was able to preserve the intervention tutors for the struggling kids in all 5 buildings by using the grant money in a creative yet legal way. We need more people who can think creatively like that and get and manage grants without wasting money. Without paying out money unneccesarily. A comptroller/purchasing person would also be good IF they had the ability to do the job without political influence or or pressure "from above." Not sure how we'd do that with the current leaders. Maybe in another year ..... By the way has anyone seen the new district rating on the report card? Is it out yet? We have been effective for so long. Would be nice to move ahead for once.

113.	Posted by fourteenandfortythree August 2, 2010
	Thanks guys for the update on the board meeting. Yes, kudos to Gary Motz, what doesn't he do for the kids of Streetsboro and his wife is with him. Here's hoping we never have to find out. I have seen him clean up, direct traffic, go out of his way to help, mostly volunteer and with out being asked. Mr.Whizzard losing Gary Motz and his wife would be a huge loss to the district. They are residents who are active and Streetsboro would be a better place if more people did half of what they do for kids and for the community.

112.	Posted by whizzard1 August 2, 2010
	I was lucky enough to speak with Gary Motz after the meeting. Speaking him was a rewarding experience. I know I have asked for teachers with over 30 years experience to step aside and let the younger teachers step in. However, his awareness of technology impressed me and with a teacher of 39 years experience, this is one that would actually hurt the district if he left. However, he is one of those teachers I have been talking about that has dedicated himself to the children and students. His loyalty to the district shows if he has endured and hasn't considered leaving. Yes folks, there are special circumstances that come into play to where a teacher could be more valuable to us if they stayed rather than leave. Mr. Motz is one of those. As I have said before, I think we do have some incredible and gifted educators. The parents should realize this and the community. I don't really have a problem with a teacher unless that teacher is NOT following the directives, policies or rules of the district. There are three major positions we need to create in our district. A comptroller, a purchasing agent and a grant writer. Each one is a specific job and should not be something that we put on the shoulders of a current employee. All three of those postions could save at least their salary if not more in funding education. It is really hurting our district by not having these positions. If we eliminated the VP at Defer and release the two Psychologists that I don't really think we need (Kevin Coleman Center could be our backup here), we should be able to hire those three positions and actually begin to save immediately for those positions wouldn't have the salaries and benefits we are paying now. Martin Fleming

111.	Posted by whizzard1 August 2, 2010
	August 2, 2010 Board Meeting. Went to bed at 1:00am to make sure I could make it to this meeting. Mr. Violi, Mr. Lesak and Ms. Hanish and Ms. Keller were in attendance and Mr. Grimm and Ms. Baba were excused. Mr. Barnes was not present. Mr. Violi the Treasurer Pro Tempore. Gary Motz (high school math teacher), and I were the audience. Board Pres recommended the resignation of Mr. Barnes as of July 31, 2010. They then accepted the hiring of the treasurer from Field Local School District contingent upon Field accepting her resignation. Contract is for four years. They then referred to their consent agenda items listed as an addendum. Level III custodian and two intervention coaches resigned and they hired an Intervention Specialist and Social Studies teachers at the high school and a Kindergarten teacher at Wait. Meeting began at 7:15 am and the meeting ended at 7:20 with them going into executive session. No indication as to whether there would be action to follow. 1st Board member to leave came out at around 7:55 or around 8:00. And that is all there is to that. Martin Fleming

110.	Posted by changeisok August 1, 2010
	Factualinfo, Your suggestion about reviewing PI expenses over the past years is a great one. It would be good to know if there is a reserve. I bet there is, based on the little the district seems to be spending on PI things. If the taxpayers voted in a levy with the expectation and promise that PI funds be used to help our kids and teachers with technology, then the money should be spent that way. Otherwise, the current board needs to be held accountable. It seems like with the new administration since the current superintendent took the lead role, the "old rules" don't seem to apply. Anyone who works in a school inherits situations, both good and bad. Our superintendent needs to start addressing these things. Getting a PI levy passed by the community is a wonderful thing. Now the schools had better step up and do what they promised to do with that money, because it is already coming out of the pockets of our taxpayers. And they think they can ask for more, lots more, with the current track record of hoarding PI money. It is terrible that our kids have to pay to play sports. If I understand, almost 35% of our children are on some type of lunch assistance which indicates they come from homes where money is an issue. Does this mean that the poor kids who can't afford to play simply don't participate? Students who are good athletes and also good scholars have opportunities for partial or full financial scholarships if they go to college. What better way to break the cycle of poverty that to help all our students succeed in post-secondary training of some kind. Athletic ability can be a stepping stone to a better life. With our current poverty rates in the district, what better time to help as many of our kids reach opportunities like this. School employees are usually around for 30 years in one district or another. But our kids have only ONE chance at a senior year, to gain athletic and academic attention from colleges. I agree that we are holding the children hostage to blackmail people to vote yes for the levy. We need to get the PI money flowing for technology, so our kids can have the world class skills that the current economy demands for success. We need to stop using the kids as hostages with pay to play sports and cutting bussing. Whizzard said that it was starting to feel like the ship was being steered without input from the proper sources. And the ship is heading for the rocks. That was well said.

109.	Posted by factualinfo August 1, 2010
	changeisok - you're right, we need to spend more PI money on technology for our kids/teachers. The board/admin at the time this PI levy was passed did promise to allocate more funds to technology for our kids. But the admin/board of today obviously do not intend to follow through on making that happen. People should go back and look over the financial reports on the BOE meeting agenda's for the past year and see where our PI money was spent and how much is in reserve. It goes back to their whole blackmail in trying to get a new levy passed for salaries/benefits. If you notice, this last time they asked for levy passage they stated that it would be used for technology/classroom supplies, salaries, etc. Listing technology first as a bargaining chip for passage. How about they go ahead and spend some PI money on technology now and let the levy pass on its own merit. They are afraid if the public doesn't directly feel the need for passage by affecting the kids directly that it won't pass. Again, using our kids as levy bargaining chips. Just like going to the pay to play sports, it's all about making the kids suffer so that the parents suffer so that they will pass a levy. Anyone who would look at the sports budget and see how much we spend on excessive coaches, would realize that we did not need to raise the fees so high. Granted, an increase was merited but not to this extent. All they did was make parents angry and have many children opting to reduce the number of sports they are playing. In the end, I hope some accountability is held of this board for their decision. I'm hoping that they will have to show how much it really saved them in the long run versus the damage it did to the kids and the programs in general. It's a very selfish and dangerous game the admin/board are playing with our kids lives.

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