The school board's discussion of funding Leesville Road Middle School's conversion to year-round saw some sharp words thrown out.
Beverley Clark kicked things off Tuesday by saying they need to base this year's budget on the immediate situation facing Wake. She said the growth now facing Wake doesn't demand converting LRMS, especially when several year-round middle schools are under capacity.
Clark said it especially makes sense to delay conversion because the state Supreme Court hasn't ruled yet on the year-round case. She expects consent forms will have to go out.
"For this year, why would we spend the money to make the conversion and not wait?" Clark said.
But Lori Millberg said there has to be a point when decisions made by the board are final. She said you can't bringing up issues to see if you'll get a different result.
If they delayed conversion, Millberg said she can't imagine what would happen to the families whose applications were accepted to enter or leave LRMS.
"It’s very, very unfair to put this community in turmoil," Millberg said.
Since the board had voted 6-2 in November to convert LRMS, chairwoman Rosa Gill asked if it could be brought up again on Tuesday.
Board attorney Ann Majestic said it's possible to discuss it as budget issue. She compared it to Congress passing enabling legislation but then not funding a program.
Ron Margiotta said removing the funding for the conversion would allow him to vote for the budget.
"I can’t support a conversion of a school when it’s just not necessary this year," Margiotta said.
Margiotta, like Clark, said they could always convert LRMS in the future if the need is greater.
Eleanor Goettee asked if Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney could discuss the "compelling reasons" for converting LRMS if they were going to bring up the issue again.
Horace Tart asked how much had been spent so far on conversion.
Chief Business Officer David Neter said they're planning on reusing carts from other year-round schools. (That's $100,000 of the $250,000 figure cited by CCLP in saying going forward with conversion would waste money.)
Dulaney said the only money spent so far has been postage letting people know if they've been accepted in or out of LRMS.
Patti Head pointed out that the teacher transfer fair had already been held and that they had spent a lot of time on the issue.
But Clark said the board didn't have the updated capacity figures for each school when they approved the conversion. She said the need for conversion is less compelling with all the families that will not give consent this year.
“If this is not a compelling need why would we spend the funds if it’s not needed at this time?" Clark said.
The board then voted 5-3 against removing the funding from the budget. Clark, Margiotta and Tart were on the losing side.
Comments
Yes, the demographic's challenge will drive Dulaney mad
Thu, 04/02/2009 - 11:05 — Voice_of_Reason_You will see more and more F&R's which will totally throw his computer models out of kilter. F&R's aren't all the same, some are very poor and others comfortable; some generationally poor, others just temporarily down on their luck. The rationale for economic diversity balancing will be tested. More and more Title I schools will be eligible for federal funding from a fixed sized pool of federal money. The really needy schools will be shortchanged. Of course we could fix that or at least moderate it by ending economic diversity balancing or by making major modifications, but will that happen?
Sorry for sounding so doom and gloom, I'm just echoing "Mr. Change and Hope" economic predictions, it's getting harder and harder to think positive these days.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A
Thu, 04/02/2009 - 12:23 — user1234WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A record 32.2 million people -- one in every 10 Americans -- received food stamps at latest count, the government said on Thursday, a reflection of the recession now in its 16th month.
Food stamps are the major U.S. antihunger program and help poor people buy groceries. The average benefit was $112.82 per person in January.
The January figure marks the third time in five months that enrollment set a record.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090402/us_nm/us_hunger_usa
Very valid point. When I
Thu, 04/02/2009 - 11:30 — DrActualFactualVery valid point. When I lived in CA and TX multiple families would rent a common house and yet still apply for F&R lunch program. This skews the demographic labeling--are they rich (address of residence or in Wakes's case-node) or poor as per lunch status? Does this impact your nodes assignment status?
Now would be a good time to buy
Thu, 04/02/2009 - 10:05 — FalcMy home town district (current unemployment 14% and climbing, ED% 45% and climbing) just bought 5 new buses (to replace old buses) out of their fund balance. They delayed buying them when economic times were better and deals on buses were not good, and saved the money instead. Now that the price has dropped $30K per bus, they are buying. They were also able to refinance their bonds, saving taxpayers $116K.
Maybe good fiscal management is partly why the bookshelves in the classrooms in the 80% F&R school are filled with hundreds of books on top of the all the books already in the media center.
And they will quickly find
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 21:17 — loriacAnd they will quickly find out about the SHEER INCOMPETENCE of this whole crew, and be VOTERS in October.
The way things are going,
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 21:40 — user1234The way things are going, many will be in the scorned F&R group by Oct.
IMHO, everyone should spend
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 22:16 — DrActualFactualIMHO, everyone should spend some time being poor. It makes you appreciate what you have. You can spend your way into poverty, squander your way into poverty, be born into poverty, have bad luck and fall into poverty, or even die your way into poverty. It sure lets you see who your true friends are. You will never "scorn" one who is impoverished once you have lived it.
Well Said
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 22:20 — user1234Well Said
Yes, We All Know Their Game
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 14:41 — Lisa_BHey CaryCurmudgeon:
First of all THANKS A LOT, you "party pooper". You couldn't even let me DREAM that the current board might actually come around and do the RIGHT THING???
I clearly remember the County Commissioner's meeting in January 2007 when they made the decision to NOT fund the 22 conversions. There was such a feeling of RELIEF in the room, and I for one literally SKIPPED out to my car when I left. FINALLY, someone didn't play the old "rubber stamp and move on" game. The CC asked very specific questions about MYR, and couldn't get answers. They had studied the facts, and had realized that MYR would never live up to the claims. They did the RESPONSIBLE thing by paying for new construction and renovations, but they did NOT agree to fund the conversions.
Arrogantly, the School Board went ahead and moved money around to fund the insanity anyway. That was one of my first clues that several of these people did NOT have a clue and DID NOT CARE.
SO, while I completely agree that October 2009 cannot come soon enough, I can't believe that they still plan to knowingly waste $250,000.
This is interesting but I am
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:57 — Big_PictureThis is interesting but I am more interested in hearing about the crazy woman who attacked Mr. Hui and Lisa B outside the board room. May not be your MO to *dish the dirt* Lisa, but maybe just a little tidbit for your bloggin' buds?
Don't Let The Crazies Make You Crazy
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 15:12 — Lisa_BHey Big Picture:
Crazy news travels fast doesn't it? I did let the CCLP group know a little bit about this, but how did you find out? Are you on the CCLP list? Were you one of the people who witnessed this outside the board room?
Let me just say, it was actually pretty pitiful. First she got in Keung's face and told him that she usually enjoys his writing but couldn't believe she wrote a 1-sided story. She asked why no one was quoted but me? He told her that he had spoken with several board members and Chuck D (all from "the other side") and had even quoted Rosa. That apparently wasn't enough to satisfy her. Speaking with 1 person who represents a group of 1200+ is pretty good representation of our side. Speaking with the board and Growth Management is pretty good representation of "the other side". I'm guessing she was upset that he didn't speak with one of the 6 members of her little pro-YR group??? (And in case anyone is wondering, Keung was a big boy and very capable of handling himself)
She then accused me of making up the $150,000 number. When I told her that I was sure it was actually MUCH HIGHER than $150,000 because that $150,000 actually came directly from staff, she was momentarily silenced. Then she said that instead of saying the conversion WASTED $250,000, I should say that it would ONLY COST $250,000 to convert vs. paying $50 million for new construction. While that is true, she is so clueless that she didn't even get the point. The capacity is NOT NEEDED, so even $1 is waste. No one is trying to make a choice of conversion vs. new construction here.
I really don't want to give much more time to thinking about her childish outburst, but she tried to tell me that I was selfishly fighting for traditional FOR MYSELF and the reality is that the Leeville Community is all in favor of YR. (she is VERY out of touch with reality on our campus, so that ridiculous comment doesn't even deserve a response) She said that I am single handedly causing "CHAOS" in our community by continuing this fight and not just quitting the fight and accepting YR. (again, no justification necessary) She asked me to be sure that I was doing what I felt in my heart was the right thing. When I told her that I was 100% certain that it was the right thing for my family AND the community as a whole, she told me I was very wrong.
Anyway, there was a little bit more, but truthfully I am just really embarassed for her. A few people asked me about her before I left the meeting, and a couple more sent e-mails to me to find out what her problem was. As I told the CCLP friends, too bad no one took video for "You Tube"....OR DID THEY??? :)
Anyway, there is your "tidbit". Not too exciting, and no blood shed. I didn't even get to raise my voice so it was a very one-sided "fight".
What did their name tag say?
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 18:03 — fiestamomDid this person's name tag say User 1234, or supportwcpss?
I was not in attendance
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 16:23 — Big_PictureI was not in attendance although I received my intel from uninvolved bystanders. Unbelievable. And tacky. I was told it was one of those bigger picture (not) 4 WCPSS gang. If their previous email snafu did not discredit that BoE wannabe gaggle, that behavior did.
SO am I! What happened??
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 15:02 — g88ky07SO am I! What happened??
Not many
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:37 — AngelaWis exactly right, and not even BASE students have gotten track assignments, NO ONE HAS!! the principal did a voice message stating that track assignments would be delayed until "mid-April"....so NO ONE know a thing!
talk about "in turmoil" Millberg has NO idea what she is talking about and that should be obvious BY NOW to everyone!
"It’s very, very unfair to
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:33 — raleighreader"It’s very, very unfair to put this community in turmoil," Millberg said.
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Am I hallucinating? Was *she* hallucinating when she said this?
NOT MANY
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:32 — loriacAt the March 10 PTSA meeting at LRMS, Chuck Dulaney said there are 81 students requesting transfers INTO LRMS next year, and 76 students requesting transfers OUT OF LRMS next year. 'basically a wash"
HOWEVER - about 35 of those are WV students who were grandfathered and applied in order to keep the bus ride. We've been comparing our responses from Wake Growth Mgmt <10 of WV kids were 'accepted' into YR at LRMS.
So - many are now looking at the transfer process.
Some, like me, have already made other plans.
Bottom line - this is not a huge number we are talking about. ONLY the people who got their YR applications accepted know their track - the rest of us don't find out till mid-April.
Mr. Hui?
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:05 — AngelaWIf they delayed conversion, Millberg said she can't imagine what would happen to the families whose applications were accepted to enter or leave LRMS.
"It’s very, very unfair to put this community in turmoil," Millberg said.
Just how applications are we talking about??? and when will we know those numbers?
I'm one of the people who
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:47 — lilybugI'm one of the people who requested and was granted a transfer OUT of LRMS for my 2 kids because we can't make year round work for us. Speaking for our family, I can say that I'd be THRILLED to find out that I no longer had to send my kids across town, and that LRMS was going to stay on the traditional calendar. I suspect that the few families inconvenienced or disappointed would be far outweighted by the parents who would be OVERJOYED if they didn't convert.
You Are Not Alone
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 14:13 — Lisa_BHey Lilybug:
You are definitely NOT alone. Why should anyone feel the need to leave a school just because of an unwanted, unjustified and wasteful decision by the board? I'm sorry to hear that you are leaving, but STILL HOPEFUL that there will be a way to stop this insanity while there is still time.
And to be honest, the number of families who actually WANT YR at the middle school is probably even smaller than the number of students applying to attend LRMS by application (which is less than 80)
I'm one of the people who
Wed, 04/01/2009 - 13:50 — lilybug:-)