The potential elimination of the Communities in Schools site coordinator positions took center stage at Tuesday's budget public hearing.
As noted in today's article, more than a dozen speakers urged the school board to find a way to fund those positions, which cost Wake $472,446. They told how the CIS program, through the help of the paid coordinators, is making a difference in the lives of at-risk students.
"With the elimination of the CIS coordinator, I honeslty believe these children will be left behind," Marla Turlington, incoming PTA president at Hunter Elementary School, told the board on Tuesday.
During the committee of the whole/work session before the public hearing, administrators stressed that they're freezing the positions, not eliminating them.
The positions will be unfrozen, administrators say, if they get enough state funding.
School board member Beverley Clark said all the people who've been lobbying the board to keep the positions should instead be urging the General Assembly to provide enough funding.
School board member Lori Millberg noted how the CIS coordinators will likely be able to find other jobs in the district. She said they're in better position than the first-year teachers who are on terminating contracts who might not be rehired due to the budget situation.
New teachers whose licenses haven't been formally approved yet by the state are given terminating contracts that expire June 30 until the paperwork is processed. Normally it's more of an inconvenience. But this year they may not be rehired as Wake will give priority to people who are on non-terminating contracts.
Comments
crunch the numbers? SAVE MONEY!! STOP MYR!!!!
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:57 — AngelaWRALEIGH, N.C. -
Wake county school leaders are working to prepare a much smaller budget for next year.
School board members will crunch the numbers and discuss how to meet proposed cuts, today.
As it stands now, the school system is planning for a five percent cut from the state, for the 2009-2010 school year. That could mean 1,500 Wake County school employees might not have their contracts renewed this summer.
Wake County teachers and staff are in a battle to save their jobs.
But with millions of dollars on the line, in the last meeting, Superintendent Del Burns didn't sugar coat the bad news.
"We find ourselves bracing for an economic hurricane," said Burns.
By the time the state passes its budget, year round schools would have already started.
Thirty one percent of the school system's budget comes from the county, but a staggering 62 percent of it comes from the state, and right now, the board is making decisions based on the unknown.
"We've asked principals, until we finally know, until we get the state budget and really know, to limit their hiring of what they would typically do to 95 percent," said Wake county School Board member, Lori Millberg.
The school board also decided to withhold funding for all staff positions for the tutoring and student support organization, Communities in Schools or CIS program.
"As we grew up, we all had a coach or a priest or a minister or somebody else that we could come in contact with in addition to our parents," said Garner Senior High Mentor, Pete Cotter. "A lot of these kids don't have that at home and they need somebody else extra," he said.
Six-hundred children in ten schools across the county are involved with CIS.
Now, volunteers and supporters of CIS are urging the board to keep the program at the top of its priority list if state funding does come through.
"One the state approves this budget; we will prioritize what services we are able to provide students out of this budget, which is the at risk budget," said Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, Marvin Connelly.
The board hopes to make their budget request to the county commissioners for an approval as early as this month.
OT-alert
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 18:11 — AngelaWTeachers push repeal of school-calendar law
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4767828/
Here we go again...
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 07:51 — louiselee44This is such old news, and every time it comes up, I find myself once again defending a law that has been misrepresented, misunderstood, lied about, etc. for 5 years. I don't have the time nor the energy to do that every week. Those who want to know the truth hopefully know where to find it by now.
I will say this:
1 - None of the bills that have been introduced regarding changes in the 2004 school calendar law affects the # of instructional days - 180 days stays the same.
2 - Teachers have continued to support the law statewide; NCAE had to switch their opposing position after two polls revealed a majority favored it. High school teachers are less likely to support it, so that's who interviewers like to choose when searching for dissenters.
3 - I think people forget that, according to legislators, this was one of the most heavily debated and researched laws ever. It was not passed without every single stone being unturned. Believe me, all cons of the law were thoroughly dissected over and over by all parties; none even came close to being compelling enough to override the pros, and negative claims could not be proven - some were disproven.
4 - Proven economic gains in tourism-related businesses help education; do some homework on how much money from those entities go into education coffers.
5 - Don't forget this:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/SchoolCalendarMemo1.pdf
The list goes on and on..., but I can't because I've got family matters to look after.
Louise
Louise, no disrespect
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 07:55 — AngelaWLouise,
no disrespect intended, so please know that, simply posting that this is coming under fire AGAIN, that was all.
As once adversly affected by MYR as it is, I am (and was) in total support of the calendar law.
rest assured!
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 08:36 — louiselee44Angela - goodness, I would never in a million years think that you would direct anything disrespectful to me or anyone else, so erase that thought forever!! I know and appreciate your support and encouragement, and thank you for ALL that you do!! It's important that citizens know what's going on, and you're the best!
My comments were just FYI to others who read this blog. Sorry I didn't make that clear!
You are indispensable to this blog, and admired by many. Thanks!
Louise
*whew*
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 11:43 — AngelaWthank goodness Louise and thanks!
I try to present factual info and keep it to facts, however, being human have often in the past, spewed rightfully or wrongfully...but know I would NEVER intentionally disrespect any of your tireless efforts to improve WCPSS....I am always in awe of what you accomplish and cannot possibly thank you enough! :)
thanking me enough
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 13:56 — louiselee44You just did! :^)
Have a great afternoon!
Since we're all equal in wake county's eyes
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 06:44 — g88ky07"it would not affect MYR schools.
Wheeeeeeew, thank goodness. So we've now found one good thing about MYR!
Superior Court Judge Howard Manning says poor EOG's
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 13:19 — AngelaWhttp://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4763304/ On the elementary school level, 71.3 percent of students are not proficient in reading, and 74.3 percent of middle-school students are not proficient, Manning said in his letter.
funding tutors
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 12:37 — rocket69How can anyone be against funding tutors? To find the money to do this, let's start by reducing the transportation budget (busing). We'll probably even have money left over so that classroom teachers don't have to by chalk out of their own pockets. The state does not have extra funds and their funds come from taxes same as county funds. Let me see if I have this straight. We have funds for busing but not for instruction. Hmmm! Seems like we have our priorities mixed up.
Go Ann! Thanks for posting
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 12:16 — raleighreaderGo Ann! Thanks for posting that, Angela.
CIS seems like a no-brainer and I'd really hate to see those positions cut. It seems like one of the only programs in WCPSS that actually focuses on helping disadvantaged/low performing students.
quid pro quo, want to keep these programs, prove they work...
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 09:22 — AngelaWhttp://www.wcpss.net/Board/minutes/03-03-2009--minutes.pdf
Ann Rouleau- Ms. Rouleau shared that in September 2008, she presented academic
results based on DPI data and asked why WCPSS’s economically disadvantaged students
were performing at or below state average and what WCPSS was doing about it. Ms.
Rouleau shared that in December 2008, David Holdzkom acknowledged that the data was
indeed correct and provided explanations to the questions, however, the reply that she
was expecting had everything to do with effectiveness and efficiency as stated in Board
Policy 5600. Ms. Rouleau is asking for a report on what WCPSS is doing to help
economically disadvantaged students and how effective the programs have been.