Will it be it harder to change the direction of the school board without incumbents to run against?
As noted in today's article, that's a concern of school board member Ron Margiotta. He's concerned that the lack of incumbents seven months from now could take some of the energy out of the campaign.
“If the election was in March, we could run four warm bodies and win,” Margiotta said in the article. “The challenge is keeping the interest alive until October.”
On the other hand, Dennis Berwyn of Take Wake Schools Back said there are some advantages to not facing an incumbent. He said prospective candidates might feel they won't have to raise as much money running against other newcomers.
Joe Ciulla of Wake Schools Community Alliance said candidates will obviously have to do things differently if they're not going against an incumbent.
But Ciulla said the opposition is also faced with constraints in how its candidates can campaign for the board.
"I don't think the opposition can with good conscience campaign on what people want to hear — neighborhood schools and against mandatory assignment — and then do the opposite when they're elected," Ciulla said.
Then again, more than a few would-be critics of the school board over the years have changed their views after being elected.
Comments
costs discussed prior to conversions
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 12:02 — AngelaWThe subject is: Funding for Year-Round Conversion Costs for 22 Schools and Associated Moving of Mobile Units.
The funding that is being requested includes the moving of mobile units, teacher carts, teaching materials, library books, and related supplies. Funding for the teacher carts, teaching materials, library books, and related supplies will come from the undesignated fund balance in the amount of $1, 523, 660.Funding for the relocation of mobile units will come from current capital outlay budget and also from the undesignated capital outlay fund balance.Don Haydon gave a summary of the agenda item. Mr. Haydon stated that we will berelocating 18 additional modular/ mobile classroom units at elementary schools and 7 at middle schools for a total of 25 new units. We estimate that will take about 1.4 million dollars and money available at about $730,000, leaving a requirement of an additional $670,000 from fund balance.
Susan Parry requested that the numbers be repeated. It was estimated that 1.4 million dollars are required, and we have $730,000 available in operating budget now, leaving a need for an additional $670,000. Mrs. Parker noted that Harris Creek originally had 4 mobile units. Don Haydon replied that we have postponed that need for 1 year. Mr. Dulaney went out and met with the principal, walked the campus, and worked around how the principal was going to provide classrooms for next year and be able to accommodate without the mobiles for this year; however, we will need them for next year.
JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT:
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 22:29 — Eric_BJOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT: SYCAMORE CREEK ELEMENTARY (OFF-SITE SEWER)
The City of Raleigh (“City”) and WCPSS are partnering in the installation of approximately 1,600 feet of eight inch gravity sewer line from the City’s sewer main to the new Sycamore Creek Elementary School (E-17). The Board previously approved this agreement on September 4, 2007. The agreement requires WCPSS to pay the entire cost of the project. The City will acquire the necessary easements, let the project for bid, and also manage the construction. Per the terms of the original agreement, the City would assess fees in the amount of $44.51 per linear foot of property frontage as adjacent properties tie into the sewer improvements, and would reimburse ten percent of these fees per year for ten years to WCPSS.
Subsequent to Board approval, the City proposed that the WCPSS’ portion of the potential future assessment fees be waived. This would expedite acquiring the necessary easements from affected property owners by avoiding public hearings and expedite construction to meet the August 2008 installation deadline. If the sewer line is not available, waste will be collected via a pump tank and daily pumping will occur at WCPSS expense. Fiscal Implications: Staff request board approval to waive the reimbursable assessment fees due the WCPSS. The amount of projected reimbursement could be $88,344 paid out at 10% per year for ten years if all property owners tie into the system 2,001 linear feet of frontage x $44.15).
The estimated cost of this project is $170,000, of which $148,741 is for basic design and construction and $21,259 is for contingency. In addition, the cost of easement acquisition and buffer-wetland mitigation will also be borne by WCPSS. The WCPSS funds are available in the CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements project. Recommendation for Action: Board approval is requested.
Sycamore Creek costs
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 22:39 — Eric_BSo WCPSS paid a record amount for the land for Sycamore Creek ($153,000 per acre) despite not having available sewer service to the property from the city. WCPSS also paid millions more to have Barnhill rush to complete the school on time and to have sewer line run to the property. I'm not sure if WCPSS is still paying to truck sewage from the site daily or not...
Construction of Sycamore Creek ended up $3 million over budget with a total cost of $27.8 million on only 17.2 acres of land. Now under the student assignment plan, Sycamore Creek will still have over 400 open seats by 2011-2012. Why the waste??
the tide has turned
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 14:24 — NWRaleighMom"Maybe the tide has turned, but people forget our policy has helped a lot of schools," Millberg said.
BTW, what schools except for ITB magnets? How did you help Leesville, Hilburn, York, Stough, Garner and WF schools from your own district (list goes on and on), Lori?
frustration!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 18:01 — fiestamom"Maybe the tide has turned, but people forget our policy has helped a lot of schools," Millberg said.
Good grief Lori. Take a look at Wake Forest Elementary sometime, lady. Ask the PTA how it's going. The PTA has been decimated by all of the comings and goings over the last 4 years. Kids have made friends one year, only to have their friends leave, then that cycle has continued. Lori, your pie in the sky do-gooderism has hurt a lot of kids.
Rumor has it Hilburn is the
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 18:08 — AngelaWRumor has it Hilburn is the same way. I know Leesville PTA has struggled to attract *new* people and last year our volunteer hours dropped IN HALF at the MYR elementary (yeah her policy REALLY helped there!)...
this is Lori, oh-so-caring about our schools;
4/22/08 at 19:18
"We've asked them before," said school board member Lori Millberg. "Why would we assume they're not giving consent this year?"
=======================================
“Leesville and Wakefield parents may feel like they’ve dodged a bullet,” she said, “but when reassignment comes out, they’re not going to feel (that way),” she said.
For those of you who'd like the whole article here's the link:
http://www.wakeweekly.com/2006/Sept21-3.html
THANK THE STARS-she's not running again!
what about the students?
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 15:12 — loriacRight! The policy may have helped some schools, or made all the schools appear uniformly mediocre... but what about helping students? The achievement gap between F&R and non-F&R students is growing.
How does the current school board policy 'help schools' when our neighborhood is held hostage at a middle school 'for our numbers' (ie, many will APPLY to magnet or YR schools, few will be accepted) - so many, many of us OPT OUT.
The WCPSS social experiment has failed! Time for a new approach. I think there will be plenty of us still energized come October - this whole process has been way too painful to ever repeat again.
The school board said that
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 13:03 — AngelaWThe school board said that the "cost of conversion" for an Elementary School was $65,000---basically the cost of the track-out carts. They failed to disclose that there were HUGE additional operating expenses, costs to move mobile units, cost of shade structures, and other expenses that would not be necessary if the schools weren't forced to convert.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT TO RELOCATE MODULAR UNIT TO MIDDLE CREEK HIGH
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract to C. Blake Lewis Construction in the amount of $229,713, or $28,714 per classroom for the disassembly of an eight-classroom modular unit at Millbrook High, and subsequent relocation and reassembly, with all services (power, water, sewer, ADA access, data, fire protection, security) required for permitted occupancy, as high school classrooms at Middle Creek High. The modular unit is owned by WCPSS; therefore, no rental fees are involved. Design costs are $3,375 per classroom, in addition to remaining projected costs of approximately $5,500 per classroom for furniture, and $150 per classroom for final cleaning and waxing. This results in a total of $37,739 per classroom. Funding is available from the total project budget of $16,935,553, all of which is from the CIP 2006 Mobile Classroom Relocation and Leasing, 2007-2009 project.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT TO RELOCATE MODULAR CLASSROOM BUILDING TO GREEN HOPE HIGH
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract to Beau Chene Company, LLC in the amount of $271,900, or $33,988 per classroom for the disassembly of an eight-classroom modular unit at Millbrook High, and subsequent relocation and reassembly, with all services (power, water, sewer, ADA access, data, fire protection, security) required for permitted occupancy, as high school classrooms at Green Hope High. The modular unit is owned by WCPSS; therefore, no rental fees are involved. Design costs are $4,050 per classroom, in addition to remaining projected costs of approximately $5,500 per classroom for furniture, and $150 per classroom for final cleaning and waxing. This results in a total of $43,688 per classroom. Funding is available from the total project budget of $16,935,553, all of which is from the CIP 2006 Mobile Classroom Relocation and Leasing, 2007-2009 projects.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT TO RELOCATE MODULAR UNIT TO PENNY ROAD ELEMENTARY
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract to C. Blake Lewis Construction in the amount of $201,841, or $40,368 per classroom for the disassembly of a five-classroom unit at Daniels Middle School, and subsequent relocation and reassembly, with all services (power, water, sewer, ADA access, data, fire protection, security) required for permitted occupancy, as elementary classrooms at Penny Road Elementary. The modular unit is owned by WCPSS; therefore, no rental fees are involved. Design costs are $3,701 per classroom, in addition to remaining projected costs of approximately $5,500 per classroom for furniture, and $150 per classroom for final cleaning and waxing. This results in a total of $49,719 per classroom. Removal location and site work contributed to higher per classroom cost. Funding is available from the total project budget of $16,935,553 all of which is from the CIP 2006 Mobile Classroom Relocation and Leasing, 2007-2009 project.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR BROUGHTON RENTAL MODULAR UNITS
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a rental contract, per the master lease agreement, to Vanguard Modular Building Systems in the amount of $112,000 to install two six-classroom modular units for $112,000, or $9,333 per classroom, at Broughton High. These units will replace the classroom space of the sixteen single mobile classroom units the City of Raleigh is requiring that Wake County Public Schools remove by December 2007.
Work includes the delivery of the units, installation of footers, set-up, and trim work for the units. Independent of this rental contract, Beau Chene Company (single-prime contract) will provide power, water, sewer, ADA access, data, fire protection and security for $267,900, or $22,325 per classroom for the two six-classroom modular rental units. Design cost is $2,655 per classroom, in addition to project costs of approximately $150 per classroom to relocate furniture and $150 per classroom for final cleaning and waxing. This results in a total cost of $34,613 per classroom. This total does not include the yearly rental rate of $36,984 for each six-classroom modular unit. Funding is available from the total project budget of $16,935,553, all of which is from the CIP 2006 Mobile Classroom Relocation and Leasing, 2007-2009 project. Leasing payments will be made from the operating budget.
BOARD APPROVES FUQUAY-VARINA HIGH CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR OCCUPANCY OF RENTAL MODULAR
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract to C. Blake Lewis Construction in the amount of $214,608, or $26,826 per classroom for construction services (power, water, sewer, ADA access, data, fire protection, security) required to obtain permitted occupancy for one eight-classroom modular unit at Fuquay-Varina High School. Independent of this single-prime contract, Comark Building Systems, Inc., (the rental company) will install the eight-classroom modular for $81,122, or $10,140 per classroom. Design costs are $3,425 per classroom, in addition to remaining projected costs of approximately $5,500 per classroom for furniture, and $150 per classroom for final cleaning and waxing. This results in a total of $46,041 per classroom. Construction of additional sidewalks and sewer line through parking lots contributed to the higher per classroom cost. This total does not include the yearly rental rate of $52,072 for each eight-classroom modular unit. Funding is available from the total project budget of $16,935,553 all of which is from the CIP 2006 Mobile Classroom Relocation and Leasing, 2007-2009 project. Leasing payments will be made from the operating budget.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR GARNER HIGH NINTH GRADE CENTER
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract to Beau Chene Company, LLC in the amount of $1,579,969 or $98,748 per classroom for two eight-classroom units using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) as a construction method to compliment WCPSS present use of modular constructed buildings. Construction for the SIPS buildings is comparable to modular construction with significant maintenance and energy savings. Design costs are $6,328 per classroom, in addition to remaining projected costs of approximately $5,500 per classroom for furniture, and $150 per classroom for final cleaning and waxing. This results in a total of $110,726 per classroom. Funding is available from the total project budget of $12,518,625, all of which is from the CIP 2006 9th Grade Center project.
BOARD APPROVES DESIGN CONSULTANT AGREEMENT FOR M-6 MIDDLE SCHOOL
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education selected Skinner Lamm & Highsmith Architects, PA, for the design of a new middle school (M-6) to be built southwest of Rolesville. The school is part of the CIP 2006 School Building Program. The form of agreement is the standard form approved by the Board attorney. The Board approved the offer to purchase this property at its March 6, 2007 meeting. Funding is available from the total project budget of $ 42,509,271, all of which is from CIP 2006. The total project budget includes proposed compensation for the design consultant of $1,204,750.
BOARD APPROVES CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK AGREEMENT FOR M-6 MIDDLE SCHOOL
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education selected D.H. Griffin Construction Company, for the construction manager’s pre-construction services only for a new middle school (M-6) to be built southwest of Rolesville. The school is part of the CIP 2006 School Building program. The form of agreement for Construction Management at Risk has been previously reviewed and approved by the Board. Modifications to this agreement have been approved by the board’s attorney and are noted on the attached summary. These changes will all be incorporated into the next revision of the standard form of agreement. Skinner, Lamm & Highsmith Architects, PA, was previously selected as the designer for this project. Funding is available from the total project budget of $42,509,271, all of which is from CIP 2006. The total project budget includes proposed compensation for the Construction Manager of $70,000 for pre-construction basic services.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR EAST WAKE HIGH (PHASE 2A)
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No. GC-02 to the joint venture of Heery International, Inc., and D.H. Griffin Construction, LLC, for a Construction Management at Risk contract for construction of East Wake High additions and renovations. This change order, in the amount of $14,742,788 is to establish a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for work packages needed to complete Phase 2A construction. Phase 2A GMP includes asbestos abatement, demolition of one story building, construction of new two story building, cafeteria renovation, and road improvements. The next phase of construction, Phase 2B, will include renovations to the Administration Building, 1976 Classroom Building, and construction of a new softball field. The GMP for Phase 2B is expected to be presented to the BOE on December 4, 2007. Funding is available from the total project budget of $22,856,566 for both phases, of which $125,000 is from PLAN 2004 Start Up, $22,428,769 from CIP 2006, and $302,797 from CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR CARY HIGH ADDITIONS (CIP 2006)
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No. CM-02 to Balfour Beatty Construction, LLC for their Construction Management at Risk contract for construction of the three-story addition to the PLAN 2004 three-story classroom building at Cary High School. This change order, in the amount of $10,416,307 is to establish the final guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the work packages needed to accomplish the construction of this project. A list of the bid packages is attached. This change order also modifies the contract to use reimbursable general conditions. The total proposed budget is $12,524,174, of which $500,000 is currently available from PLAN 2004 Crowding Solution, $175,000 from PLAN 2004 Start-Up, and $9,932,867 from CIP 2006. A future reallocation of $1,916,307 will be presented to the Board for approval. CIP 2006 Program Contingency is being used to fully fund the contract until the additional funding is reallocated.
BOARD APPROVES RESOLUTION FOR REALLOCATION OF PLAN 2000 LONG-RANGE BUILDING PROGRAM FUNDING
At its May 22 meeting, the Board of Education approved a resolution that requests reallocation of project savings from the PLAN 2000 projects at Millbrook Elementary, Douglas Elementary, Fuquay-Varina Middle and Program Contingency to Wake Forest Elementary HVAC system project. Reallocation from these three projects will close these projects. The Wake Forest Elementary HVAC project scope increased after full evaluation of the current HVAC system and controls. New controls, for the entire school, were added to the project. Total reallocation amount is $350,000 (approximate amount – actual amount to be provided prior to Board meeting). No additional appropriation of funding is necessary at this time.
Slammin' Great job!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:28 — g88ky07Slam MING!!!
YOU GO GIRL!!!!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 13:57 — choice4allWay to go Angela!!!
My 2 cents I will add to this mess is the biggest spending of property for a school (Sycamore Creek) and they could not even get a bus to it. This delayed construction and caused unnessesary spending and arguments as to who would provide the road to it. They spent extra money to get the job done ON TIME and it sits 1/2 empty to this day on a Year Round schedule with 2 other YR schools within a few miles distance. And they needed to convert Leesville. Yeah right!
WCPSS doing what they do best SPEND SPEND SPEND only not in the classroom. Just on Buses and Think Tanks. But ya know..its "All for the Children" (sarcasam off)
yes indeedy Sycamore creek costs .....
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 14:07 — AngelaWCHANGE ORDER NO. CM-10: SYCAMORE CREEK ELEMENTARY (E-17)
Board approval is requested for Change Order No. CM-10 to Barnhill Contracting
Company for their Construction Manager at Risk contract to construct the new Sycamore
Creek Elementary School. This change order, in the amount of $115,041.26, is for the
installation of an 8,000 gallon wastewater storage tank to receive school wastewater until
the City of Raleigh completes the installation of the line between the school property and
the existing City wastewater line. Fiscal Implications: The total proposed project budget
is $27,176,803, of which $1,708,291 is from PLAN 2004, $22,991,571 from CIP 2006,
$2,361,900 from CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements, and $115,041 from CIP 2006 Program
Contingency. A future reallocation will be made from CIP 2006 Program Contingency to
CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements due to the budgeted offsite improvement funds being
depleted. Recommendation for Action: Board approval is requested.
Ken Fuller and Mike Burriss presented information to the Board. With no questions
from the Board, Patti Head made a motion to approve, seconded by Ron Margiotta. The
motion was unanimously approved.
8. CHANGE ORDER NO. CM-11: SYCAMORE CREEK ELEMENTARY (E-17)
Board approval is requested for Change Order No. CM-11 to Barnhill Contracting
Company for their Construction Manager at Risk contract to construct the new Sycamore
Creek Elementary School. This change order, in the amount of $172,445.82, is for offsite
signalization at the intersection of Leesville and Farless Road. Fiscal Implications: The
total proposed project budget is $27,349,249, of which $1,708,291 is from PLAN 2004,
$22,991,571 from CIP 2006, $2,361,900 from CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements, and
$287,487 from CIP 2006 Program Contingency. A future reallocation will be made from
CIP 2006 Program Contingency to CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements due to the budgeted
offsite improvement funds being depleted. Recommendation for Action: Board approval
is requested.
Ken Fuller and Mike Burriss presented information to the Board. With no questions
from the Board, Patti Head made a motion to approve, seconded by Lori Millberg. The
motion was unanimously approved.
http://www.wcpss.net/Board/minutes/06-17-2008--minutes.pdf
Bingo Angela!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 20:50 — choice4allI found it. Now you can add this to the list of all the other stuff at Sycamore.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR SYCAMORE CREEK ELEMENTARY (E-17)
At its July 17 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order CM-01 to Barnhill Contracting Company for their Construction Manager at Risk contract to construct Sycamore Creek Elementary. This change order established a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the 鈥淩elease 1鈥?package, which includes eight of the 44 construction packages for this project. A future change order will be brought to the August Board meeting for the final packages to establish the GMP for the total project. The final GMP for this project is expected to be approximately $2,600,000 over budget, primarily due to site conditions and the accelerated work schedule needed to complete this project on time. The total project budget is $21,882,007 of which, $1,708,291 is from PLAN 2004 and $20,173,716 is from CIP 2006. Once the final packages are bid, a reallocation from CIP 2006 Program Contingency will be presented to provide the additional funds.
great job!
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 06:43 — AngelaWsee, not so hard after all? :) I was busy looking for Ballentine stuff last night, now I do not even need to look for more Sycamore Creek.
What great data you have ma'am!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:33 — g88ky07Your magic hat got anything in it for Ballentine? Home of the next almost 1/2 empty MYR school where our tax dollars are being flushed into the southern wake county sewers like that hard pizza the kids didn't eat for lunch!
I gotta say I thought
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 20:19 — AngelaWI gotta say I thought Leesville was the red-haired step-child of WCPSS but there is next-to-NOTHING on Ballentine to be found...sure when it opened that sort but nothing like I've found for other schools....they are certainly not in the "eye of the storm" other than, of course, the destruction by MYR, but specifics??? none so far.... :( however, like a dog with a bone, I rarely give up!
Thanks for looking
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 06:58 — g88ky07and keeping us in mind if you ever run across anything.
We've somewhat avoided the "eye of the storm" up until now, outside of MYR, which alone is enough to apply for disaster aid in my book, but now they're heading toward the F5 at full throttle and there is no telling what is going to come out on the other side!
Call Horace Tart Directly
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 07:08 — Lisa_BHey g88ky07:
I am assuming that you have spoken with Horace Tart about this, and I am curious to know what he has to say about your particular situation. It really does sound like you all should receive some attention. When I have had conversations with Horace in the past he was VERY willing to listen and VERY concerned with looking at the FACTS and getting to the bottom of the issues.
If you have not ever spoken directly with him, give him a call and give him a chance to go to bat for you.
Hey Lisa B.!
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:09 — g88ky07Well, since you asked,
I actually have had
no interest in listening to Mr. Tart fluff up one of his over easy explanations
as to why it's "not really 25,000+ kids being
reassigned, it's only 10,000" or why he voted for and/or
supports the reassignment of 180+ kids at one of his schools, not back filling
those seats thus leaving the school well below capacity causing collapsed tracks
galore, the loss of educators, other issues and causing all the remaining
children, parents and families a potential forced track change FURTHER
disrupting their lives. Lives they have built around a stupid "track" based
education scam forced upon them unnecessarily!
It's a little hard for me to understand how he's
going to help me when I can see his voting record and have seen nothing he has
done for the good of families that are relentlessly subjected to the forced
agendas of tunnel vision thinkers that NEVER have a Plan B!
But I'll give it some thought. After I take
another aspirin!
Give Horace A Chance
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 19:12 — Lisa_BHey g88ky07:
Give him a call, and give him a chance to work with you. Encourage others in your community to do the same. You never know until you actually try.
In my opinion, Horace has been willing to act based on FACTS lately, as evidenced by his vote today to look at unconverting some MYR schools.
I am throughly disgusted by the way today's vote was handled, but still hopeful that they'll spend some real time studying the FACTS and make the responsible changes while there still IS time to do it.
DON'T GIVE UP...it's STILL not over!
if he's running again, he
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:13 — AngelaWif he's running again, he may help you!
take two Motrin and call him in the morning!
ok, one thing straight out
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 19:10 — AngelaWok, one thing straight out before I even GET started digging, I simply did a mapquest.....(and nothing personal here mind you, just follow me...)
a PRIME example of why WCPSS is too freaking big;
from Leesville Elementary to Ballentine;
Estimated Time: 38 minutes Estimated Distance: 25.24 miles
What in the WORLD are these two school doing in the SAME school system?! It's a joke really....do you know how many towns that encompasses both here and other areas and we have one stupid BoE governing the VAST difference of schools at this distance? AIGH!!!!!
Pack 2 sandwiches
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 07:01 — g88ky07it's a long ride Mable!
thanks! can't promise but
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:41 — AngelaWwith time and a trowel, I might could find something, as you know my main focus is on Leesville schools and the NW Raleigh area.....but WCPSS screws up all over, so I am sure over time I can come up with stuff!
Ok.. Wiki Girl
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:04 — choice4allI don't have time to dig up the extra info for the $$$$'s allocated for Barnhill to put the delay on fast track. I recall this would cost a couple of million (Give or take) to finish it timely. Remember how they were so desperate to work day and night to get'r done. I am bewildered because the CC's released more money, that infamous day, for building but none for conversions. They had the money but did not start on time.
:)
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:13 — AngelaWis this rhetorical, or are you wanting to *find* that info?
and it OPENED late too! they were at Hilburn over the summer right??
Not Rhetorical
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:26 — choice4allIt is somewhere in the bowels of these blogs. Your the wiki girl and I think you could find it faster than me.
Yup they sure did open late. And they also had no plan B (go figure that one) in case it was not done for when traditional started. Thankfully for the traditional (Hilburn) kids it was done ontime. I guess money talks:) Only they now have 11 empty classrooms. Some of the nodes assigned to Hilburn comes from the Cary Crossroads area. I remember being mortified about the distance those kids had to travel. Cary to NRaleigh? I don't even like making that drive.
hmmm, no guarantees....
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:44 — AngelaWbut perhaps I can..... although Eric_B was the Sycamore Creek guy, IIRC. got WCPSS to bus 'em.... instead of the unsafe walking patterns they had set.
Cary to NRaleigh is just stupid and wasteful! but with WCPSS, what else is new?
So in other words
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:10 — choice4alladd this to all of the listings above. How much is the final talley on Sycamore now? And it sits 1/2 empty. Guess our tax $$'s are literaly going down the toilet.
This doesn't even count the
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 16:28 — Eric_BThis doesn't even count the continuing costs to transport the wastewater out of Sycamore Creek by truck until the sewage line is connected by the City of Raleigh.
I'm not sure whose fault this is (slow City of Raleigh Public Works Dept. or slow WCPSS) but a lot of $$$ is being "wasted."
'scuse the pun, eh?
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 16:34 — AngelaWat this budgetary crisis point with the schools, the city and the state, the most important point I guess would not be WHOM, but HOW MUCH? and how do we FIX it and prevent it from happening again? Oh take this sort of stuff away from the BoE? hmm, wasn't that proposed once too?
(psst, given how "slow" WCPSS was on the subject of Panther Creek recently, my bets on them!)
regardless, just one more in the endless list of "WASTE" within WCPSS.
I pity them......
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 12:42 — WuptdoI really do pity those future BoE members. Trying to undo 25 years of damage by the "social engineering ITB" crowd will require lot of hard work. But I do know a one no-brainer: Get rid of the entire upper management of the WCPSS even if it cost money to do so. I don't think that Delbert, Chucky, and Mikey will find life in the unemployment line easy. Get fired by a school system is a "kiss of death" for educators. Of course, they can always move to Kalifornia.
The other thing is to keep the eye on the prize and look out for whatever evil the gang on Hillsboughor Street is going to throw into the fray. They don't not like the idea of the ITB losing it power to the peasants out in the county. Also, the census is right around the corner, so districts will be re-drawn in 2011.
....
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 12:02 — SideburnsAnd so goes the problems of WCPSS. We are expected to ignore the past failures (yes, I said failures) and just move on to our next hurdle. Typical "support WCPSS" attitude. Swallow your bitter little pill and make sure to get it down good.
Fortunately, many parents and taxpayers have refused to swallow what WCPSS has doled out and are preparing to spit out the acrid remains. Luckily, October is just around the corner.
They can because they think
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 12:15 — AngelaWThey can because they think they can.
Virgil
Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.
Thomas Jefferson
Keep steadily before you the fact that all true success depends at last upon yourself.
Theodore T. Hunger
Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving.
Dennis Waitley
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.
Vince Lombardi
g88ky07, I know you
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 11:05 — user1234g88ky07,
I know you are all passionate about this subject but since the field is wide open now you need to switch from what happened in the past and what needs to be done in the future now. You need to become knowledgeable about the real issues now to have an impact. You have moved from sitting on the sidelines complaining to providing answers.
As a reference, school transportation makes up 5% of the budget. WCPSS is similar to CM which everyone loves since it has neighborhood schools. IfCary
It is time for you to be thinking last resort … how many kids can be stuffed in a classroom, how many shifts can we accommodate, how many extras like AG, sports, extracurricular activities can we live without. The next set of BOE won't have "easy" choices like finding seat for all the growth … these coming choices will be much harder and more dramatic. So, stop worrying about MYR and transportation and start thinking about how far we are willing to go to live within the budget.
don't spew rhetoric, learn the FACTS
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 13:18 — AngelaWover and over ad nauseum, but here are simply a FEW examples of (M)YR and their COSTS!!!!!
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY - After operating year-round schools for nine years, Prince William County, Virginia returned to a traditional calendar, basing their decision on little academic improvement, few cost benefits and parent reaction. According to Dr. Mary Weybright, supervisor of programs and planning, "There were not enough advantages to outweigh the disadvantages. "
HOUSTON - Houston abandoned its first experiment with year-round schools after eight years, concluding the program was extremely expensive, it failed to relieve overcrowding and student achievement did not increase. School officials planned to save $6.9 million by eliminating funding necessary for the program.
ROMEOVILLE - In 1972, Romeoville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, implemented a multi-track program in 16 schools to relieve overcrowding. According to John Lukancic, assistant superintendent of Valley View schools, they abandoned the schedule after eight years because of high operational costs of air conditioning and maintenance, difficulty in filling year-round administrative positions, and scheduling problems at the high school level.
ESCAMBIA - A district wide YRS proposal made in April 1999 for 70 schools was shelved a year later because of high costs incurred at the 10 YR experimental schools. It cost about $38,000 more per school to operate and the district will save $380,000 a year by switching back to a traditional calendar. School Board Chairman John DeWitt, a strong supporter of the year-round calendar, conceded the savings was too great to continue on a year-round schedule.
VALLEY VIEW - Began YR in 1970 but all 15 schools dropped it by 1980.This was the first community to try YR district wide. Higher utility costs were among the factors cited. School administrators found no academic advantage to the calendar, said Emmie Dunn, administrative assistant to the superintendent. "As one of our administrators said when the schedule ended, "After 10 years of year-round school, you're just plain tired,'" Dunn said
AVON - Avon School Board cited the high costs of switching to a multi-track, 12-month school year in rejecting the idea as an answer to overcrowding. Increased costs cited included utilities, equipment repair and replacement, Janitorial care, bus maintenance and transportation. A representative of Indiana State University Services presented figures showing a 33 percent increase in operating expenses, based on data from year-round school districts in Texas and California. He also cited the YRS detriments to families, to education climate and extracurricular activities. The findings were based on two studies, one mandated by the Legislature in July 1995
NYE COUNTY - The Nye County School District voted unanimously to end a three-year year-round calendar experiment after finding the no academic advantage to the schedule and added costs of $740,000 per year. All the data is in, and it's not educationally beneficial, School Board member Peggy Smith said
ALBUQUERQUE - The number of YR calendar schools dwindled from 26 to 8 since the school board voted in 1994 to rescind mandated year-round schools. Individual schools can vote to remain on the YR calendar. Among those that voted to return to a traditional school year was Emerson Elementary, one of the model year-round school "success" stories featured in a government study, "Prisoners of Time," that served as a catalyst for school calendar experiments. A school board member said YRS "costs us fortunes" to operate and "academically, these schools were stalemating. "
INCREDIBLE AngW!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 17:37 — g88ky07JUST INCREDIBLE!!!
Thank you, Angela! He
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 13:58 — NWRaleighMomThank you, Angela!
He also cited the YRS detriments to families, to education climate and extracurricular activities.
Funding for Year-Round
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 13:00 — AngelaWFunding for Year-Round Conversion Costs for 22 Schools and Associated Moving of
Mobile Units
David Neter made a presentation to the Board requesting funding for the cost associatedwith converting 22 schools to the year-round calendar. The funding that is being requested includes the moving of mobile units, teacher carts, teaching materials, library books, and related supplies. Funding for the teacher carts, teaching materials, library books, and related supplies will come from the undesignated fund balance in the amount of $1, 523, 660.Funding for the relocation of mobile units will come from current capital outlay budget and also from the undesignated capital outlay fund balance.Don Haydon gave a summary of the agenda item. Mr. Haydon stated that we will berelocating 18 additional modular/ mobile classroom units at elementary schools and 7 at middle schools for a total of 25 new units. We estimate that will take about 1.4 million dollars and money available at about $730,000, leaving a requirement of an additional $670,000 from fund balance.
Your argument illustrates the problem
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 12:48 — srhudson06Thanks for pointing out how bad the logic being used is.
1) We should cut something cause the savings are so little they "don't matter" - What? Every little bit helps. Comparing our expenditures to Charlotte or anyone else misses the point. The point isn't how much they spend but how much we are WASTING busing kids all over the place.
2) Stop worrying about year round? No - that's part of the problem. Every dollar wasted forcing people into schools that are not used to the best capacity is a dollar that could be spent on something else. Collapsing tracks, laid off teachers, empty classrooms, WASTE WASTE WASTE.
It may take many baby steps to get there. But these two scream out for attention.
Thanks dude,
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:14 — g88ky07for your concern, but I'll keep doing
exactly what I'm doing until I see some things move in the opposite direction!
Starting with the things that affect my child and my family every single day! MYR is wasting HUGE amounts
money that could be used for my child, and EVERYONE's children, instead of cooling empty classrooms and not keeping educators employed! Needless transporting
to and from, no matter how small a # you want to put on it, is still, WASTED
MONEY that could be used for SO much more!!
There's nothing about the "past" that doesn't
relate to our future and whether you like it or not, we won't "stop worrying" about MYR and the
constant diarrhea dribble of reassignment,
UNTIL IT ENDS!!
stop the denial!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 11:51 — AngelaWMYR wastes funds that could be used to otherwise EDUCATE children and KEEP staff
CM sends kids to Magnet
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 11:21 — NWRaleighMomCM sends kids to Magnet schools of their choice. It is a huge difference.
I met a family over the weekend who recently moved from Charlotte. Their child attends one of the school in Western Wake. Mom was complaining how inferior this school is compare to what they left in CM. The school they attend considered to be one of the best schools in Cary/Morrisville area.
"Then again, more than a few
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 08:38 — user1234"Then again, more than a few would-be critics of the school board over the years have changed their views after being elected. "
It always looks so easy sitting on the sidelines. Once they realize the job is bigger than getting their Johnny into some nearby school, they understand how big the job is. I am guessing that issues like neighborhood schools will be secondary to just trying to survive financially next year. I am guessing having your kid go to a school 6 miles away versus 2 miles may be the least of people's concerns with 35 kids in a classroom and fewer teachers.
Guess all you like,
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 09:25 — g88ky07but you couldn't be more wrong!
Getting Johnny
into "some nearby school" is EXACTLY how we survive financially! We start
by removing wasted bus trips, fuel&transportation costs, while at the same time we
do away with the FARCE known as MYR. The savings from dumping MYR would keep a large % of those about to be unemployed in the class room!
Correcting those 2 things will
allow this out of control school system to turn the corner on the ignorance it
has created and head back in the right direction.
A "Bigger" job than is understood you say???
How much intelligence does it take to see that
there is ZERO financial OR common sense in the decision to operate unnecessary,
unwanted and unneeded MYR schools??? Or, to reassign 25,000+ kids every 3 years?
I am sure many people think
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 10:16 — user1234I am sure many people think it is as that simple. Transportation costs are very small part of the budget. Most of the expense is in people, mostly teacher salaries. We may discover that we need to jam 35 kids in a classroom, run two shifts using MYR in a few central schools, close the others down temporarily with all but F&R providing their own transportaion to survive next year.
Pure subterfuge, nothing
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 11:23 — CaryCurmudgeonPure subterfuge, nothing more. I'm sure many status-quo supporters will try to shift the debate to a financial doomsday scenario because they have no facts to support any of the so-called "benefits" of today's policies.
"Once they realize the job
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 09:00 — CaryCurmudgeon"Once they realize the job is bigger than getting their Johnny into some nearby school"
You are saying that school board candidates will run in order to get their own kids into the right school. Really? A person is going to take a full-time job for minimum wage just for that?
"I am guessing having your kid go to a school 6 miles away versus 2 miles may be the least of people's concerns"
Well, we all have the right to make guesses. But you might want to consider the fact that school funding is determined by the County Commisioners and the NC State Government. I happen to disagree with your guest. I think voters will be even more enraged with the status quo when they see overflowing classrooms in some places, and empty ones in others. And they will wonder why 'Johnny' has to ride a half hour on a bus to go to a class with 35 kids in it when there's one just like that down the road.
Ron Margiotta is living proof that just because you're on the school board, you don't have to drink the Kool-Aid. The difference here is that parents will be driving the school board race, not political parties, and the vetting will be much thorough. And the four new board members + Ron will represent a majority, so there will be less pressure from what will then be the minority side to Drink the Kool-Aid.
I like our chances.... a lot.
Oh, I think the interest
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 06:08 — lilybugOh, I think the interest will be very alive in October! People will have just had a taste of their new schedules, new schools, tracks, and all that stuff to be completely annoyed.