BOARD UPDATE 12-4-01 The following Update was written by a Volunteer The newly elected board members Mr. Randy Geisler, Mr. Thomas Reiber, Mr. John Youngman, Mr. Brad Smith, and Rev. Michael Bruno were sworn in to start the meeting. Dr. Robert Watson was unanimously elected as President of the board for one year and Mr. Youngman won the election for vice president over Mr. Geisler, by a 5-4 vote. The setting of regular meetings was approved with one business meeting a month and the other meeting to be a committee/board meeting. The schedule will be advertised in the newspaper soon. Rev. Bruno was unanimously appointed as the Slippery Rock Area School District Representative to Legislative Chairperson to PSBA and Mr. Thompson was unanimously appointed as the Slippery Rock Area School District Representative to the Vo-Tech Board. The committee assignments will be done at the December 17th board meeting. Dr. Watson asked the board members let him know their preferences by next meeting December 10th. Each member of the board will be assigned to two of the committees, which are Education, Athletics, Operations, and Personnel. In other business the Athletic Director spoke about the 7th Grade Boys Basketball program. This year there were 34 students signed up to begin basketball. Due to the large numbers it had been decided t have tryours and the boys who did not make the team were given the option of an intramural program. Sixteen boys were selected for the team and the remaining boys were offered an intramural program., Only two of the boys choose the intramural program and they were grouped in with the 5th and 6th grade league that already exists. After a lengthy discussion on other options a vote was taken on the option of forming two teams. This was defeated by a 2-7 vote, where Mr. Smith and Mr. Thompson voted for this options and the others voted no. The board adjourned and then went into an executive session on negotiations. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- |
| Board Update 12-11-01 written by A Volunteer After roll call and the pledge to the flag Dr. Watson asked Mr. Geisler to lead the board in a prayer. Then Robert McCollum, a retired educator, spoke about the gifted program. He told the board that just as they pamper athletics the district also should pamper intellectuals. Not approving field trips for the gifted program because the other students could also benefit from these trips is unfair to these students. It is a good reason to look at the whole curriculum. Then Mary Messer, Director of Slippery Rock Parks and Recreation, talked about the budget that the board will vote on at next weeks meeting. The one item voted on was for Vonnie Gilliland's request for the Latin Club Students and two chaperones to attend a German Folk Festival at Bethel Park, PA, on December 17, 2001. This passed by a 7-0 vote with Mr. Thompson and Mr. Rieber being absent. Other items discussed included participation in a program to award High School diplomas to World War II veterans, the facilities use agreement with Slippery Rock University for graduation and rehearsal, and the plan con H for the Middle School additions and renovations. Dr. Beaton reported on the 2001 School Performance Funding Improvement Awards from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Middle School received $15,600 for improvement on the Grade 8 PSSA, which was about half of what the County of Butler schools received in this area, and the High School received $29,260 for attendance. The next meeting is Monday December 17 in the High School cafeteria at 7:30 P.M. Dr. Watson invited teachers, parents, community, and board members to a social at 7 P.M. just prior to the meeting in the cafeteria. |
| BOARD UPDATE 4-17-02 The following is a question posted to the message board "I know that taxes went up about 4 mills last year and now 14 mills for this year? How much has the school's revenue gone up? There are lots of new houses being built in Muddy Creek and Franklin Township. Isn't the district taking in more money now? Even if the state doesn't give as much money, it seems like there are more taxpayers in the area. What's happening to that income?" This was my reply: |
| Good question. Between the school year 1998 and the 2002 school year, local tax revenues have gone up 15% ($1,353,046). The interesting thing is, is that instructional expenditures (money spent teaching our children) have only gone up 8.5% ($983,568) during the same time period. Even more interesting is that non-instructional expenditures (administrator costs!) have soared during this time period 23% ($65,635) So, let's see. In the last 4 years: Local tax revenues have have gone up 15% Spending on the children has gone up only 8.5% Administrator costs have gone way up by 23% You asked where the extra tax money went. From the looks of it, I would say that it went to give raises to Beaton, Nogay and Lynn Francisco! But the really "scary" thing is, is that our reserve fund (savings account) has shrunk from $1,540,264 to $1,092,558. THIS IS A 30% REDUCTION IN OUR RESERVES IN JUST 4 YEARS!!!! This amount is just 5% the $20.5 million operating budget. It is recommended to have between 5% and 10%! Hey, you asked. Why am I having to tell you this? Because, despite the fact that our district administrators monitor this message board on a daily basis, the district won't tell you. Judging by the quote in the BE- Bob Watson claiming to be "shocked" with the news of a 14 mill increase, maybe they aren't telling you because THEY don't even know! Sad. And to top it off, how did Lee Beation react when the board told her to cut this new budget to a more reasonable amount by next week? She announced she would be taking vacation for a week starting April 23. Go Figure. Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps someone in the district office will correct me if I'm. |
| Memorial Foundation- Slippery Rock School District- BOARD UPDATE 5-14-02 Robert Pratt The headline reads “SR board takes step toward foundation: Funds to honor former students”. According to the Butler Eagle, “The Slippery Rock School District Monday night moved forward to establish a charitable foundation that would encompass scholarships honoring two students killed in car accidents this year. The board voted unanimously to have solicitor Tom King prepare a draft charter of the foundation. King has offered his services for free.” Sound familiar? It should. Flashback to November 1998. Reggie Bonfield was the superintendent. Dennis Spinella was the Curriculum Coordinator. David Duryea was Board president and Jim Roberts was the Board’s token liberal. Brian C. Rittmeyer was the reporter for the Butler Eagle, and the quote is from an article published on November 20, 1998. But it seems that those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Fast forward 3 ½ years to May 14, 2002. Kris Miller, reporter for the Butler Eagle writes, “Also Monday, board members voted to create the Slippery Rock Area School District Foundation, Inc. The nonprofit organization will handle all scholarship funds and special donations to the district. While the need for the foundation was prompted by an unusual amount of tragedies and gifts donated this year, the foundation will exist for all students, board members said.” Now don’t get me wrong. I am 100% in favor of a foundation and I have been since the idea was introduced way back in 1998. What I’m not in favor of is what seems to be hypocrisy on the part of some Board members who seem to use private tragedies to further their public images. (I can hear district officials now - “Mr. Pratt, you’ve gone too far. You’re taking a generous deed and spinning into a sinister political prank. The Board has done a good thing and you owe them an apology. The least you can do is take it down from your website.”) Yes, I can imagine what the Board and the administration is saying publicly - what their consciences tell them is another thing entirely. How did this come to be, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. In 1998, the Slippery Rock School District had lost two students in traffic accidents. On November 20,1998, the Butler Eagle reported that the school board discussed the formation of a foundation that would allow donations to be tax deductible charitable contributions and would, according to Superintendent Bonfield, “channel a number of scholarships through one vehicle.“ The foundation, according to the Allied News (12-2-98),would be an excellent way to memorialize a student and “could accept contributions made in a student’s memory and establish scholarships or loans for Slippery Rock alumni furthering their education.” Discussions continued, and on March 1, 1999 the Board passed a formal motion, directing solicitor Tom King to create the legal paperwork for the Foundation. On April 26, 1999, Mr. King completed the paperwork (free of charge), and Mr. King said that all the Board needed to do to put the Foundation in place was to appoint a group of people to be on the Board of Directors for the Foundation. This task was given to board member Brad Smith. When the Slippery Rock School District Unofficial HomepageTeacher of the Year Awards were given in the 1999, I donated $100 to the Foundation in honor of the recipients. In August 1999, business manager Paul Cessar wrote me a letter stating that the membership of the Foundation had not been established, but the District would accept donations and hold them in a general ledger account until an “appropriate time” when they would be transferred to the Foundation’s account. In the intervening years, a financial audit was done of the District. It uncovered the fact that the District had some ledger accounts that did not fit into the general accounting categories. Turns out people had donated money this Foundation (back in the 90’s) that never came into existence. A Foundation that, according to one community member, was a step in helping the community heal. Way back in April 1999, the Foundation was legally viable except for the appointment of a Board of Directors. Why was no Board of Directors ever appointed? And why were the donations allowed to just sit in inactive accounts for years? The Board may be winning some publicity points right now by creating a scholarship Foundation. It’s about time there was a Foundation to memorialize all students whose lives were tragically lost. But why has it taken the Board so many years to do so Why has it taken 3 long years for the Butler Eagle to write, “Community members who would like to serve on the foundation’s board should contact one of the board members for more information.”? Did Mr. Smith just forget to form the foundations Board of Directors? Or was it something else that prevented Mr. Smith from finalizing this memorial foundation? Anyone who wishes to be on the Foundation’s board should probably follow up that request in writing. Contact Board members for more information? Some Board members like Brad Smith and Bob Watson were on the school board way back in 1998 - but the Foundation never came into existence. Someone dropped the ball. Why? I can’t answer that. Someone on the Board probably can - but I’ll bet you they won’t. Just my opinion. Of course, I could be wrong. |