Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[Ross]

Daisy and Mom both tried to converse with Ross and he gets more radical and snide.

I had to give this statement a little thought,
And thought it might be fun and humorous of sorts, to accomadate your comment.

So, here we go! I hope, I get a passing grade. LOL

Now Proelkco this is definitely radical and snide from many directions, especially provided for you.

How about our economic development employee write a grant request for our school district to DHS? Couldn't you use free money to build a Taj Mahal type educational facility for 300 children as a national security situation under the premise that the education in such a facility as essential to national security. Providing improved intelligence for military service. Wouldn't that provide a better use for the funds then a bunch of cotton candy machines.

This way it would cost each taxpayer in Elk County far, far less in taxes. And you would be helping grow the national deficit instead of the local deficit, much more patriotic don't you think?

"DHS Grants Not Making Anyone Safer"   

Department of Homeland Security's Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) which provides government grants for the militarization of local police forces and other localized homeland security initiatives.
•   Michigan officials used DHS grant funding to purchase 13 sno-cone machines.
•   Officials in Cook County, Ill., spent $45 million in DHS funds on a failed video surveillance network.
•   City officials in Columbus, Ohio, were given $98,000 to purchase an underwater robot.
•   The tiny New Hampshire town of Keene (pop. 23,000) bought an armored military vehicle for its 40 cops to use during patrols of the local pumpkin festival.
Given our nearly $16 trillion national debt, it's just money, our great-great-great grand kids will still be paying back!  http://personalliberty.com/2012/12/06/dhs-grants-not-making-anyone-safer/

http://www.washingtonguardian.com/sites/default/files/dhs_grants_report_11_29_12_embargoed.pdf


Is this radical and snide enough for you Proelkco?
Does it exceed the Konnected School Board (facilitator) President's radical actions with local taxpayers money?
That is hiring an expensive highly paid facilitator to do the job that he ran for office for and got elected to do !

Leadership --- Humpf!

I hope, I have met or exceed what you call for radical and snide, I tried my best just for you!
And it wasn't easy, I did, I tried my best to appease you!  

I hope you appreciate my efforts.

Can I get a grade: A, B, C. D, E, F   ??   E for excellent! LOL

Humorous? No!  

[redcliffsw]

Red, if only times were that simple again.  But the government has its nose so far into education that there are so many hoops that schools must jump through to receive funding to stay open.  I truly don't believe that the government is concerned with true education for our children.  The things that they feel are important for our children to learn are not necessarily what is best. 

Daisy, you're right.  So why send kids to government schools?  Government schools are not going to get any better no matter
how much more money and funding they receive.  Communism never improves and the schools will not improve either.

[readyaimduck]

So why send kids to government schools?

The alternative is Private school, and how will that work for the Elk County Farmer?  (No snide remarks from me, as most of our small towns are minimally just above poverty level with more hours of hard work then the 9-5)  Those that can afford it, will have to spend 2 hours/day driving to that school.
The other alternative is Home Schooling.   Read above in parenthesis to know that one parent cannot afford to not work in order to stay home and teach.

The only alternative is a squeeze play option  initiated by the government with good intentions of theory, however destructive in practice. and this is my opinion only:  I can't live with you , and I can't afford to live without you.....
  Have the administrative body of the school work from home, or better yet in the old Severy school that was disembowled to go to West Elk.   

ready

[Ross]

Red, if only times were that simple again.  But the government has its nose so far into education that there are so many hoops that schools must jump through to receive funding to stay open.  I truly don't believe that the government is concerned with true education for our children.  The things that they feel are important for our children to learn are not necessarily what is best.  

You know what Daisy, I think things on the local level, with the local governing school board gets even more complicated when they hire a facilitator which in my opinion is nothing more then a manipulator from Pittsburg. No, I am not intending to be rude or ugly towards you Daisy, it's just that you made me think a little more, thank you.

Just step back in time a few posts

I attended the Special School Board meeting last evening and I thought I'd share it with you.

DID   Dr. James C. Christman Professor/Professional Facilitator, or in my opinion manipulator do or say anything remotely complex or outstanding? No, he did not! I saw or heard nothing more then asking simple questions, very simple questions and that don't take a college degree to come up with. Oh, I saw him scribbling on huge sheets of paper on an easel and parading around the room and taping the paper on the wall. No big thing except for visual effects to make you believe he is actually working at something, IMO. Used car salesmen type stuff. And for how many thousands of dollars?

Remember as an after thought a sixth item was added to the planning list of five Recruit and Retain Quality Teachers. Why is building a new building first and Quality Teachers last?

Now follow that up with a Community Focus Group, ask why, is that for further control and manipulation?
Is that Control to build a school that the voters said no to?

What other reason is there to complicate things so much on the local level?

Who is behind bringing Dr. James C. Christman Professor/Professional Facilitator from Pittsburg into Elk County and the School Districts Business. Who brought him in to do what elected officials are suppose to be qualified to do? Aren't the school board members suppose to be working for the School District Taxpayers?

It appears to me they are working for Dr. James C. Christman Professor/Professional Facilitator, they will answer his simple questions and play his simple game of manipulation.

Why won't they answer a couple of questions for me or you?
Like, what individual is responsible for bring this man into the school district?
How much is the school district school paying him?
Is it to embarrassing for the person to take credit for this action/
The district superintendent told me the man had worked for the school district once before, but yet couldn't or wouldn't tell me how much he was paid, why?
It is public information.

If the school board wants input from the public, why do they choose to block the public at their meetings? If you have a problem at the school with your child and wish to address the board you have to ask to be placed on the agenda a week in advance. If the problem arises the day before the meeting, that means waiting until the next meeting. Effectively blocking the public.  

But now, they say they want public input, but only through a manipulator and through peer group pressure? Good job complicating things on the local level in my opinion?

What is really going on?
Is it just about pushing for a new wing and a new gymnasium, out of the taxpayer that is already being over taxed?

You property owners including myself will pay thousands of tax dollars to a Professor/Professional Facilitator/Controller/ Manipulator to ask simple questions and our board members will answer to him a real outsider from Pittsburg, what is with that? The board members won't answer to your or my simple questions, go figure.

How many thousands is this man going to cost us before this B.S. is stopped?
Will it be $25,000
            $35,000
            $45,000
   or      $50,000  ?    You didn't think he was doing this junk for free did you?

I wonder how much he cost the School District the first time he was here, and what did he accomplish that time?

[Ross]

Jeez, I went up to the school district office to day asking for information on a formal Open Records Request under Kansas Statutes. I brought with me a signed hand written request and the school accepted but required I sign their own form, which I understand is not a requirement by law. That was simply asking to look at information. But when it comes to documentation concerning thousands of dollars, there is no documentation, none except for an itinerary. Go figure~what the heck is going on?

I asked to inspect any invoices, receipts, agreements, memorandums or contracts involving the school district, district employees/officials and Dr. James C. Christman. Including any e-mails as well.

I was told there is no contract, invoices, receipts, agreements, memorandums or contracts and I was given only one e-mail, which showed his itinerary for today. I'll list that in a few moments.

I was told every thing is being done verbally, I find that rather suspicious, because I don't believe that is how the school district is suppose to work when contracting anyone or any business, it leaves the door open for all kinds of activities, and is just not proper in my opinion. But then I'm not an expert on that, and I ain't no college educated person. So I'll leave that up to you to decide for yourself.

I was verbally informed that the professor was only being paid $2,000 plus expenses for his work?

Only $2000 for doing the work of the people that we voted into office to do. Why?

Well, I was informed because the school board members can not work together, I guess that is a good enough excuse to hire Dr. James C. Christman Professor/Professional Facilitator from Pittsburg to do it for them.

His itinerary tomorrow:
1 p.m.   Meet with the administrative team (Bert, Juli, Paula, Chris, Kevin, Dana, and Mary M.
2 p.m.      Meet with Students
2:50 p.m.   Meet with Classified Staff
3:45 p.m.   Meet with Licensed Staff
6:30 p.m.    Meet with Parents/Patrons/Public

But that brings me to the study that the school board paid Emporia State University to run a year ago. The one with the meetings and the on line survey. The survey that appeared that an attempt was made to keep quiet. We were told at their meeting that those college folks would return for a meeting to discuss the results. They never came back, I wondered, why we never heard from them again. Didn't you?

Well, I was informed today that the results were showing that everything was just right at West Elk. They didn't say it, but it was shown they were not happy with the results of that study. So we never saw it. Apparently those educated people at Emporia State University ain't smart or savy enough for West Elk USD, so, what does that tell us?

If it at first we don't get what we want, try, try again, right! Or lets use someone else to give us what we want, is that it? Does this college man know something that group of learned people from Emporia State University don't know? Perhaps, he know something all those other college educated people don't, so let's give him a hear and see what happens, what do you say?

Perhaps he knows how to manipulate things better, is that it?
Can he manipulate getting a build extension or perhaps a new school buiding out of us, that we can not afford?

What is the excuse for a new wing or building?
Get the kids out of the portable buildings because of tornados, is what I am told? Really! I suppose that the other building would be safe if hit by a tornado, give me a break!

I was informed that children were kept in the portable buildings in Moline for fifteen years and I wonder just what is the difference between now and then? Is it because they were not located just outside of Howard?
Didn't Howard want to build a community Tornado shelter within the proposed $5.5 million school building not long ago.

Yes, professor I do believe that is the whole idea for this exercise, why you may ask? Well, I did not hear a single thing about increasing the education level of the school to a Kansas Blue Ribbon School. There are 51 blue ribbon schools in Kansas. These schools have been recognized by the Department of Education for achieving superior standards of academic excellence. Why isn't that a goal of the school board? Wouldn't that mean a better education for all of the children?
Why isn't that at the top of the list of goals?

If you were not one of the special citizens that recieved a special letter in the mail inviting you to the upcoming event.
Let me share my invitation with you, no I did not recieved a special letter in the mail, I'm not good enough, I'm just a taxpayer, just like you.

The invite is here on the forum at http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,14684.0.html hope to see you there.

[Ross]

I forgot to mention I was also informed that the adult school board members can not work together and accomplish anything.
And I wonder what that means. Who determines that? There are seven votes which means if a majority of four votes are for something, something got accomplished and if there four votes against something, something got accomplished, IMO.

So what does that statement mean nothing gets accomplished?

Does that mean that one of two members are unhappy enough with the process that they have to have a facilitator?

Really, I don't understand what they are thinking?

Can some one explain?

[readyaimduck]

http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.pe

I copied and pasted your link....it doesn't lead anywhere.
check again.
ready

[Ross]

http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.pe

I copied and pasted your link....it doesn't lead anywhere.
check again.
ready

Thanks ready I corrected it.
Should have been http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,14684.0.html

[readyaimduck]

thank you

[redcliffsw]

The school board members "not working together" is probably a good thing except
for the $2,000 "investment" in the expert facilitator.
 
It would be interesting to know who granted the approval for the "investment"?
I doubt it was the bus driver or the basketball coach. 

You can hope they'll cut the investment loss at $2,000 plus expenses by continuing
to "not working together".