WEST ELK VOTERS SAY A FIRM "NO" ON TUESDAY

[greatguns]

I do not live in the school district or the county, but I do have family there and I am interested in good schools.  I don't believe I have had any rants.  If so, I'm sorry.

[Wilma]

greatguns, I have never heard you rant.  I have, however, heard you present some good common sense.  We could use some more of that.

[srkruzich]

Sarah -

I don't know all your answers, but I do know that adding on to the current building has been discussed and dismissed. It would be too expensive to retrofit the current building for safety codes, etc. with an add-on. We're allowed to leave it as is, but regulations have changed so much since it was built and an add-on would require us to meet all those regs.

That's not quite what I meant.  I meant perhaps building a new smaller building that could be added on to rather than a very expensive large building.  Maybe that would help?  I don't know everyone's reasons for voting no and even with the costs down I'm not sure it would go through, but it was just an idea of maybe starting with something smaller.

I think that anyone coming into any community these days talking about raising taxes is going to get a Hell no on that.  With recent taxes doubling along with this administration doing their best to screw with healthcare taxing everyone more, along with this administration trying to slap a energy tax on our electric and fuel that will double our costs, as well as the constant increase in food costs, folks are not going tot olerate any more taxes.

[Varmit]

  We will now move on with Plan B.  It should be an adventure moving from one trailer to another for computer classes, library, to eat in a cafeteria, and to use the high school gym occupied by Jr. High & high School kids.  I also understand that some of the students may be placed in the high school.

Actually, that is not as bad as it sounds.  I have had to do this many times in several schools that I attended (Dad was in the navy, we moved around alot).  In fact, it is actually a good thing.  Kids get bored easily, a change in enviroment helps keep them alert and stimulated.  Also, the few moments spent moving from one trailer to another helps to get their blood flowing again which helps keep them awake. 

[wasadeay]

I do not live in the school district or the county, but I do have family there and I am interested in good schools.  I don't believe I have had any rants.  If so, I'm sorry.

No apology necessary as far as I can tell greatguns 

[Mom70x7]

That's not quite what I meant.  I meant perhaps building a new smaller building that could be added on to rather than a very expensive large building.  Maybe that would help?  I don't know everyone's reasons for voting no and even with the costs down I'm not sure it would go through, but it was just an idea of maybe starting with something smaller.

So call Corey Reese, the superintendent, or one of the board members. Marty Taliaferro is board president. Both are very willing to listen. Let them know what you think.

USD 282 Board meetings typically do not have a "public comment" time during the meeting. If you call the week before (this week) you can usually get on the agenda. That's if you want to speak to the entire board. All the members are very receptive to one-on-one conversation pretty much any time. I know. I've talked with them. Give them some ideas on what you think will work.

[PrehistoricRez]

No Sir, you give me a break! David.  Just where do you think the money is going to come from to pay for that new school?  Because it sure as hell isn't just going to appear out of nowhere.  Taxes will go up.  Working men and women would, you know, the ones who pay taxes, would have to pay for it.  But I guess the bond is a moot point, seeing as how it didn't pass.

Probably can't fix it with tacos, but to those that the rise in taxes were no big deal, then why don't they take that money that they would have been paying had it passed and pay that money directly to the school district? 

good idea.

Why are you even on this board pissing and moaning varmit, didnt you say you live in grenola and your kids go out of district, probably to central, then you are paying their school taxes, why arent you complaining about the new school they built several years back?

[PrehistoricRez]

Well, then have them sign a waiver or something.  I don't think that the folks in Elk county (and again I could be way off here) are that "sue happy" that if they were volunteering to something like this, and got hurt, that they would sue the school or whatever.

yeah sure, are you that far off in lala grenolaland to think that, you voted for obama didnt you?

[PrehistoricRez]

I am totally floored. I had hoped for a decisive victory for my kids, instead ignorance reared its ugly head. I would say 375-622 is directly proportional to the number of voters with school aged children. How quickly education drops off your radar when your kids are grown. Well now what? The school board decision will no doubt cause a loss in teachers,  school dependant jobs, and the loss of capabilities/programs. Either Severy or Moline will lose a school (and niether will do very well without its school) and the county will lose out on education and educated citizens yeah!!! Thats just what W.E. needs. More of the same. I hear all kinds of quality comments from folks like cut athletics and extra-curriculars, thats nice just what a young family wants to hear from the town(s) you live in. I want my kids to have the best not a half a$$&D pseudo-education that requires a stint at a community college to even meet most university admission standards thats rich! So now I have to weigh my kids future against my want to stay in Elk County gee thanks. Dont see many young folks getting an education and coming back to Elk County in fact I dont see many young folks at all our average age is 46 and 52% are over 45! They say these last couple of generations are lazy, lack ambition, lack common sense, and so on.... well look what the older generations just said with their voting. Well have fun a Penny's Pub, get some beer and cigs at P&J's and drink up you say we the 375 ought to pay for our kids educations, school repairs and all, well you 622  ought to be proud and state what you voted out loud so we can all appreciate your ignorance. I saw a quote on Terresa's post some time back that said something like "people thought Americans were stupid so Americans went to the poles and removed all doubt!" Well there ya go history repeats itself! I think the gene pool needs a new filter!!  
Some cliches/quotes come to mind that discribe this vote to a T;
"you cant polish a turd;"
"that little white spot on chicken crap is still crap;"
"Some drink from the fountain of knowledge - others just gargle"

If you think education is expensive - try ignorance.- Derek Bok-;

you think that it is the number of familys with kids as to not with kids, it seems more like Howard vs Severy/Longton/ElkFalls,

[PrehistoricRez]

Well, then have them sign a waiver or something.  I don't think that the folks in Elk county (and again I could be way off here) are that "sue happy" that if they were volunteering to something like this, and got hurt, that they would sue the school or whatever.

And then have the final product reviewed/certified by a bonded contractor prior to occupancy.

If they were willing.

Either way the repairs to the building do not address the over staffing for the size of the district that is necessary to run three campuses when only one is necessary.  You can repair (and waste money on those repairs) three buildings with cheap or volunteer labor all you want but that will not alleviate the situation whatsoever.  What people need to realize to a degree is that we are currently at MAX LOB, which means next year if the population of students declines and thus the budget received by the state declines so must the LOB since the maximum LOB is a percentage of the total funding, thus people will have to be eliminated to meet that reduced budget and that is where the problem will grow large and will result in eliminated programs and a quick reduction in the quality of education provided by USD 282.

At this point, perhaps the school district should just be dissolved and have the students go to the closest open enrollment schools and watch as the remaining families in Elk county disappear.

THey were going to eliminate at least 50% of the jobs anyway by consolidation.  Come on, you don't pay 2 kindergarten  teachers for one class.

I think your quote should be you dont pay for 2 high schools in a county that only needs 1, because there are some kids that are dumber and need an easier school, so they can only go when they want and still graduate, thats not an education

for those of you that dont know im talking about longton