East Aurora is top of the bottom ten in attendance rates.
According to the local paper*, per state reports “Out of 153 schools, only nine fell below or failed to match the state attendance average of 93.7 percent -- “ one of those being EAHS. The local paper used attendance rates for 445 schools for 4 years for comparison. East High was in the bottom three of the 445 schools. What has changed in 60 years?
My Grandparents were immigrants. They received no welfare or subsidized housing. Their children received no free or reduced lunch or breakfast at school. They had 10 children who walked to school from Pigeon Hill (Pierce Street) because they could not afford to take the bus which cost a nickel. They rarely missed school. One son had perfect attendance K-12, having never missed a day! He was never acknowledged for that accomplishment.
What's the difference between then & now? What responsibility does the school have in fixing this problem?
*http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/2020815,2_1_AU31_ATTENDANCE_S1-100131.article
215 comments:
1 – 200 of 215 Newer› Newest»I pasted these here from the previous post, as they pertained to the new post.
Anonymous said...
I read the Beacon today. I saw an article about the illegal group Bous II Men who honored one former East Aurora Student. He was being honored essentially for doing his job which in this case was being a DJ on a small radio station that no one here listens to. It's a small radio station on the edge of the AM band, 1300 AM.
I did read the other article that stated the East Aurora High School has the worst attendance rate of the 445 schools in Kane County. Many hundreds of our students every day don't even come to school.
It's really very simple, if there was something being offered in the district that the students felt was of value to their lives, they would attend. Nowadays, the only thing administrators value is ISAT scores. Students won't go to school to pass an ISAT test. They go if there are courses that will lead to a real future. They will come for an excellent music program, sports program or Voc. Ed. program.
This should be a real wake up call to those in charge. If you were offering programs that the kids valued, they would do everything possible to be there everyday.
January 31, 2010 7:58 AM
Anonymous said...
Did you really read the article? Because you are really ignorant if that is what you think.
Who else had below state average attendance rate???? NEUQUA, WAUBONSIE. I don't know but I believe that both of these schools have.
"an excellent music program, sports program or Voc. Ed. program."
So why don't you explain that. Yes East had the lowest, but there were 8 other schools that fell below average.
January 31, 2010 8:04 AM
What has changed is the community. In this community is ok to be late, it is ok to not show up, and it is ok not not do your homework. Getting a "D" is still good because you are passing.
The school is doing everything it can, even rewarding kids for basically, "SHOWING UP TO SCHOOL." Man, I wish i got a reward for doing what I was supposed to do. Every time I don't punch a stupid person, I wish I got $10.
I don't think that education is stressed as much in the district as it was before. When I was growing up in the district our parents made sure we went to school and I did walk sometimes to East and walk home from Simmons having a ride was not a reason to miss school.
Marin talks about busing and I remember when the District had that on the ballot a while ago and they never pushed that as much as the referendum, magnet program or any other program they wanted.
Busing is turning into the ruin of many school Districts Batavia, West and D204 are all out of money the State is only paying bills related to education and not busing. Sure we have the lowest attendance rates but so does all of the other Urban Schools District. It is time to stop blaming the schools and time to blame parents.
Let's blame the kids too. They are in high school - time to grow up.
To 8:04 AM
That is because all schools are included in the state average, elementary, middle and high schools.
High schools always have lower attendance rates than elementary and middle schools. So, when you average all schools into the equation, every high school in the state is below the average for all schools in the state.
The fact still remains that East Aurora has the worst attendance rate of all the schools.
WRONG
Naperville Central High School: 95.7
Naperville North High School: 95.5
Plainfield East: 94.8
Oswego East: 94.2
Oswego HS: 94
The state average is 93.7
Hmmmmm, LOOKS LIKE YOU JUST PULLED THAT OUT OF YOUR ASS and did NO RESEARCH. Pretty typical of this blog.
I can't believe Marin came out and said, we know that the reason attendance rates are so poor because we don't have busing.
The board and central office administration make the decision of whether or not to bus. In short she is saying, we know that we are losing thousands of kids over the years because we made the decision not to provide busing.
The central office and board have made a decision that these childrens education is not important. She has admitted that the administration and board have made decisions that are costing these kids their education and future.
We have the money for more administrators per teacher than any other school district and the money to pay them one of the highest salaries in the county including the raise and contract extension we just gave Roberts but we don't have the money for our kids education.
Maybe we should try this to start. Just the high school students who live more than two miles from the high school will receive busing. I eliminated elementary and middle schools because most all of them already live within 2 miles of their school. It would be a minimum of cost compared to busing the entire district. Let's try it for a year and see if attendance rates increase.
To: 10:46
Read the Beacon article. It states in there that high school attendance rates are lower than elementary and middle schools. I am also sure that if you pulled up the data on each of the districts you mentioned, you would find that their elementary and middle schools have higher rates than those you quoted.
I completely agree that valuing education starts at the home level. If the parents don't teach their kids the importance of attending school, there is very little the school itself can do to change that view, especially by the time the students get to high school. It's sad, but true - the main reason this district is such a mess (on every level, not just attendance) is because the majority of the parents are not involved in their childrens' education. That is why we will continually score lower on EVERYTHING than the neighboring districts. So parents, if you truly care about your child's education, the sad fact is that the best thing you can do is move out of East Aurora!
Right, but you said
"every high school in the state is below the average for all schools in the state."
That statement is TOTALLY WRONG. AND I PROVED YOU WRONG. I said nothing about high school attendance being lower than middle and elementary.
So don't change what I said. Your statement was false and ignorant.
Would you put busing ahead of teachers because is what all the school districts are doing that have busing. They are laying off teachers.
This District can not afford both. The real issue is the makeup of the East Side student population does not value education. Most are very poor and when high school comes they value a job and a meal before educaion.
To 10:58
You're still missing the only real point. East Aurora is by far the worst. Being 10-15% lower than the other districts means that we are losing 400-600 more students every year than they are. I guess it saves the district even more money that way. They don't have to hire teachers for kids that aren't there. By the way, those numbers don't include the kids that drop out or move to another district so that they can get a real education.
It really a tragedy how many students we are losing in this district.
It not just the high school, these problems begin younger. Just look at Simmons. There hundreds of kids tardy to every class, dozens of kids absent (many are truant) every day. The staff knows this but the administration refuses to address the truancy problems. You have kids that have already missed 60, 70 or more days so far this year and nobody has done anything to them. No discipline, no truancy officer, no courts because none of it is reported to the proper authorities. It doesn't take the kids long to realize that the schools don't care about their education.
These are not problems for individual teachers, this must start at the administrative level. It's just one more example of the incompetence of the administration at Simmons. But as long as Lisa is taking care of Jerome, he seems perfectly content to ignore her husband and his counterparts at Simmons.
The problem at Simmons is that the administrators are only concerned with their personal vendettas against the teachers and their personal excusions out of the building each day.
What the Central Office should wake up and realize is that what's happening at Simmons is affecting the district as a whole. Simmons really has become a hell hole over the last several years and that is when compared to other schools in this district not good ones.
I have lost all faith in the Central Office because they are aware of the problems there and other places in our district and they do nothing about it.
As a teacher at the high school, I see all too well how attendance impacts achievement. But we have been doing things over the past two years to improve our attendance rates and lower our tardy rates. Every 2% increase in our average attendance means about 50+ students are attending every day.
We started at the beginning of last year when our previous year ended a little over 85%. Last year we ended a little over 87%. And this year we are seeing continued improvement.
We are expected to contact parents (by phone or letter) after someone misses our classes 7 times. Thats a lot of absences. However, by the time I contact the parent (and nothing stops me from doing it sooner), they have been contacted by a personal phone call from our attendance office (not a machine) and also our parent liasion. So I'm the third personal contact. And each and every time a student misses class, that evening an automated call will phone home to let parents know.
It's everyone stepping up to let students know attendance is important. And 2% gain a year may seem small, but it translates into steady growth and something we can all do. We have a volunteer attendance committee pushing positive messages to students and parents. They've been working hard for 2 years. But the message is still clear that it's all of us who need to let students know that attendance is important.
One thing the article didn't speak about, but pointed to in one of the pictures, was our tardy program. Once you get to school, you are expected to be on time to every class. Show up late to school? It's a Saturday school the following Saturday. Show up late to a class during the day? it's an In School Intervention. The result? We received the first semester results this week and compared to last year, our tardies are down 80%.
I come on here every now and then and read what people are thinking. It's hard sometimes to always be at the bottom of statistics. However, things are being done to address absences and also test scores. I just wanted to let people know a little more detail than the article covered.
To: 1:11
It all sounds good but the fact remains that on average 13% of East High is absent every day. As you said 1% is equivalent to about 50 students. That means on average 650 students are missing from the high school every day.
If any of the other high schools in the area were missing 650 students in a day, they would probably close the doors until they sorted out what the emergency was and decided on the best way to proceed in the best interest of the students.
Only in this district is this considered acceptable. Only in this district is nothing significant done and they have an excuse ready when the newspaper calls you up and says, what's up with this?.
How can missing 650 students be normal operating procedure. You rattled off several things the high school is doing about attendance but the fact remains that every day 650 students are wandering the streets instead of attending school.
You are not doing nearly enough.
1:52 - the posting before you said
2%:
2856 students
2%
57 students
12.8% absentee rate:
366 students
Still not a great number, but not 650.
Percentages or actual human beings not in school? Stats can be misleading in that way. For example:
Waubonsee Valley High School
3868 Students
10.7% absentee rate:
414 Students absent daily
East Aurora High School
2856 students
12.8% absentee rate:
366 students absent daily
In actual students not coming to school, Waubonsee Valley has more. So stats should be looked at carefully. Not that either number is great.
Amazing, when you look at things objectively and compare apples to apples, things don't look that bad
Way to just make stuff up 1:52.
2856 students?
The three middle schools send approximately 1000 students to the high school each year. Multiply that by four years (even though many of our students take years to graduate) and we should have at least 4000tudents at the high school. Are you saying that ony 350 students are absent because the rest have dropped out?
There are at least 1200 students missing, you account for 350 students. Where are the other 850 students in your figures.
There must be an administrator here playing with the numbers and trying to minimize their incompetence.
So we are actually missing about 1500 students each day. out of 2850 students about 2500 show up but there should be at least 4000.
Where are the other 1500 students. Where do they go every day. How do the administrators justify losing 1500 students each year.
What questions are the board members asking other than how much more money should we be paying Roberts for his incompetence and to live in another district.
This district has been in crisis for years and yet the board is so incompetent, they don't even realize there is a problem. My only advice to anyone with a child in East Aurora is RUN LIKE HELL.
It seems that they have plenty of people contacting parents and it seems that they could trim that down since the teacher said by the time they called the parents already had three calls. How about taking the load off the teachers since someone has contacted the parents already and let them get to grading papers or something else that could be better use of their time.
As far as the busing it isn't up to the administration it is up to the voters and they turned it down but that didn't have the attention the referendum did or when administration wanted the magnet program when they got so many to speak.
There are not 4000 kids enrolled at East, what the hell are you people smoking. There are 2850 kids enrolled. You people are just now realizing that kids DROP out of school. You know how the graduating senior class is only ever about 450 to 550 students?
There is also a article in The Beacon about Kaneland and how they are reducing their budget and there is nothing about busing but it shows that some boards don't rely on the administration to tell them what to do they make the decisions. Sooner or later we will feel the crunch. With all the foreclosure I would think we won't be getting as much as we did last year.
Kaneland planning for school staff reductions
Comments
January 31, 2010
By LINDA GIRARDI For Sun-Times Media
The elimination of two administrative positions and the layoff of 12 employees are proposed as part of a plan to cut $2.6 million from next year's Kaneland School District budget.
Administrators last week presented the School Board with a detailed version of a cost reduction plan as it relates to personnel.
Kaneland timetable
A community forum on possible cutbacks for next school year in the Kaneland School District is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8. A special meeting to process the input and consider alternatives is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 16. The School Board will get the administration's final recommendations on March 8.
"There are instances where we raise class sizes and it does not necessarily have a programmatic affect, but there is a fine line," said Jeff Schuler, assistant superintendent for human resources.
The elementary class sizes next year are projected to be in the range of 23 to 24 pupils, he said.
After hearing the report, School Board members directed the administration to develop alternative cost reduction plans to reduce the direct impact on Kaneland students. Board president Lisa Wiet suggested the administration return with packages that reinstate programs for students.
"I see students taking a large impact and little impact on the administration and teaching staff. We don't see anything mentioned about salary freezes," board member Ken Carter said.
Under the proposal, Schuler's position would be eliminated once he assumes the district superintendent's position next summer.
The proposal is to replace the assistant superintendent for human resources position with a human resources specialist, and a special education coordinator position would be consolidated with an assistant principal position at the middle school.
Also proposed is laying off two certified elementary teachers in the gifted program. Non-certified reductions at the elementary level include three part-time attendance secretaries and the elimination of four full-time Learning Resource Center secretaries.
At the high school, they proposed eliminating 3.6 teaching positions that will be absorbed by physical education and family consumer science, and 11 clubs, athletic and music stipend positions. Schuler said the reduction of 10 coaching positions would not eliminate sports but would limit student participation.
At middle school level, they recommend cutting three certified staffing positions in physical education and exploratory areas and one non-certified LRC assistant position.
Schuler said 23 positions would be dropped in the staffing plan, but the actual number of employees laid off would be less because of retirements.
"With all employee groups combined, I anticipate the release of 12 employees under the proposed cost reduction plan," he said in the report.
One change added to the plan is a proposed adjustment by four fewer work days in the calendar year of paraprofessionals who would not report on school improvement days. Schuler said as a result, three clubs and athletic programs targeted for elimination were restored at the high school level.
"This presentation is not to set the groundwork for a referendum. These cuts, unfortunately, are real for us," he said.
That's my point. There are 1000 students that start as freshmen and only about 500 graduate. We are losing half of our kids by the time they are seniors. There can be no doubt that we are failing our kids.
This is not unexpected. The more we focus on ISAT scores and less on what these kids value, the more kids we are going to keep on losing. This was warned when they started NCLB.
NCLB was patterned after the Texas school model. They saw great increases in the drop out and attendance rates in TEXAS when they started all this testing crap but somehow our politicians pushed it anyway. It does sound good in the news sound bites though. We are going to hold teachers and schools responsible.
Now we are seeing the results when we let politicians dictate school policy instead of educators.
January 31, 2010 1:11 PM -Thank you for your comments. It is truly enlightening & appreciated to hear what actually is being done at the HS.
I feel our upper administrators have become like those politicians. They have brainstorming sessions with staff, yet they dictate what & how they want things done. With no offer of support to accomplish those things. Though, they do not hesitate to decrease their workload with additional staff. While increasing their perks. Teachers are expected to spread themselves thin dealing with truancy, discipline and other issues that have gotten out of control at the schools.
Kaneland sounds like their board & administrators have the students as their #1 priority. Too bad not so for East Aurora.
Kaneland also has a student and parent population that value education. They also are small town America and do not have the same social issue's. When speaking compare East Aurora only to Cicero because they have about the same percentage of Latino's. This type of make-in our schools is very mobile.
That's right, you are only allowed to compare East Aurora with other terrible school districts. Don't compare East Aurora with an excellent school district.It might embarrass us.
What an ignorant comment to make. Let's hear it for the cranially rectally inverted.
5:24 would also like to compare Bill Gates kids education to the education of Haiti population. 5:24 would like to compare the education given to South Africa to that of Japan.
Oh, wait, how about we actually compare things that make sense.
85% Latino 70% Spanish speakers and you want to compare us to high end school districts shows you just want to complain.
I went out and looked at The Kaneland website and they even ask for the input of the community for ways to cut things and they do surveys not so with this district because the board feels that only the Superintendent and administration knows the answers.
The posting about all the people that calls the parents when children miss is crazy some of those people could be put to good use and it really doesn't seem that it does any good.
To: 5:27/5:34
So what exactly are you saying? Hispanics are incapable of an education or that the children of poor adults are incapable of learning.
You're in the wrong state if you want to push that racist crap. When you leave, could you please take Clayton with you. He believes in that separation crap also.
Oh shut up. I think it is racist to think that everybody is the same. GUESS WHAT, it is different being Hispanic.
The only difference is ignorant people like you who treat people differently. Of course, there are cultural differences in people, that doesn't equate to intelligence. You're proof that there stupid people of every race.
4:38 - This is 1:11 again,
Our calling parents after 7 absences as well as our tardy policy now was a move that was meant to maximize my time as a teacher in the classroom.
Previous tardy and attendance plans had me contacting home for these purposes more freqently - after every 4th tardy and 3rd absence, if I recall. What was happening? People became bogged down with that - like you said - and it wasn't successful.
Now, my role in this aspect is to be in the hallway during the passing periods and to make that one phone call at the 7th absence. I have much more time to deal with classroom instruction and lesson planning. I can focus on the things that matter most - teaching.
So we as teachers have a much more managable role in this plan and it's cut our absences little by little and our tardys to class a great deal.
blah, blah, blah. You go fix the attendance problem.
I did walk to school many days and it was a 5 mile walk to and from school (I lived in Chicago in the 80's when they began desegregating the schools). Since this is Illinois , we all know it's perfectly flat.
If the only thing the school offered then was ISAT prep, I wouldn't have walked, I would have dropped out.
There were two reasons I woke up every morning. The school had outstanding Voc. Ed. classes and they had one of the best bands in the city. I participated in both.
These classes saved me as they did with many of the other students I knew at that time. I can't imagine kids wanting to go to a school that didn't offer excellent programs like these.
Maybe the attitude of some of the teachers has something to do with how the students feel about going to school. Last week a fourth grade teacher at Johnson School sent an email out to the whole school saying, "I am concerned that you would pick the Irish holiday of St. Patrick's Day to have a speaker for Black History Month come in to make a presentation to our students. We celebrate African Americans for a month and the only day I get to share my heritage with my students is one day a year. I think you need to consider some other nationalities besides hispanic & black. I am sorry if this sounds bad, but i feel strongly about this issue. Please feel free to talk to me about this issue at any time." It sounds to me and I'm sure to others that she is resenting having to talk about black and Hispanic cultures. If she puts that in print she has probably made comments. How would you feel if you were a black or Hispanic child and you knew your teacher felt this way? I’d stay home too.
Sounds to me like yet another incompetent and insensitive administrator. St. Patricks day is nationally known as a day to celebrate Irish heritage. It was insensitive of the administrator to schedule another cultures celebration on that day.
Perhaps they will celebrate the Irish on Martin Luther King's birthday or on Cinco De Mayo.
It's amazing how incompetent our administrators are. If they can't get something as simple as this figured out, do you really think they can run our schools?
I understand how that teacher feels, but why can't a school (and community) encourage recognition of all ethnic groups? Irish heritage doesn't have to be celebrated only on St. Patrick's Day, any more than Mexican heritage is only celebrated on Cinco de Mayo.
I am a proud German-American, married to someone of Austrian/Bohemian/German descent. Our children have been taught that German culture is not superior to any other--but it is just as good! When our kids went to Dieterich School, they participated in the Hispanic culture celebrations and Black History Month (my son was narrator for the school's Black History program in fifth grade; my daughter's Brownie troop at Dieterich celebrated Kwanzaa). Our family enjoyed learning about the different customs, languages, etc. throughout the world. But our kids also proudly spoke up about their own German heritage, and this was encouraged by their teachers and their principal, Ms. Gwen Miller (for example, I specifically remember the music teacher allowing my daughter to sing a verse of a Christmas carol in German on the school's winter program).
Irish (or German, or British, etc.) heritage can be taught any time. That teacher can read to her students about the potato famine, the way some Irish immigrants were treated (maybe mention similarities to Hispanic immigrants today), bake soda bread, sing Irish ballads. On St. Patrick's Day, why not make shamrock nametags for students with O' or Mc before their last names? (Mrs. Hardy at Dieterich did this!) And so what if there's a Black speaker that day? He or she can join in the fun--hope they remember to wear green!
Well it's gracious of you to admit you have finally come to the realization that you are not better than everyone else. Unfortunately, not all people from Europe are as enlightened as you.
What you are really stating is that the teacher has the responsibility to be more culturally sensitive but the administration does not. If the administration had done their job in a competent manner, none of this would have become an issue.
There is a time and place for everything, unfortunately the administrator at Johnson can't figure that out.
I think someone is pulling someone's leg about the BHM Speaker. I see no mention anywhere on the website about this so if anyone has something official about this let's see it.
The schools are not the ones failing the students, the parents are failing their own children. Latino parents typically do not value education. Their set of values are passed along to their children. Is that racist? No, it is a cultural norm.
Can any administrator or teacher change that? Probably not. I thought the Parent University may have helped, but it seems they spend the majority of their time on how to circumvent immigration laws.
Valuing (or not valuing) education is more about socioeconomic class than ethnicity. First-generation immigrant families are often so focused on basic survival that higher education is not a priority. For example, if a young man or woman can get a factory job right out of high school why should their family sacrifice thousands of dollars on college tuition when they can be earning money instead? Or maybe they can join the military and make money right away.
We should aim our efforts at getting students to come to school and stay in school through high school, not necessarily expecting all students to go to college. The next generation will aspire to higher education, just as my immigrant grandparents encouraged my parents.
Anybody at the meeting?
Did anybody else hear about this. It seems weird to me.
Five bid to join East School board
Comments
AURORA -- Five applicants have put in their bids to join the East Aurora School Board.
The recent departure of board member Rayanne Carlson left the seven-member board with its second vacancy in four months. Last fall, former President Carol Farnum departed. Her seat was filled by retired human resources specialist Mary Anne Turza.
The 13,000-student district wants to fill Carlson's seat by Feb. 1.
Five people got their application in by the Friday deadline.
They are: Manuel Gonzales, 700 block of Lafayette Street; Raymond Hull, 1000 block of Joel Avenue; Timothy Krings, Jr., 1000 block of Homer Avenue; Wenceslao "Bences" Maravilla, 300 block of South Broadway; and Juan Sifuentes, 1000 block of Preston Avenue.
Sifuentes and former board member Hull previously applied for Farnum's seat; Maravilla applied for the seat of Donald "Bud" Herbig, who died in 2007.
What seems weird to you the person that got it or who applied? This district will stay the same as long as the community doesn't stand up to this board. It may take time but unless the people that have children keep coming to the board meetings nothing will change. These people that sit on the board, the Superintendent and the administration are no better than you and if you don't lift your voice nothing will change. Yes when the made the decision to change the band director and those who protested didn't get what they wanted they just stood back and complained and they still are and nothing will change until they keep on coming back and complain.
When the Superintendent and administration and some board members want something passed like the magnet program and alternative school programs passed they have their citizens come out and praise those programs. That is what all parents and citizens need to do is to keep coming to those board meetings and stand up for what you want. It seems the Beacon is writing things about the district maybe they will pick up how the district only cares about the administrations agendas and not the parents.
Change doesn't come overnight and I think change is coming but it won't happen if you sit back and be quite. The board says that the community is happy with how things are going and if you aren't and even if it is only one parent let them know how you feel and maybe more will make a stand.
Spoken like a true couch potato.
From today's Beacon News:
Raymond Hull rejoins East Aurora Board of Education
Comments
February 2, 2010
By PAUL DAILING pdailing@stmedianetwork.com
AURORA -- The new face on the East Aurora School Board is an old one: Raymond Hull, who served on the board from 2000 to 2004.
Hull was appointed to the board during its regular meeting Monday night, replacing former member Rayanne Carlson, who left the board last month. Hull, who is active in the community through Main Baptist Church, beat out a field of five for the spot.
"I am excited," Hull said. "Excited to be back working for the district again. I would like to thank the board for this opportunity."
This is the second time Hull has applied for a vacancy in recent months. Last fall, he applied for the seat left open by former board President Carol Farnum, who moved out of the district. That time, the board opted for newcomer Mary Anne Turza, citing her professional work in human resources as a factor.
Decisions on committee chairs are at the president's discretion.
During the meeting, Carlson offered her congratulations to Hull. Carlson has attended every board meeting as a citizen since she resigned.
After previously declining to comment on her resignation, Carlson on Monday said it was due to growing frustration with the board and many of its decisions. "I guess we could call it irreconcilable differences," she said.
Board member Anita Lewis told an anecdote about one community member's reaction to Hull's appointment.
"Someone came up to me and said, 'So, Anita, I hear Ray Hull's going to be on the board,'" Lewis told the audience at Monday's meeting. "I said, 'Yep.' And he said, 'Well, you finally did something good.'"
Rayanne says she resigned due to growing frustration with the board and many of its decisions. I don't understand that comment because she voted YES right along with all her counterparts on the board. If she did not agree with all these decisions, why did she vote for them. Just look at the board minutes. It's almost impossibe to find a NO vote on anything.
Not ALL things are brought to a vote. Many of its decisions were to do nothing.
So none of the other board members they appointed where good?
Poor Rayanne she sits in the back of the Board room with such hatefulness looking at the other Board members. Trying to help Weaver come up straws to make the other Board members look bad. The other Board members are a united front. All they ever say is the community should speak up. Why doesn't the community. Why because everyone just set them for who they are red hair step children and in the case of Carlson that is who she is. Weaver just reads magazines to fill-buster. If they could only get a life. But they have no friends gee now why would anyone not want to be their friend.
I have known Rayanne for more than twenty years, and I have NEVER seen a hateful expression on her face.
1:28 is not only clueless--they're practically illiterate, judging from their poor command of the English language.
I for one would be, and am, Rayanne's friend. She is a fine, brave person and I admire her greatly.
Well then kill yourself
I have to ask what does all this have to do with running the district? It seems most on the board takes more time to against one another than to really even make a decision of how this district should be ran. You are all dysfunctional and if anyone would take the time to look how other districts worked you would see that all these board members are worried about is how to make the other look bad. What does this have to do with running a school district? It is a shame that East Aurora will always be a laughing stock of the state. Until this board gets down to doing the business of running the district and not trying to be friends and going out to lunch on the districts dime probably and not following the law we will always be a laughing stock of the state.
What was all of that crap in the minutes that Rayanne was going on and on about in the Minutes from January 19?
its happening again!
Simmons is at it again! Scheduling is a mess, even this long into the year; we have students scheduled for intervention classes where teachers are not even hired yet, other students have been ion the wrong class for the past two weeks and dragged into another class due to "scheduling error" by our wonderful inept counselor, the one who is in charge of scheduling! How long will the administration and district office allow this to happen repeatedly to our students, all they do is keep covering up for his mistakes! Help our students! It's not fair and their mistakes that happen over and over again are hurting our students!
Bring up the scheduling system at Simmons during a board Meeting. they have to give you an answer in writing and post it in the Board minutes.
The community shouldn't have to go to a board meeting to tell the board and administration that it is inappropriate to schedule 200-300 kids in one gym period or 450 kids in one lunch period. Classes should be balanced for the benefit and safety of each and every students education.
Unfortunately, at Simmons, the administration is more concerned with their own convenience. The reason classes are so out of balance is because this way all the teachers can meet at the same time during the day. This allows the administration to speak to larger groups at one time. Now they don't have to sit in team meetings all day.
When the core teachers (Reading, Math Science, SS) are meeting, their students are in PE and encore classes. If you have all the the core teachers off at the same time, PE and encore classes are way overloaded. This is not just an educational issue, it's a safety and liability issue. Do you have any idea how quickly the judge is going to throw the book at the district when they find out they have put 200-300 student in one room together with just a few teachers? This is a large lawsuit just waiting to happen.
These administrators are being paid large sums of money to know these things and run our district in a manner that is best for students. It's very simple, put the children first. The problem at Simmons is that the administration only gives a damn about themselves.
Who cares if there are three hundred students scheduled in one gym class. This schedule gives Wilson Morales the time each day to leave with Sandra Monarrez for a couple of hours. Wilson couldn't do that if he was burdened with going to things like team meetings each day.
The administrators are being paid large amounts of money to do the best possible job for the students, not to make their own lives easier. I can't believe that kids are sitting in huge class sizes so the administrators can go to fewer meetings.
What are the central office administrators and school board doing? They have the responsibility to approve schedules for every building. How can they possibly OK a schedule that is not balanced? It is ridiculous that students are in unsafe classes, learning nothing so that the administrators can have an easy schedule for themselves.
Worse yet.
Fully aware of all the scheduling problems going on at Simmons, the administrators at Cowherd are trying to do the same things with their schedule. They want to schedule grade level teams off at the same time and are going to drive up the numbers of students in other areas of the building.
Only on the East Side could this happen. On the West Side, there is a clause in the teachers contract, that if classes are larger than 28 students, the teacher receives a cash stipend for the overload. Needless to say, the schedules on the West Side are balanced. Students and cash trump the administrators convenience over there.
Maybe on one of these learning seminars they take, and I think there going on one soon, they could take a class about how to schedule classes now that would be worth the money. Instead from what I hear most that go only maybe go to one thing and then they are off to shop and eat. As far as the board and if they go it is the same just having fun on the districts dime. Remember most on the board think Roberts knows it all and they just rubber stamp things and some are even to read the board packets and are just there to fill a seat.
To you at Simmons. It's not the counselors responsibility to set the schedule for the building, it's Wilson Morales' job. Even if he is delegating it down to a counselor, it's still Wilson's job to oversee the process and make sure that it works.
Apparently Wilson has been distracted lately, I wonder what could be taking him away from his duties in the building?
It is the central office admiinistrators and boards job to oversee the building administrators. What are they doing while all this crap is going on in the buildings? Who is looking out for the children of this district?
Simmons has 180 students sitting around unassigned to class. Meanwhile Wilson and Sandra are out getting donuts. Complain to the Board all you want they do not care. Truza and Gonzalez will be out shopping in Chicago. Do you think she cares about a schedule system. Word had it Gonzalez departed the District because they needed to upgrade the program she was running. Another words she was fired. Truza computer is not working so she has not read anything for weeks. Lewis is under the spell of Johnson. Wells is only taking up space like she has been for 20 years. Hull was given the job to help Roberts in the Black community a community he never fit into so Johnson working hard to improve his image. You can see he even sounds like her now. When did he ever even speak in meetings. So your best bet call Johnson about Simmons. The problem with that is what would she get out of it politically. Boys II Men is a popular cause learning for the kids is not.
Simmons is a black hole and now it looks like it is beginning to swallow up neighboring schools.
As the Joker (Jack Nocholson) said in the original Batman movie "This town needs an enema". I don't think the town needs one but this district does. It's time to flush the sh** from the system.
Simmons students still scheduled to classes that don't exsist? I couldn't believe it when my 8th grade daughter told me this, what an embarassment for the counselor that schedules, the administration for allowing this to happen again and again and the district for not helping the kids!
Stop overreacting.
Instead of writing this problem about scheduling on this blog, speak before the board. This is what a responsible parent or community member would and should do. If there is a fire or problem and, heaven forbid, a student hurt or even worse happens, the only one to blame is yourself. Stand up and take control of your own lives and that of your children's and quit complaining about the board does or doesn't do. That board is to busy trying to make one member the bad and fall person and not taking care of the board buisness as it should be done. As far as Roberts and the admininistration is concerned, you all already know the answer about this. Now take charge yourself, not only for yourself, but for your children, for you set the example of how a person should live their lives.
I am not speaking on here to let the board and administration know about the problems with scheduling in the district. By now it's very obvious that they either know and don't give a damn about our children or they are so ignorant, it's impossible for them to ever know.
This is to let everyone in the community know. If they give a damn about their kids, they will do whatever it takes to get their child a real education.
The administration knows, but how can the board if it is not brought forth to them at the meeting? Again, it is the parents, adults who know about this, community mnembers responsibility to do this. This is the way to get the students a good education, not running away from the problem, but attacking the problem. There will always be issues in ANY district that a person is in. Everyone wants someone to take care of things for them, or to run away from the problems. Make that board pay attention and do something instead of having a soap opera going on within itself, Hilter and the questapo working on one to make her extinct.
It is the boards responsibility to oversee the actions of the administration. They are to know what is happening and approve or disapprove accordingly. If they do not understand something, they need to ask for clarification,not just be a rubber stamp for the administration.
As for the schedule, ask some simple questions.
How many students are in each class.
What is an ideal number by subject area? Academic classes should have no more than 28 students, 24 is more ideal, Gym classes should be under 35 students but health classes should be no more than 28 like other academics. Encore classes should be no more than 22-24 students. More than that becomes ineffectual and dangerous. Do you really want 30 students using stoves or other dangerous equipment at the same time with only one person to supervise?
How many students are in each gym period. It's bad enough to hear that a gym class is sitting at 45-50 students but when you realize that 5 teachers each have that many students in the same period, you quickly realize that the administration has put 200-300 students in a small area with minimal supervision and an enviroment that is very prone to student injury.
How many teachers are teaching subjects that they are not highly qualified for or require no skills whatsoever and would be more appropriate for a $8 an hour dean's assistant. Why are we paying teachers at Simmons to sit two at a time at the front door telling visitors to "sign in, please". It is a complete waste of district resources.
How many schedule changes are being made after the school year starts and break it down by each building? How many are being made in August? September? October? etc???
If there are hundreds of changes being made in Septeber and October as has been the case at Simmons the past few years, ask the question, how is this in the best interest of the students?
It's bad enough we have a student population with an inherently high migration rate (roughly 25%). The administration is creating an almost 100% migration rate with all the schedule changes it keeps making.
It time for tha board to do something more than sit on their brains and chant YES.
To give an abbreviated clarification of my “crap” in the minutes to February 2, 2010 9:23 PM.
In the Board packet under Personnel & Policy were listed additional positions being requested. Under HR there were three papers basically laying the foundation for justifying additional people. The tech dept was a non issue with me. Any other additional duties HR tried to detail, I tried to point out were either already part of the previous job description or electronic data & files had minimized some duties. Or some duties may have been created unnecessarily by HR and were things that should not necessitate the hiring of additional personnel.
If you would like me to elaborate on this, contact me.
Most of this board took this position because they believed the Superintendent and administration knew more than anyone else and those members do not want to take the time to learn about different things. In fact I think one said they taught three nights a week and didn't have time for stuff like that. You have to ask yourself why do the board members go to these seminars they don't learn anything about running schools they just go to be able to stay overnight at a hotel, eat and shop probably on our dime.
Contact Rayanne maybe she will speak for Simmons her whole goal now is to finds things wrong with the District and complain. Maybe you will be giving her a purpose in life.
6:15's "whole goal in life" is to defend corrupt administrators and ignore the obvious problems affecting the quality of education our students are receiving.
I would contact Rayanne and THANK her for speaking up for our childrens' best interests. And specifically, for keeping a close watch on how our tax dollars are spent!
Rayanne doesn't have to look to hard to find things wrong with the district there is a long list of things but some don't want to see.
Yes, there are good things happening but lets fix the wrong things so our students have a better chance for a good education.
Yeah, let's type on this blog and get stuff done!
Only at Simmons can they schedule students into a classes that they haven't yet scheduled a teacher for. They have hundreds of kids with no clue where they are to go or what they are to do. And we wonder why students are failing.
Stella Gonzales is the one that is doing the teaching referring to the 3. Mrs. Weaver had information about what is spent at these seminars and what some of the board members do or do not do at the last meeting. Roberts as superintent is the one that takes care of what the administrators do, as for the board, the president of the board was told it is not her or the boards place to micro-manage the superintendant. This is why parents and community members should step up to the plate and talk to the board, Also, remember there is a reporter there and the parents and community members can talk to him and put a bug in his hear and see if he can write something in the paper about whatever the concerns are. And isn't is a shame that Rayanne or anyone else has to take on helping the students when their own parents won't do it theirselves.
Isn't it a shame students will fail in life when parents won't step up to the plate and do something about this scheduling problem themselves. How will they know how to handle things if they are never shown how.
You are right if there are scheduling problems where are the parents? Yes people have spoke up before but you just have to keep on until someone does hear. It would be nice if someone talked to the reporter but the Beacon only does the fluff stuff.
Here is part of an article in the beacon about Kaneland and how they are moving forward for hard times. Yes, we are low income and get much of our money from the state and it seems lately we boost that we will be ok and we keep hiring administration when out districts take a stand to consolidate some position for the better of the students. Here is what are REAL SCHOOL BOARD DOES!
"I see students taking a large impact and little impact on the administration and teaching staff. We don't see anything mentioned about salary freezes," board member Ken Carter said.
Under the proposal, Schuler's position would be eliminated once he assumes the district superintendent's position next summer.
The proposal is to replace the assistant superintendent for human resources position with a human resources specialist, and a special education coordinator position would be consolidated with an assistant principal position at the middle school.
Also proposed is laying off two certified elementary teachers in the gifted program. Non-certified reductions at the elementary level include three part-time attendance secretaries and the elimination of four full-time Learning Resource Center secretaries.
At the high school, they proposed eliminating 3.6 teaching positions that will be absorbed by physical education and family consumer science, and 11 clubs, athletic and music stipend positions. Schuler said the reduction of 10 coaching positions would not eliminate sports but would limit student participation.
At middle school level, they recommend cutting three certified staffing positions in physical education and exploratory areas and one non-certified LRC assistant position.
Schuler said 23 positions would be dropped in the staffing plan, but the actual number of employees laid off would be less because of retirements.
"With all employee groups combined, I anticipate the release of 12 employees under the proposed cost reduction plan," he said in the report.
One change added to the plan is a proposed adjustment by four fewer work days in the calendar year of paraprofessionals who would not report on school improvement days. Schuler said as a result, three clubs and athletic programs targeted for elimination were restored at the high school level.
"This presentation is not to set the groundwork for a referendum. These cuts, unfortunately, are real for us," he said.
Just think at the spring break, winter break and other times when school isn't in session and it is said this district lets the service center leave early and get paid how others are cutting some of their employees hours and not get paid.
That is the best post this blog has ever had.
Doesn't take much to impress 4:07. Must be an administrator.
HA HA HA HA......Oh wait, you're not funny at all. In fact you are an ignorant moron who probably should be sterilized
Rayanne - I would be interested to know the board's response to your question about additional staff. I know it's beyond your control, but it would be nice to see the answers to questions in the board minutes, instead of just that it has been answered to the person asking.
It's only beyond Rayanne's control because SHE IS A QUITTER!!
9:23, made YOU laugh!
Go ahead and point out the morons on this blog--4 fingers will be pointing back at you!
Rayanne is not a "quitter"! A "quitter" would have just left before finishing their term, for whatever reason (like Mr. Pietrowiak, Ms. Farnum, Mr. Hull years ago, etc.)
Rayanne is still very much involved in our district, attending School Board meetings and speaking up for the best interests of our kids. She is just doing so as a private citizen and alumna. Hardly a description of a "quitter"!
Wow, what a great way to spin what really happened.
Rayanne by her words admitted filing a freedom of info request costing the district staff time to pull records and legal costs that are incurred when these requests are reviewed. Funny how Weaver read the results of that FOIA in the last Board meeting. Weaver as a Board member could have asked for that information but did not. Just proves to all involved the two have been troublesome from the beginning. They do not have the Districts best interest at heart they only have their own. Weaver because of kid problems. Carlson because of not getting her way with the band. They lost all support on the Board and like a bad kid they are simply throwing a temper tantrum. Not the same with Farmun & Pietroliak they both moved. Hull had a illness in the family. Rayanne only comes to the meeting for one thing to cause trouble
Maybe if Rayanne could of looked at the check register she wouldn't have to FOIA it. It shouldn't of took anyone much time to do it they just have to go to the records and get it if they knew how to do their job. When the Beacon ran that story they said it only took them 1hr and 1/2 to get the information. This district sure hides some of the money they spend. They just hired some new administration maybe they should of hired some to take care of these things it's the law now to have someone to do it.
So for all that wonders about finances and settlements you can FOIA and get the answers.
FOIA Officers. The Act requires the designation and training of a
FOIA officer, as well as requiring ongoing education. The identity of
the FOIA officer must be designated on the public entity’s website.
The list of FOIA employees or officers must be submitted to the Public
Access Counselor. Within six months after the new Act goes into
effect, the designated employees and officers must successfully
complete an electronic training class administered by the Public
Access Counselor and, thereafter, must have additional training
annually. Every newly designated employee or officer must receive
training within 30 days after designation.
8. The Act requires a formal system for processing FOIA requests. The
FOIA officer must:
· Note and date the time the request is received.
· Calculate the five day response deadline and note it in writing on the request
· Keep all documents related to a request until is it complied with or denied
· Keep files maintaining all FOIA requests
9. Use of FOIA Forms. Under the new law, a public body cannot
require the use of certain forms. However, public bodies may still
require that requests made under the Act be submitted in writing. The
public body may require the requester to disclose whether the request
is for a commercial purpose or to decide whether to grant a fee waiver.
10. Electronic Records. Public entities must provide records in an
electronic format, if you have it that way and it is requested that way.
11. Fees and Costs. Public entities may not charge fees for the first
fifty pages of standard black and white copies. An illegal fee
constitutes a denial of records under the Act. After the first 50 pages,
the fee for black-and-white copies thereafter may not exceed 15¢ per
page unless the public body can demonstrate that its actual cost of
reproduction (excluding personnel costs) is higher. (A fee equal to
It's nice to see we have someone who knows Korean.
Some Board members choose to spend their time helping kids...Others choose to spend their time wasting others you figure out who that would be. Some Board members make wild uninformed statements and do not read their Board information. Needless to say they are the ones that did not value education because they have none themselves.
There are a couple things mentioned by an earlier blogger regarding Simmons that are not correct.
First - when academic teachers are off for team there are an equal number of PE/rotational teachers to work with the students. A previous blogger made it sound like a huge amount of teachers were off with only a few teachers left to work with the students. Not true.
Second - a previous blogger said that academic teams are off for the convenience of administration so that their life would be easier by allowing them to meet with groups of teachers. Obviously you are not an academic teacher at Simmons otherwise you would know that administration almost never deal with teachers during team time. They attend maybe one or two meetings a year at most. Team time is set up to benefit the students. When teachers have time to collaborate and learn together it increases instructional performance which benefits the students.
Please know what you are talking about before commenting. Otherwise at least begin your comments with "I think", "It seems to me" or somethink that lets everyone know you truly aren't sure and speaking with any kind of knowledge.
See, I just know that NOBODY on this blog knows what they are talking about. It is easier that way.
Some board members go into closed session without taking their laptops with them so someone might be able to go up to the table and look at them. Also even if they did read what was going to be said they should have that information with them so they could refer to it.
Some Board members can read and retain unlike the only who needs to drag her laptop with her.
To: February 7, 2010 12:07 PM
There should be an equal number of teachers on and off at the same time. If what you say is true, then explain why there are 45-50 kids in some gym classes. Do you have 45-50 students in your class? If not, your statement is untrue.
You mention that you only see administrators in your team time once or twice a year? I am at Cowherd and we have either an administrator, counselor or team coach once or twice a week.
Many student concerns are discussed, academics, behavior, etc. The administrators are frequently at the meetings as we bring in parentsand students during team time. School/district policies and initiatives are discussed. In short, our administrators support the teachers and students.
I guess the administrators at Simmons are to busy, going out for doughnuts and whatever, to concern themselves with supporting the staff and students.
How can the administrators at Simmons possibly have a clue of what's really going on in the building if they are not at meetings to discuss teacher, team and student concerns? How can they lead the school if they don't know what's happening?
Any person that has to go to meetings knows they need to bring there materials with them. I for one who saw this at the board meeting was concerned that some would leave them out like that.
Only been to a few board meetings but all of you act unprofessional and would not be able to act like that in any other district. We taxpayers deserve better that you rubber stamping everything the administration wants without question. I tried about hearing well it comes from grants and grants come from all the taxpayers and I bet they would want to know you spend the money on what they said it was suppose to be for.
Also those stupid board comments need to go who cares what you did between meetings.
Sure it was OK to here Dee reading a article to the entire meeting and Rayanne reading she boring letters but let someone say something positive about the district and they can't take it
Just because a lot of our money comes from other things than our property taxes I think we should start doing some cost cutting just in case the other money gets cut back that's what responsible districts do.
Oswego schools plan for $5.5M deficit
Comments
February 7, 2010
By ROWENA VERGARA rvergara@stmedianetwork.com
OSWEGO -- Caught up in the state's delay on payments and the decline of local property values, Oswego school officials are proposing a plan to make up for a projected $5.5 million deficit.
At 7 p.m. Monday, the district administration will present the Oswego School Board with a series of proposed reductions to salaries, programs and operations for the 2010-11 school year.
The $5.5 million expected deficit for 2010-11 is based on the district's projection that general state aid will be reduced and funding for categorical grants will remain at current levels. Like many districts statewide, categorical grants for Oswego schools are behind -- by an estimated $11 million, or essentially a four-month backlog, according to the district.
Funding from the state falls into two categories: general state aid, an amount given to districts based on the district's support from local property taxes; and categorical grants, which may cover transportation or special education programs, to name a few.
Functions typically covered by categorical grants are still continuing at the district, but that funding has come from other reserves. About $3 million has been transferred out of the district's working cash fund to pay for transportation, for example, according to Oswego School District spokesman Kristine Liptrot.
An early learning center is also funded by categorical grants, and that program is continuing anyway.
"At this point, we've halted any non-mandated programs, things that haven't already been registered or spent," Liptrot said. "We're asking everyone to put a hold on that."
Some key points to the plan, reviewed by principals and staff, include:
• Selling breakfast at schools; raising building rental fees; and increasing student, driver education, course and athletic user fees -- generating $450,000-plus in revenue
• Hiring 12 new teachers, instead of 32 -- $1.2 million in savings
• Enforcing districtwide furlough day -- $350,000 in savings
• Cutting budgets in the superintendent, Board of Education, transportation, buildings and Hands on Science areas -- $315,000 in savings
• Cutting intramurals and clubs by half -- $108,000 in savings
After Monday, there will be a series of public meetings this month on the budget. The budget must be approved in July.
I would guess that if the PE classes are sitting at 45-50 students at Simmons than the other rotation classes must be really small. If that is so than I would say that is a scheduling problem. That doesn't mean that the academic teachers having team time is causing the problem.
And yes - administrators are rarely at any team meetings at Simmons. A team could meet for the whole year without seeing an administrator.
No, the problem is that the administration wants three teams off at the same time (All three teams at each grade level)which means 300 - 350 students go to PE and specials at the same time.
Since they are over-scheduling students during three periods, the smaller classes that you are referring to come in the periods now that gym and specials teachers have nothing in their area to teach.
That is why Simmons has gym and specials teachers doing all sorts of duties that have nothing to do with their certificated area.
Balancing classes is not a hard thing to do, schools all over the country are doing it every year. It's only when administrators start getting strange ideas that this becomes an issue.
Είστε ένας ασθενή κουτάβι. για την κακή σας δεν ενδιαφέρονται πραγματικά για την εκπαίδευση των φοιτητών μας.
The post above says:
You are one sick puppy. to bad you do not really care about the education of our students.
It was written in greek
The problem in this district is that since so many schools are failing the administrators feel as though they have to show show the board that they are doing something drastic to correct the problem.
They can't simply go to the board and say, We are scheduling in a responsible manner, balancing classes and insuring that all classes have a reasonable number of students allowing teachers the best chance at teaching students.
They instead will go to the board and state, we have set our schedule so that all academic teams have a common team time, this will allow teachers the opportunity too align their curriculum.
The problem is that the board is too ignorant to realize that the what the administration is really stating is that we are throwing the entire schedule out of balance just to pretend that they are doing something.
We are creating unsafe classes for children when we put 200-300 students in one gym time or 300-400 students in one lunch period. We are also creating unsafe situations when we overload specials classes. Further, we are wasting district resources when we have teachers doing BS work, instead of teaching what they are trained to teach.
By the way, team time is intended for teacher with the same students to coordinate their efforts for their students. Curriculum is already set by curriculum commitees. That curriculum has to be approved by the board and the teachers are required to follow the approved curriculum. They can not deviate from the established curriculum, so I don't see how different teams meeting together has any benefits for the students. Especially, how do the benefits outweigh the dangers they are putting our children in.
I personally like seeing the other languages here other than the one that gets so much special attention. Hope to see more with the transulations.
You didn't say what オテモヤン said. Whoever it is uses OpenDNE and it is a social network and I find it funny they would use that kind of language.
That was Japanese and it said:
Masturbation
Reverse Aid
SEX
Blowjob
Soap
Reverse Aid
Travel host
Handjob
Boobs
Blowjob
Creampie
Sex
Deriheru
Uncut
Supporters reverse
Hot
Teachers should bring this forth in a board meeting. Mrs. Weaver and Carlson in the past tried to do some things but told they were micro-managing and should not be doing this. That the superintendant was dong his job and did not need to be micro-managed. Per superintendant and other board members. Stand up and take control for things happening yourselves. Ah, but no one wants to do this in this community or the teachers. To bad, so sad!!
Oh držte hubu a dívat se kurva Super Bowl.
The other languages are very nice to see, but please keep it clean. If not then, anyone is just being like the one and only other language that this state and country recognizes and puts everyone therefore in their catagory.
It's interesting how the closer the comments get to the inept and corrupt administration, the more we get ridiculous posts with profanity, pornography, foreign languages, etc.
I guess if you don't have an intelligent arguement to support your actions, the only course you have left to you is to try and discredit the entire blog.
Fortunately, most people can discern the difference between the real posts and the nonsense ones.
Oh you are so correct. Good job. You are so smart and handsome. Let's keep getting things done with stuff. I will solve all the problems by posting on this blog. Lets start with the "old-guard" "corrupt" "cronie" "lying" administration.
It should not be the teachers job to go and tell the board to do their job. The board has the responsibility to approve all schedules. They should know what the hell they are approving.
You also know damn well that no teacher is going to openly defy the administration in this district. They will face all sorts of harrassment including transfers, suspensions, being fired, etc.
Just ask Kaisershot what happens when you dare to stand up for the kids of this district against the wishes of the administration. Even with tenure and hundreds of community members supporting you they will find a way to harrass you.
It's no wonder we have teachers filing suits against the district.
Nope your wrong what February 6, 2010 3:40 PM said but it was nasty.
Nasty? I love it. We need more of that.
All this criticism of Rayanne (and others) costing the district money by FOIA'ing (maybe a hundred dollars, if that)--how about the THOUSANDS of unnecessary dollars spent at East High for the musical?
$6,500 for the pit director; almost that much for a guest drama director; several thousand more for adult professional "ringers" in the pit. But people are complaining about FOIA costs??
How many of our band students could have been helped with their Disney trip with the money that was wasted on the musical?
Um, NONE, because district funds can't be used for an extend field trip. But you know, LIE if you want to.
I'm not lying. Check the figures for yourself if you doubt how much was spent.
And while the high school goes through money like it was water, the middle school arts programs are barely funded at all.
Don't ALL our district's students deserve a quality, well-funded fine arts program? Or are administrators just concerned about preserving their precious images and trying to distract the public from the fact that they made a disastrous decision several years ago?
It has been stated MANY times that K used adults in his pit. I find it interested that K used adults because he needed to, but if Liska uses somebody it is because he SUCKS. Interesting the double standard.
And YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THE TWO ADULT MUSICIANS USED IN THE PIT WERE PAID. IT IS NOT LISTED ANYWHERE. So when you say THOUSANDS you are making that number up.
Also, you keep bringing up how much Liska made, GUESS WHAT K USED TO MAKE THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT.
Oh Jesus Christ GET OVER IT.
Annee that sounds like you again. Spreading your stupid ignorance.
It's interesting to read about boards making cuts, etc. to balance their budget. Why not East Aurora? If you remember, they began the process over 4 years ago and spread it out over 3 years, making many of the reductions through not filling positions of those retiring. It wasn't all done that way, but it minimized the impact on the classroom. And I remember at the time there were people criticizing why a board would do that? Well, I'd like to think it was some forward thinking on some people. I know that won't be popular here, but there are board members who worked together to help accomplish this, and because of their work the district doesn't find themselves in the financial position some other districts do.
Well said.
I don't know what you're referring to but when I joined the district I would have to print out 65 copies of something to get it to the entire staff. The other day I had to print out 120 flyers for the entire staff. Very few of those additions were teachers, 90% or more were administrators and support staff.
What cuts are you referring to.
This is why the district should get into the 21st century and do those this electronically. Why this board says we are moving forward we are still way behind.
Also Please don't use the LORDS name in vain he has nothing to do with how we mismanage this district. I think he is working on it but you belittle yourself in saying that.
Also remember if anyone wants to know how much people made they can FOIA it.
This district does not even have an events calendar that works. It is so convoluted that nobody has any idea what event is where.
Saints won
Go Saints Go
Who Dat?
7:28 p.m., where did 7:07 say anything negative about Mr. Liska? Their criticism was aimed where it belongs: at administrators who waste our tax dollars on unnecessary expenses. 7:07 didn't mention either Mr. Liska or Mr. Kaisershot--perhaps because neither of those gentlemen decides how the money in this district is allocated.
But 7:28 did mention a "double standard". Here's a good example of administrators' double standards regarding the band situation: when Mrs. K volunteered to play the piano for the jazz band (during a time when no student pianist was available), the School Board used that as one of the specific reasons to get rid of Mr. K. Yet now some of those same administrators are HIRING adults (plural) to play along with students. That is a perfect example of a double standard.
And that was absolutely wrong--and will not be forgotten as long as any of the bullies responsible are still on the district's dime!
There is a BIG difference between a SINGLE event and EVERY JAZZ CONCERT.
You don't understand how calling the decision 5 years ago "disastrous" might be insulting to Mr. Liska? Well, your parents conceiving you was also disastrous.
It is amazing how you see other peoples double standards and ignorance, but not your own. Good job.
"Every jazz concert"? Now you're showing your ignorance, 9:10 p.m.!
Let's see, how many STUDENTS can I remember who played the piano for the jazz band when Mr. K was the director? Hmm--there was Steve, Bea, Kim, Kristin, Anitra, Sunde...and probably some I'm forgetting (my kids were at East during the late '90s).
But when no student pianist was available and K's wife volunteered her services, this was A BAD THING. And don't forget, an adult (Ms. Allen) plays for every choir concert!
And 9:05 said absolutely nothing insulting about Mr. Liska. This was and is about corrupt administrators, not the current director. He just inherited the mess!
I remember some more, Bob, Frank, Jose, Jessica, Debbie, Hank, and 20 other names I just made up.
The board does not approve the schedules. The superintendant does and it is his job or someone he appoints to do this. If anyone is not sure how things are handled they can go before the board at a meeting or send someone an e-mail and ask how it is done. And if anyone feels it is the boards job, then they should go before them and ask them why they are not doing it. You have a union that should protect you. If teachers will not stand up for what they believe is wrong, then the ones who feel it is wrong, deserve what they get. But of course, the students will be the ones who suffer and might get hurt. And it still will be the teachers fault for not protecting them and only thinking of theirselves and what might happen to them if they do what is right.
You all really think the superintendent approves every schools scheduling. Wow, you guys are stupid.
The Superintendent is to blind to do his own job do you really think Lisa is going to read him all the problems at Simmons considering Wilson woks there
To the person who asked-yes I'll share the answers I received from my questions to the board. I went out of town for a couple days and see the blog got busy. I will try and reply soon.
To another, my FOIA answer shouldn't have cost D131 too much to retrieve what little info I asked for and especially after seeing what I received. More money was spent on the marker to blacken things out than the papers they were written on. :o)
A couple of people seem to want to make an issue with my FOIA request where there is none. If they think I am making frivolous requests, there are avenues they may pursue.
With the new law can the blacken things out? Remember Rayanne if you have any questions you can ask the Public Access Counselor.
9:27, you can make up all the names you want. But anyone who wants to know the TRUTH can just look at the jazz band programs from past years and see for themselves who played the piano.
And see for themselves what a liar YOU are.
Bullying a well-liked, community-supported teacher out of his position was absolutely a "disastrous decision" by ADMINISTRATORS five years ago! It is not insulting the current band director to remind the community that ADMINISTRATORS' support of a personal vendetta was (and still is) absolutely wrong! And as long as any of those ADMINISTRATORS are still working in this district (working for US, the taxpayers, and deciding how OUR money is spent), some of us will continue to bring this up!
I will repeat what I've said before: this community can and should support our district's current high school band program and director. Parents, get your students private lessons. Everyone else can go to concerts, buy fruit, go to the pancake breakfast; help the kids pay for their Disney trip.
But also remember to hold ADMINISTRATORS accountable for their disastrous decisions--such as bullying Mr. K. and wasting our hard-earned tax dollars!
Well that was a much better way of stating that. Thanks.
Rayanne with the new laws they have to give you all the information and not blacken things out. You need to contact:
Cara Smith
Public Access Councler
1-877-299-3642 phone
fax 1 217 782 1396
publicaccess@atg.state.il.us
Why would anything be blackend out? This isn't exactly national security. So anything other than specific information regarding an individual student or employee should be accessible by the public.
Your right nothing should be blackend out. What don't they want her to see all the people that went on the trip on the districts dime.
The distirct is suppose to show any public money spent by the district to whoever asks to see it. You could take that one step futher and just have that in their board packets and then no one would have to take time away from thier job to send that information when it is FOIA.
Hmmm did I see "pancake breakfast"? When is it?
The pancake breakfast is this coming Saturday, February 13th, at the high school. All the pancakes you care to eat, along with sausage, juice, milk, and/or coffee. Proceeds go to help our band students throughout the district (remember the awesome job the band camp kids did in the 4th of July parade?)
Come support our district's band programs!
I just took a short class on the new laws for FOIA on the Attorney Generals Website.
Rayanne did the district give you a reason why they blackend some things out? They are suppose to.
Denial of Requests
Each public body denying a request for public records, whether in whole or in part, must notify the requester in writing of the decision to deny the request, the reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis for the application of any exemption claimed, and the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial.
Each notice of denial by a public body shall also inform the requester of the right to review by the Public Access Counselor and shall provide the address and phone number for the Public Access Counselor. Each notice of denial shall also inform the requester of his or her right to seek judicial review.
When a public body denies a request for public records on the basis that the records are exempt under Section 7 of FOIA, the notice of denial must specify the exemption claimed to authorize the denial and the specific reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis and a citation to supporting legal authority (if any).
A person requesting FOIA is not allowed to have personnel information. They may have paid personnel credit cards or something like that. Is that reason things got blacked out. So before you jump to conclusions maybe Rayanne will share what has blacked out. However Rayanne also wasted the Districts money by attending this conference knowing she was going to resign.
There is no reason not to show a personnel credit card as it should be in the monthly budget which is open to all. If it was a personnal credit care it should not be being paid by the district. No matter what, there should have been an explanation as to why it was blackened out. As far as legal expenses go, if the person giving out the FOIA information knows their job there should be no reason to involve the lawyers, unless they are trying to hide something and trying to find out a way it can be done. Simple as that to me. How about the ones that were supposed to go and did not? What if they were staying the night, did not go, and the district was stuck with hotel bills when no one used the rooms?
All the talk about ones that did not go how are you so sure someone did not go in their place. Just Dee and Rayanne making trouble again. Why did Rayanne FOIA information for Dee it is clear Dee was reading facts from her FOIA request how would she know what the cost was.
Did anybody try to molest my cat?
If someone went in their place then say who it is since you seem to be in the know. I think you are the person trying to start trouble. Maybe Weaver looked up the information she gave. Confront her and then post instead of the other way around, unless you did do this already, but you should state this when posting. This board needs to get down to doing board business only, not attacking people, trying to run the show, showing new products they are getting to sell, etc. This is a school board and not a soap opera.
No is been the Dee and Rayanne horror show and since others have discovered the lies the curtain has closed and Dee has been left to read mindless articles to herself.
FYI on FOIA
I asked for info for myself, and had showed it to no one but my family.
Another member of the board had been bombarding me with much information since being seated in the spring. I do not know for what reason they gave me much of the info, but I finally started checking the validity of it after attending the conference.
There has been SO many lies told to me about so many people at the SCC & on the board, I did not know where the truth ended and the lies began. Some info I can FOIA, some of it is just personal info about personnel and it was not board members business.
And yes, there were things blackened out that should not have been. It did not contain info I had asked for, at this time, so I did not pusue the reason why it was done.
I don't think reading articles about how other districts is mindless in fact it is interesting to see how others handle things.
I agree, 7:58--seems to me that reading those articles is keeping up-to-date, and part of what a good board member should do!
11:29 p.m. is just trying to say something, anything to discredit this blog. Probably an administrator who doesn't appreciate his/her blunders being exposed.
What lies have been told?
I believe it is about time that our superintendant and administrators look in the mirror and ask these ?
DO I NEED A PAY INCREASE DO I NEED A BLACKBERRY, WHAT COULD WE DO WITH THOSE FUNDS? BOOKS, SuPPLIES,A TEACHER,TEACHER ASSISTANT,TRAINING IN NEW AREAS TO BETTER CLASSROOM LEARNING? NO I NEED A NEW SPORTS CAR NEW SOMETHING TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONES, FOR I TOOK AN OATH ALL FOR ME NONE FOR THE KIDS,I AM OF THE ME GENERATION,FOR I WILL STEP ON ANY TEACHER PARENT CITIZEN THAT GETS IN MY WAY FOR I AM AN EAST AURORA ADMINISTRATOR
So......nobody is going to admit to molesting my cat?
Did anyone feel the earthquake here this morning?
That was the snowplows.
Earthquake? I thought Hell opened up and finally sucked in our administration.
From your mouth to God's ears.
That wasn't an earthquake. Jerome Roberts just dropped his wallet.
That wasn't an earthquake. That was parents and this community dropping the ball.
One way for this community to "pick up the ball" is to support our district's band students. Go to the pancake breakfast this Saturday, from 7:00 to 11:00 at EAHS. Tickets at the door are $5, and include all the pancakes you care to eat along with sausage, juice, coffee and/or milk.
This is an easy, inexpensive, delicious way to help our students!
I thought a board member said our money would be the same next year as this but not according to the paper and all Clayton can say is we will wait and see if it is true while responsible districts are already starting to take steps.
State set to cut funding for schools
Comments
February 11, 2010
By PAUL DAILING pdailing@stmedianetwork.com
Current negotiations in Springfield could result in 10 percent cuts to the state's school funding foundation level, meaning millions less in state aid to local schools.
State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, an Aurora Democrat who chairs the Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriations Committee, said this week the state budget crisis will likely affect general state aid, lately the only consistent funding source from Springfield to local schools.
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• Oswego proposes trimming school personnel by 80
Estimated funding loss
The approximate amounts local schools would lose if the state cuts its foundation school funding level by 10 percent:
East Aurora: $7.1 million West Aurora: $6.8 million
Batavia: $339,000
Geneva: $319,000
Hinckley-Big Rock: $51,000
Indian Prairie: $16.6 million
Kaneland: $1.4 million
Newark: $19,000
Newark High School: $11,000
Oswego: $8.6 million
Plano: $1.3 million
Sandwich: $1.5 million
Somonauk: $592,000
St. Charles: $732,000
Yorkville: $265,000
Based on 2009-2010 ISBE General State Aid Entitlements
"This has turned from the Mississippi to the Grand Canyon sort of thing," Chapa LaVia said of the funding gulch.
While the state has stopped and started other payments to the schools during its current budget crisis, general state aid was the only part that continued uninterrupted.
If Chapa LaVia is correct, that could change next year.
"It looks like we're coming to some huge drops in general state aid," Chapa LaVia said. "It's looking like anywhere from $600 to $700 per-pupil drop."
By law, districts must announce possible layoffs for the next school year by next month. Budget predictions so far have been based on the Illinois State Board of Education's proposed budget, which kept the foundation level the same. Chapa LaVia, however, is predicting a 10 percent cut for schools.
"That just pulled the rug out from us and every other district," West Aurora School District spokesman Mike Chapin said. "We were marching forward under the assumption that the foundation level was the same."
And the poorer the school district, the more this will hurt.
Cut hurts poor most
One use of the school funding foundation level is to break districts into three groups based on an area's wealth.
In the bottom two groups -- where all the Fox Valley's schools fall -- the number is popped into complicated formulas that come up with the dollar amount a district gets for each student. Poorer districts get more per student.
The wealthiest group, which includes the Barrington and New Trier schools, gets a flat per-student fee.
So if all other factors remain the same as last year, a 10 percent reduction in the foundation level could cut more than $7.1 million from the low-income East Aurora School District's state aid, but only $732,000 from St. Charles schools.
Locally, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and Yorkville fall in this middle group. The rest are "foundation level" districts, a group that includes the lion's share of Illinois' 871 school districts, State Board spokesman Mary Fergus said.
"It's not going to be fun, but it's not going to be the crisis it is for some of the 'foundation level' schools," Batavia Assistant Superintendent for Finance Kris Monn said.
A 10 percent cut would push four local districts -- Kaneland, Indian Prairie, Hinckley-Big Rock and Newark -- from that "foundation level" group into the middle group, where they'll get even less money.
Waiting to see
A cut to general state aid isn't the only part of school funding bracing for a hit.
By and large, schools get their money from two sources -- the state and local property taxes. The economy already has smacked down local property taxes.
School Superintendent Laurel Walker said the Plano School District was already looking at cuts in everything from staff to textbooks. The current estimate is they could save $400,000 from next year's budget by not updating technology, buildings, maintenance and textbooks. Another $300,000 could be saved by not replacing retiring employees.
But the cut Chapa LaVia fears would take another $1.3 million away from Plano's state funds.
"We would have to look at more cuts if that comes true," Walker said.
East Aurora, which got 45 percent of its budget from general state aid last year, is waiting for an official decision by the Legislature before it announces additional cuts.
"Once there's a decision made by the state, we'll make decisions accordingly," district spokesman Clayton Muhammad said.
Just a few weeks ago, the state had 15 million dollars for improvements for the animals at Brookfield Zoo. And over the summer Quinn announced a 21 Billion dollar capitol improvements project.
It is amazing how the state has money for other pet projects, they just don't have money for the children of this state.
I do remember a year ago the fight between Govenor Blagojevic and the legislature. The whole fight was that Blagojevic wanted the money for the schools and the legislature did not. Well they got rid of the govenor and it looks like state funding for education right along with him.
Don't let them fool you, the money is there. They are making a conscious decision to withold the money from the children of this state. And why not, the way they are doing it only really affects the children in poor communities. The richer communities aren't losing any real money.
But the richer communties don't waste their money and don't boost about it. Aurora let the East side become a poor community and the school district wants to keep it that way because of all the grant money they get so they can misuse it.
You know there are proably people that don't have children or theirs are rasied that feel those pet projects are good and think throwing all this money into some districts are a waste of time since no improvements are being made.
Actually the difference is that the richer districts do have money to waste.
As with all societal problems, the problem with the poor is poverty (and frequently ignorance) and the problem with the rich is uselessness.
It always has and probably always will be.
Funny how this blog only wants to dwell on bad things. True the State is out of money. But the State is now using scare tactics that the poor school Districts are going to suffer only to get us taxpayers to pay more taxes. Largely a fight in Chicago they are using scare tactics in the media. I am so glad this Board had the fore-sight to keep Jerome Roberts because there is no better Superintendent to deal with a financial crisis than he. Just look at the Districts improved Bond ratings. Just look at the fact he had the fore-sight to cut years ago. He is a fine example of good government. To bad there are not more like him.
East Aurora School District 131 has improved its financial standing and credit worthiness so successfully that it was promoted to an ‘A+’ on its bond credit rating by Standard and Poor’s.
Standard & Poor's, as a credit rating agency (CRA), issues credit ratings for the debt of public and private corporations. It is one of several CRAs that have been designated a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The bond credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of the district’s debt issues. It is analogous to credit ratings for individuals. The credit rating is a financial indicator to potential investors.
East Aurora’s A+ rating designates it as a ‘safe investment.’ The A+ rating takes the district two levels beyond its former rating of A-, where it had been for the better part of the last decade.
“This improvement in the district’s credit rating is just another sign of the hard work and dedication of our school board, faculty, staff, and the East Aurora Community! Bravo to all of the hard work and dedication that is finally paying off,” said Dr. Jerome Roberts, Superintendent of Schools.
Prior to the passage of the referendum in 2008, the Board of Education and administration made nearly $7 million in budget cuts in order to balance the budget and improve the district’s overall financial landscape.
In the midst of a struggling economy, East Aurora Schools made no budget reductions for the current school year, making it the only district in the county to do so.
I think the credit if any should go to Jay.
Any one who knows anything about business is that it is up to the man at the top to put the right people in place.
In most cases but just because this happened doesn't mean they have the right person at the top. Many business that thought they had the right person at the top went under. Things can change in a blink of a eye.
Time will tell how this district is in the financial part of it. I think many have been pulling the wool over this community. It does not matter because most of the parents and members of this community do not give a hoot anyway. How many other communities would let someone on the board bring their new product to a board meeting and show it and tell about it? This board is a joke and the biggest jokster is their one and only employee, the superintendant.
The Board has been a joke. The joke was to uneducated women have been allowed to sidetrack the work of the best superintendent around. Finances will be tight for everyone but Jerome Roberts will get the District thought it. If these women are have the backing of the community then why did one have to resign to act like the angry community. The other one can only bring her 2 loser relatives to the meetings for backing. It must be hard to have lost their one supporter and fellow Board member. The only difference with why the two are so jealous of the Board member they keep referring to in the blog she single handed rescued the staff and made them feel good about their accomplishments. The two disruptive members need professional help for treatment of manic depression. When have they ever said a kind thing or spread any happiness. Look at their anger.
No Simmons at the pancake breakfast this is why K lost his position no motivation. Typical that he would not be involved. This is why he was demoted lack of corporation. But of coarse this blog will never tell the true story.
6:34 a.m., Mr. K spends most of his Saturdays WORKING a second job (either teaching private trumpet students or composing/arranging/publishing music). The Simmons band students may not be playing tomorrow, but they definitely represent the district proudly at other events. For example, at the district fine arts festival last spring there were more band students from Simmons participating than from the other middle schools. And Simmons band concerts almost always include at least one composition or arrangement written by Mr. K. Above all, the Simmons band SOUNDS GOOD, and the kids are getting a good music education. With so many kids dropping out of band at the high school (for whatever reason), at least they have experienced a quality band program at some level!
And if you want to bring up the real reasons why Mr. K is no longer at the high school, I'm sure those of us who spoke up for him 5 years ago will be glad to tell you. Mr. K was BULLIED out of his teaching position because he refused to kiss certain administrators' rear ends. Some of those administrators are no longer in D131, but a few of those responsible are still working here--and we will continue to remind the public of that disastrous decision made against our students' best interests!
What are you talking about "all the kids dropping out at the high school." Let me give you some REAL numbers.
Every year there are around 250 to 300 5th grade students in band in all of D131. Every year there are about 40 to 75 8th grade students in band.
Where is the drop out occuring. Its occuring at the MIDDLE SCHOOLS. And yes kids drop out all the time. But again you are LYING about the High school program because they SOUND GOOD too. You have never heard them at a concert, you have never come to anything. You have no idea what the band sounds like because you refuse to do anything.
You have to be kidding about the best Superintendent around he is not he lets other people do his job. Some members might not have gone to college but they have taken some college courses. What makes you think college graduates make the best choices? These people don't even follow the law and even if they don't all agree they should act like a board. In your world it might seem the superintendent is great but when you go outside of Aurora he is a laughing stock.
Just a few weeks ago, the state had 15 million dollars for improvements for the animals at Brookfield Zoo. And over the summer Quinn announced a 21 Billion dollar capitol improvements project.
It is amazing how the state has money for other pet projects, they just don't have money for the children of this state.
These statements are like the district giving the Superintendent a early contract, going on seminars that they don't bring anything back in improve the district but they won't give teachers a decent raise for the district doesn't have a decent scheduling system for their teachers.
It looks like Dr Roberts and his admin's just saved the district 1,200,000 because of the great bond rating. I guess Dr Roberts and Jay Augustine's degree paid off. Only some oh one now board member would think education does not matter. Way to go Doc.
Jerome Roberts is the best superintendent ever? What are you smoking and where can I get some, it's got to be some really good SH!T.
Under Jerome Roberts and Jay Augustine the district went 7 million dollars in the hole and the only way they got out of it was that the people of this community passed a referendum. If that is not the community picking up the ball, what is? The community really bailed Jerome out.
I can't believe that anyone could say that Jerome is the best superintendent ever with a straight face. It has to be either Clayton or Jerome posting crap like that.
This year Roberts was the only Superintendent State wide not in financial trouble. If East Aurora is in trouble next year we only the have the State and Linda Chapa Lavia to blame. But I am sure Roberts will save the day again. He will go down as the best Superintendent d131 ever had.
8:02 a.m., were impartial judges LYING a couple of years ago when they gave the band a third-division rating? Were the judges LYING a few years ago when the "new, improved" EHS band students failed to get even ONE Division I rating at solo & ensemble contest?
If you want to talk about LYING, how about a plaque being displayed in the EHS lobby falsely claiming that the band got a Division I? Now that was a bold-face lie, dismissed by corrupt administrators as a "mistake".
And can you show me anyplace in 7:50 a.m.'s comment where it said that the high school band sounded bad? He/she simply said that Simmons' band sounds good. You probably think you're defending the current EHS band program, but with friends like you who needs enemies?
This community finally passes a referendum after 20 years years. It was about damn time you cheap bastards.
At that same IHSA solo and ensemble contest 0 choral students got a division 1 rating. Hmmmm, don't hear you talking about that. And the SYMPHONIC Band got a division III and the Wind Ensemble still got a division II.
What did K get at the band contest. Oh right, he never went. He refused to take his band anywhere to get judged, because he knew what would happen. He would get laughed off the stage.
Funny how you didn't say anything about the numbers. The numbers don't lie. Over 200 kids drop out of band in our middle schools. OVER 200 KIDS. That is where the failure is.
LIAR!
Several choral students did, indeed, get Division I ratings at that solo & ensemble contest (March 2007)--check the records for yourself. It was only the band students who failed to achieve even ONE I rating, for the first time in the long history of EHS' participation.
And no, Mr. K did not take bands to organization contest. Neither did the directors at Oswego, West High, or Batavia high schools. Area directors usually pick and choose those events which they feel will best benefit their students. In Mr. K's case, he took the EHS band to perform at Disney World, Universal Studios, parades in Chicago & Batavia, band day festivals at ISU, U of I, and NIU, and had joint events with other schools such as Waubonsie Valley H.S. And no, he never got "laughed off the stage"--another of YOUR blatant, ignorant lies!
It is so difficult to argue with a moron. So I am done. I am right, you have no idea what you are talking about. You are comparing a band director that you loved to one you have never supported and have never heard anything from.
The current band program has been to NIU, NU, played for the grand opening of Wal*Mart, played at the Chicago Rush Arena football game, the jazz band has played at the paramount, and will play at the Roundhouse and UIC, the Marching band is Going to Disney and Universal Studios, the participate in Solo and Ensemble, as well as the IHSA Band Contest
Thanks so much for reminding me--the previous EHS band had also performed at the Paramount!
And I was at the Chicago Rush game you mentioned (May 2008)--so it's another of your lies that I never attend any performances!. Yes, the EHS band did play--but this was intended as a fundraiser for people to buy tickets to support the band program; almost all the seats in that section were empty except for the band kids (who had been bussed in). Our district lost money, but of course the administration can say that the "new improved" EHS band played at a Chicago Rush game.
You say it's difficult to argue with a moron. But it's easy to argue with a liar--I just present the factsk! And for the record, I did not start this particular discussion; look back to earlier this morning and you will see the negativity started from Team Liska, not Team Kaisershot.
It's funny how other band directors get to "choose" what they want to participate in, but I guarentee you if Mr. Liska chose to not participate in something that Mr. Kaisershot did participate in, he would get crap for it.
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