I'm Floored

Certified Salary Scale (Paulding) It gives you a monthly salary. Please remember that while teachers are paid a monthly salary for 12 months, it is based on 10 months (190 days.) I think we have some EXCELLENT teachers in our county. I would like to see teachers paid their base (state) salary with local money given to teachers with an excellent record. I think if they were rewarded for the great jobs they do, others who don't do such a great job may be motivated to improve.

Jesus would tell His followers to come to the aid of the man to help him in his time of need. Jesus led the church. Not the government. This crisis is EXACERBATED by a 10% unemployment rate and a recession. But the problems we are facing have been evident for years (remember the votes for the school bond.) The crisis is BIGGER now, but has been an issue for awhile. The BOE needs our support during this time for the things they don't have control over (I think ideas mentioned here in this thread are a constructive form of support.) They also must be held accountable for the things the

Extra curricular activities are a SMALL portion of the school system's budget. Every activity has a recommended player fee. (It is not "required" but I don't know of anyone who doesn't pay.) Booster clubs for football, basketball, baseball, etc. promote the sports through fundraisers and donations (not to mention blood, sweat and tears.) The gate fees that you pay when you attend a sporting event go back to the school to pay for the maintenance of fields, etc. I haven't mentioned cutting back on ECA because 1. I see the benefits, and 2. it's just not that much money.

Mr. Dis contacted a school board member who said they are not looking at the 4-day option, but are considering the 160 day calendar (which Polk Co just adopted.)

I know some people will think this is "out of this world", but I have a couple of ideas about how we could make this work. Teachers can give assignments to the students for the 5th day. These are independent work assignments. For younger ones, that means Mom or Dad have to help at home. If parents can't help, they can pay to send their child to school on the off day. The fees for attending school on the 5th day would pay for a para-pro or certified staff member to monitor the students or help with the work assigned by their teacher(s). Transportation would not be provided (buses

An administrative nightmare? Nah. Anyone with good organizational skills could make it work. And I would suggest them being issued in the classroom or front office - not the bus.

Yes, those who are participating in the free/reduced lunch program would be able to apply for free/reduced transportation. (I would prefer that those programs have more accountability than they currently do.) Each child could have a few (maybe 3) times that (s)he could have friends ride with him throughout the year or semester. When I was in school (pre-computerized days), those on free/reduced lunch were issued a card that was punched each day. That could work for this case, too. It would require responsibility on the part of the child to keep up with his/her card each day. I'm

That doesn't make sense to me. Parents who drive are already paying for gas and wear/tear on the vehicle. They are also paying taxes which go toward the transportation of others. A fee to transport your own child would result in some people NOT driving, which would put MORE students on buses which would up the cost of transportation in the long run. The only solution is to charge those who utilize the transportation and use the monies received toward that budget.

If I remember correctly, the transportation director said during one of the rezoning meetings that the school system transports 21,000 per day. Using that number, if they charged, say, $1 per day for transportation (round-trip) that would save $21,000 per day in the budget. That's $3,780,000 through the course of the year!

Actually, I think paying for transportation makes sense! Think about it. I send my kid to school. He either takes his lunch or BUYS lunch at school. So we make children (parents) pay to eat each day, but we don't make them pay for the transportation there? Which is more important? To me, it makes more sense to feed all children for free than transport them. At this point, charge for all "extras" like this. Of course, those under the poverty level will be given free or subsidized lunch/transportation/extra-curricular, etc. But this allows taxpayers to bear the burden of ESS

I don't even know what that is, so probably not! It's all good!

I found the video inappropriate, as well. But then again, I have been accused of being a prude! And for the record, it has NOTHING to do with RACE. If anything, it has to do with spirituality. I wouldn't allow my child at that age to dance and sing to that type of music. It doesn't have anything to do with the cultural background of the music. I don't like my kid singing about his "toes in the water and his a$$ in the sand" either. But, again, I'm a prude. Whatever happened to children being children in an age appropriate way? I enjoy the videos of my little one being exci

Exactly! We have tightened our belt to the point that Nanny from Gone with the Wind couldn't pull it any tighter! No government entity can expect its constituents to fund budgets that have not been tightened in the same way.

The school system has to make some hard decisions to run in the black. This crisis has been coming for years. This is one issue where I break with a lot of my friends. I voted "NO" to the school bond. The first time when it was defeated, and the second time, when it passed. Today, I would still vote NO. I think the district makes a lot of bad mistakes financially in the business of educating our children, and then pass bonds and raise taxes to put a bandaid on the situation after the fact. I haven't publicly stated this before, but I was OFFENDED (and I don't get offended easily) when t

In theory, that's true. That's what many of us believe. But the truth is that it is NOT verified. If they do "spot checks", you might find a few whose applications have been reviewed. The majority of these applications are approved without any review. Proof of employment, W2s, income tax statements, etc. are not required. I also know many who do the same thing with Peachcare. They claim a certain (low) level of income, and proof is NOT required.

Remind me to tell you about a conversation I overheard at the ballpark one day. They don't require any "proof" for free lunch. Parents sign up for it, fill out the forms, and are approved. No proof necessary.

I am 100% in favor of school vouchers. I believe in the healthy competition it would bring to education. Many factors come into play when making decisions about what is best for each individual child. The voucher system would give parents the control over the decisions for their child(ren). I don't mind paying the school for textbooks and other resources. But I do not like the idea of buying books for a curriculum that will be changed in 1-2 years. THAT is one of the biggest problems I see with our system. I'm all for progress, but "changing it up" every other year or so is not healt

I was at the mall last night, and nothing happened. BS is probably just....BSing. :rofl:

Polk County just made this decision this week. They will have a 160 day calendar next year.

I heard it, too! I hate that when I hear a helicopter that low, it usually means tragedy for someone.

When my friends and I played "make believe" I always used the same pseudonym....Victoria Rhinehart. I thought that was the most beautiful and elegant name EVER! I even had a boyfriend in middle school whose last name was Rhinehart. I was so disappointed when it didn't work out!

I am praying for your sister, you, and the rest of the family. May her healing be swift and complete!

And - speaking for myself - I find the coverage a necessary expense!

Don't count out Fels-Naptha! Last week, I had to be out late, so I asked my husband to start the baseball laundry. He went ahead and washed and dried the baseball pants with only a spray of Shout! (The HORROR!!!) Anyway, the next night, I rubbed FN into the knee stain like I normally do, rinsed them and washed with hot water. It came out! I'm telling you, it's the I haven't found anything yet that it won't get out! (I even spilled grease on my favorite pair of khakis. I thought they were finished. Nope - came right out!) Fels-Naptha! (And it smells good, too!) :yahoo: