Interesting find on the MEA webpage - It's from their online magazine "MEA Voice"
Look at page 15 - Feature column on privatization of the Marshall custodians.
http://mea.org/voice/2009Sept/62AC8D517E82CF48BE494CCBC31C6FFC/index.html
Thoughts??
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«Oldest ‹Older 801 – 906 of 906To quote from a previous post:
"We have had two organized groups dominate school board politics over the last two decades. The first group included people like Jeff Albaugh, Lou G, etc. who dominated the school board until about 7 years ago. I am not saying they were all organized but for the most part worked together. This group also generally supported Lou G. and were not quick to change the Redskin name.
The secretive group that dominates the school board now started with those who were staunchly anti-Lou G. and anti-Redskin. This group is supposedly highly organized and have been for many years. They include the Frankes, especially Marsha Franke, Georgia Marsh, and of course Paul Beardslee, Dan Stulberg, Janice Darling, Vic Potter and probably to a lesser extent Ali Webb and supposedly even John Coulter and Annette Campeau. Their goal was supposedly to "fix problems" and replace the Redskin name. They also are quite hostile towards anyone seen as being close to Lou G. or any former leaders, which is why they probably despised Rich Hulkow and Ron Behrenwald. They organized people to run for the school board until they could take over. You gotta give them credit for their persistence! So far no other organized group has stepped up to run candidates for an eventual takeover of the school board, so they have 100% of the power the last five years! If someone truly independent, perhaps like Bill DeSmet, runs they will first try to bring them in under their wings. If that fails they will treat them like crap like they did to Sam Ramon and Bob Lyng. So if you want to run and not support their agenda, then plan on getting nothing done and being treated badly for at least the next four years! Also they likely make their decisions outside of regular board meetings, so understanding how they think or knowing what is really going on is very difficult.
This group, or some call it a clique, has run the Marshall schools for at least the last six years and deserves all the credit, or blame, for Joyce Phillips, Amy Jones, Brian Metcalf, Bryan Klochack, battles with the staff, raises doled out to their cronies, several big and many smaller scandals, firing the custodians, forcing out key staffers and everything else that has happened connected to their decisions and actions!
This is all well known amongst the school staff. Glad to be retired now!"
That is pretty much what I have heard. But I think they are less united now that so many things have changed in the MPS.
I think the board and administrators need to look into the problems of drugs at MMS and MHS, nothing new it has been a problem at both schools for years.
Also MHS does need a much better administrative presence after school and on weekends. Will Tom Duffy also be an assistant Principal with authority to take action against students after school and on weekends similar to what Coach Hulkow did? Will he be around as much as Coach Hulkow was, which was a lot?
Remember the PR plan:
"We have a new superintendent."
"We are all working together"
"Everything is going just peachy"
"We are all doing "excellence" in the Marshall schools."
"We have 'fixed' all of the problems"
Memorize and repeat often. Don't ask questions and don't criticize.
You forgot a few:
"We are working on it" (Whatever you ask the board about)
"You are the only one to tell me this" (say you tell a board member about one of the many known problems or issues AND you know others have said the same thing before)
"Kathy Petrich chose to resign, we wished her well"
"Ron Behrenwald chose to resign too, we wished him well too."
"Rich Hulkow, that was a contract and budget issue, but we wish him well as he moves on."
"The state police looked into it and cleared Joyce Phillips and Amy Jones."
"There will be an item by item rebuttal to the MEA article claiming there was little savings, if any, to firing the Marshall custodians."
"We want input on how we can cut $750,000, any suggestions?"
Hey, STEP UP OR SHUT UP!
How many signed up to run for school board seats against current board members?
Loosers!
It's always amusing to be disrespected by bad spellers.
In response to two above, its that mentality that appears to dominate our school board. No wonder there are so many problems!
Who is running for the school board in May?
I know that Ali Webb and John Coulter are up for re-election. John has said publicly he did not plan to run again. Are these two running for re-election? Did anyone else register to run?
I actually would like to see John run again! Ali can leave the board.
This is a testament to local news coverage - or lack thereof. It's uncontested. Ali and Richard C. Lindsey, Jr., who seems to practice law in Jackson.
I hope Mr. Lindsey was not recruited by the Frankes, Marsh's and Beardslee's to join the "clique" that runs the board! We need honest and independent people who look out for the best interests of the schools, the students and the community!
Supposedly they recruited John Coulter four years ago but have been disappointed by his independence. They prefer a rubber stamp.
Big cuts, massive cuts, coming soon! Revenge time again?
Hip, Hip, HOORAY!
Hip, Hip, HOORAY!
Hip, Hip, HOORAY!
Supt. Davis, we are still waiting for the item by item rebuttal you promised to the MEA article:
http://mea.org/voice/2009Sept/62AC8D517E82CF48BE494CCBC31C6FFC/index.html
The article claims Marshall did not save much by firing all the custodians. Supt. Davis's reputation is on the line. We are still waiting many months later!
Correction, the MPS spent MORE the year after firing the custodians. The year prior spending went down about $210,000! So where are the promised $366,000 per year in savings since then? These poor souls only made $12.21/hr or less. Were these cuts to try to offset losses and waste due to mismanagement, undeserved raises for administrators, legal bills and highly paid outside consultant bills to help people do their jobs that they were too incompetent to do themselves? Was it worth firing the custodians if it cost us a $35 million bond? How many millions could have been saved had the bond passed in this poor economy and the bids brought in bargain prices for remodeling that would have been completed or going on right now!
Who cares why they were fired or if any money was saved? Its over, its history, they are not coming back no matter what.
Randy Davis does not owe anyone an explanation. If he doesn't want to comment further that is up to him and the school board. If you take the time and run for the school board then you can pressure him to comment. If not then shut up, the Superintendent and the school board have more important things to do and more important people than you to listen to!
STEP UP OR SHUT UP!
Randy Davis may not owe anyone an explanation, but when you publically state you are going to write an item by item rebuttal, and then never even attempt to do it, some might think you are an "all talk, no action" type. Others might even question your credibility!
What credibility? We knew from the get go he had no meaningful experience in education. His only education job was helping to run Athens into the ground. He was an inexperienced and weak candidate at best when he was hired, everyone knew this! The board wanted someone they can control and manipulate! They have gotten away with so much crap the last five years they could give a hoot what anyone else thinks! Randy of course has no item by item defense. It was all smoke and mirrors! We all knew this when he said it! Credibility? Who cares! "All talk and no action"? Of course!
To the poster above who cannot come up with any facts and can only make 'stupid statements' like: Step up or Shut up. That is the EXACT PROBLEM AND WHY I WILL NOT SUPPORT A BOND PROPOSAL THIS YEAR. Many have stepped up, spoke up and suffered the consequences of doing so. To made statements to the affect of: "Hip Hip Hooray - massive cuts are coming - be ready...etc etc etc". This type of attack on school employees WHO ARE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM - are so very damaging to the school system. These types of statements are hurting the possible repair of the relationships that have gone a muck in the past 5 years.
Now - to talk about 'massive cuts, be ready, hip hip hooray...' while the board is trying to quietly push a bond through is pretty dumb.
If the taxpayers are not smart about the upcoming bond in May and the importance of getting out and voting - the taxpayers will be wondering how they are going to pay for these bond requests. The quieter the board is about the bond and it's affect on your household - the less voters - which means - THE PEOPLE IN MARSHALL THAT WANT THE BOND TO PASS WILL HAVE THEIR SILENT DRIVE TO GET OUT AND VOTE WITH THE BOND SUPPORTERS. THOSE WHO SIT IN THEIR HOMES - NEED TO REMEMBER TO GET OUT AND VOTE. This bond, during a great time of recession, will hurt many residents in Marshall. Now is not the time to pass a bond - too many companies closed in Marshall - too many residents looking for jobs. HOW DO THE ELITE THINK THE JOBLESS ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS INCREASE IN TAXES???????
Davis is the one that spoke up publicly and made the statement ' his point by point rebuttal to the MEA article regarding the cost of outsourcing our local custodians'. This was taken as a promise of item by item rebuttal - which has not come to fruitation. Why would a community suffering economic loss want to vote in a tax increase while once again the top administrator promises something and it never happens?
I would suggest to the 'step up or shut up' blogger to state facts. By reading your posts for several weeks now I can clearly see 'you have NO FACTS' All you have is the garbage you are being fed - get away from your keyboard - talk to retirees of the MPS district, talk to employees (if they are not too frightened to speak)....just seek facts instead of your constant unwarranted attacks. NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO RUN FOR BOARD. THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY POLITICS INVOLVED. NOT ALL OF US CAN TALK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF OUR MOUTHS. (I am speaking facts as I have had many many dealings with speaking to board members - being told one thing while another is being pushed through).
How about this to you: Sit Down and Shut Up if you can't speak facts!!!!!
Lets speak facts. Instead of assuming. I asked some people who know and was told Randy did send a response to the paper that printed that article and of course paper has not printed it.Being a MTA paper it wont print facts. Cleaning contract is up for bid again. Why dont you stupid people get involved and see for your self if it is saving money. I heard it has saved 600,000 over 3 years. A lot of schools are now going to this, must be cheaper.
Cheaper maybe! But what are we getting for our money? Less work, more turnover, extra charges for duties not specified in the contract?
Why was this rushed? Dirty Politics?
If firing the custodians cost us the last bond (which it did!), and the many construction bargains we would be getting right now (save million$) in this bad economy, and the current bond does not pass (I doubt it will)! then what will be the true cost of firing the custodians?
I bet we will be out millions, fall much further behind other area schools and set us years behind where we should be, if we ever fully recover. The $35 mil in renovations that could be happening now, the $1.5 mil donated recording studio and the improved property values form better schools have all been lost!
It makes you wander what they were thinking? Or were they thinking at all? Groupthink at its worst!!!
I would vote for the bond if I trusted the leaders. The same group still runs the show. I do not trust them with my tax dollars. They have wasted and squandered way too much money already.
I doubt Randy Davis sent an item by item rebuttal to the MEA magazine. They probably made this up.
I don't know why he would only send it to the MEA magazine. It seems he would send it to the ad-visor, and the BC Enquirer, the paper that quoted him saying he would give an item by item rebuttal. As for the poster who asked people "who know" and they told you he sent in a rebuttal, and you really believe that?
They say that because he did not actually doit. If he had you can be sure it would have been shared in the local newspaper as it was covered in the Chronicle when it happened. Also the board would have copies to share and handout. So far no copies of the alleged rebuttal have emerged. No doubt it does not exist!
Well very nice. Once again - we are going to be fed a story. Now we blame the newspaper for not printing the article. What would you say if I told you the paper never received any such article. MEA articles are 'factual based' articles. The article also stated the Midland school system had not realized any cost savings - but had cost extra money. These contract ALWAYS cost extra money. The turnover at HRBS is one of the issues other districts are dissatisfied with. You are getting less for your buck.
Perhaps Dr. Davis would like to make 'the article' public. He has several tools at his disposal to publish his rebuttal. I wonder if he will do so - or are we to believe the above poster. MEA has no information regarding a rebuttal. The BC Enquirer has no information about it - I wonder if the Advisor has lost the rebuttal?
Hum? Let's see those facts - perhaps on the 'technology at MPS'. How about the school web page? How about here?
Easy to make these statements but really where are the savings?????
I do not feel it is a good economical time to ask our taxpayers for any dollars other than the bond renewal for operating. Where are the businesses in Marshall? Where are the residents who had all these jobs that are gone in Marshall? Will more tax dollars cause more homes to be lost by area residents?
Step up and Voice the FACTS! Where are the cost savings in outsourcing our 24 local custodial jobs?
Hum?
We have had two organized groups dominate school board politics over the last two decades. The first group included people like Jeff Albaugh, Lou G, etc. who dominated the school board until about 7 years ago. I am not saying they were all organized but for the most part worked together. This group also generally supported Lou G. and were not quick to change the Redskin name.
The secretive group that dominates the school board now started with those who were staunchly anti-Lou G. and anti-Redskin. This group is supposedly highly organized and have been for many years. They include the Frankes, especially Marsha Franke, Georgia Marsh, and of course Paul Beardslee, Dan Stulberg, Janice Darling, Vic Potter and probably to a lesser extent Ali Webb and supposedly even John Coulter and Annette Campeau. Their goal was supposedly to "fix problems" and replace the Redskin name. They also are quite hostile towards anyone seen as being close to Lou G. or any former leaders, which is why they probably despised Rich Hulkow and Ron Behrenwald. They organized people to run for the school board until they could take over. You gotta give them credit for their persistence! So far no other organized group has stepped up to run candidates for an eventual takeover of the school board, so they have 100% of the power the last five years! If someone truly independent, perhaps like Bill DeSmet, runs they will first try to bring them in under their wings. If that fails they will treat them like crap like they did to Sam Ramon and Bob Lyng. So if you want to run and not support their agenda, then plan on getting nothing done and being treated badly for at least the next four years! Also they likely make their decisions outside of regular board meetings, so understanding how they think or knowing what is really going on is very difficult.
This group, or some call it a "clique", has run the Marshall schools for at least the last six years and deserves all the credit, or blame, for Joyce Phillips, Amy Jones, Brian Metcalf, Bryan Klochack, battles with the staff, raises doled out to their cronies, several big and many smaller scandals, firing the custodians, forcing out key staffers and everything else that has happened connected to their decisions and actions!
This is all well known among the school staff.
Randy Davis only has to answer to the school board and can ignore just about everyone else. There will be no rebuttal to the MEA article!
That's exactly what Joyce Phillips did, and look at how well that worked for her! Any good school board would not have renewed her contract after the first year and the first round of scandals and lies. For some mysterious reason she was given a three year contract extension and big raises to guarantee she got her five years so she can get a 2nd Michigan retirement. Yes they protected her (big consultant and legal fee$?) and used her to carry out their agenda. Look how well that turned out (Behrenwald, Petrich, firing custodians, fighting with the staff, losing the bond, and so on).
Now it appears they are doing the same thing with Randy Davis, another ill-qualified weak superintendent who is not going anywhere and will do anything to keep his job. Nothing has really changed since last year. All hopes have been dashed and the bond is in peril because of this.
Ok, the board attitude is "STEP UP OR SHUT UP." Actually it feels more like "SHUT UP AND GIVE UP" on our schools and our community. That is what more and more people have done the last five years. The kids are the ones who will lose the most form these adult self-serving conflicts.
They will not go public with a rebuttal because it will stir up the bad feelings from the firing of the custodians. The debate will remind everyone of the problems and they do not want to do that as it will hurt support for the bond. Firing the custodians cost the Marshall schools the last school bond. They are trying to avoid a repeat.
Now another round of big cuts! I have heard some rumors about some very painful cuts. What about rolling back the big raises that JKP loyalists and the superintendent got in the last few years? That would be my first area to cut!
To above poster, Are you as stupid as you write? If they are saving 600,000 or what ever it is who cares if they charge for extras.I have been in middle school and it is cleaner than it ever has been. Cheaper and cleaner, WOW. I also read back quite a few post, found more lies.I checked out one lie.Some stupid person said school district bought supplies and equipment for cleaning. I checked with grand rapids company and was told they supply all equipment and supplies. This blog is full of lies,I am glad some of us are trying to find facts
http://www.marshallmirror.com/local_schools/656-schools_asking_59_tax_increase
Agree or disagree? Share below.
To two above:
The buying of new equipment is a well-known fact going back to Amy Jones comments at a board meeting around the time the new company was hired. I asked a board member at the time and they said it was part of the deal. You may want to doublecheck the facts and question your sources.
We do not know the savings as this information has not been shared "item by item" as promised by Supt. Davis. We are still waiting.
What if the firings, poorly timed before a crucial bond, cost the MPS the last bond? The economy was much better last year so it should have been much easier to pass the bond then. Also the bids would have went out in a very bad economy which could have easily saved millions according to a friend I know in construction. This does not include the offer to donate a $1.5 mil recording studio had the bond passed, which is not being offered so far this time around. We could easily be out many millions dollars, was it worth it to rush the vote to fire the custodians when they did? Most people I know think they should have waited at least one more year and carefully considered their options.
Why were they in a big rush? If saving money was such a big issue, why has so much been doled out in legal fees, expensive consultants and administrative raises?
Lots of questions but unfortunately it is too late to undo all of the damage. So far things are not any better this year than last, so I doubt the bond will pass this time around either.
Who agrees or disagrees? Rather than just shouting insults, lets hear the details of your opinions and ideas about what is best for the Marshall schools! :-)
To the stupid above poster. Call Grandrapids cleaning company your self and ask them, from the horses mouth so to speak.Run for school board,they need somebody with all the answers and history you seem to know.Iwish I had all day to make up stories and then believe them. Stupid people like you keep psychologial clinics busy. Pop a pill and dream up some more lies.Sweet dreams.
NIce to hear a reasoned, rational, opinion that carefully lays out its argument in a civil manner and offers another point-of-view. ;)
If the school board members and their supporters think and talk like this, we are much worse off than I thought!
To 2 above, why in the world would I call the cleaning company in GR to find out what the Marshall schools purchased?
My other concern is would the superintendent be honest about what equipment was purchased in 2007 or would they hide the purchases elsewhere in the budget and cook the books to make things look much better for themselves? We all know Joyce Phillips would do that along with Amy Jones and their board supporters. These same board members still run the show, so why would anything change?
I have already asked people on the inside who know very well what happened and I know from several different good sources that equipment was purchased. It was in the paper at the time too. So this pretending that did not happen is either ignorance or a lie.
No wonder "trust is lost."
We need a new thread, this one is too long!
Nobody cares what anyone on here thinks! Its a waste of time. If you cannot get anyone to run for the school board, or recall the board members you do not like, then you cannot change anything!
The custodians are not coming back, neither is anyone else who is gone. Joyce's retirement is secure and the money spent in the past is spent. The superintendent will NOT be taking a pay cut, nor will anyone else the board considers a good loyal employee who does their job..
You losers have no power! The world has changed and there are people in charge with a new view of things. The teacher better get used to it because big cuts and big changes are coming soon! If I were them I would start doing my job and keeping my mouth shut!!!
Face it- you LOSE!!!!!!!!!!
Why do I feel the Marshall schools are still on a downward slide? Why does it feel like the bond will fail, massive cuts are coming soon, and staff morale and community support will fall even lower?
Why does it feel like most of the school board could care less?
A New Hampshire high school English teacher is charged with indecent exposure and lewdness for allegedly sending nude photos of herself to a 15-year-old male student, who then forwarded the images to his classmates.
More and more, "FOR THE KIDS"!
The upcoming cuts have me worried too, especially since some of our board member seem eager to fire more teachers and support staff.
To two above, as pay and benefits get worse, along with a hostile attitude towards teachers, it will become harder and harder to find the best people to go into education.
We have already seen a quality drop in recent years as most of our top students choose other career fields because they pay far better! So don't be surprised if cheaper, and lower quality, teachers have and create more problems.
You get what you respect and pay for!
I find it really funny that our school board can't even pass a bond due to stupidity and they call everyone else losers!
I think it all boils down to egos and power trips. Most, but not all, of our school board went on an ego-driven power trip to take over the school board and then wield their power any way they please. They went after people they did not like and rewarded those who kissed their behind. Like a bull in a china shop it did not take long and they were making a mess out of things. They then targeted the Marshall Chronicle (threatened lawsuit, remember they have big big money behind them!) for reporting in depth about the various problems and scandals. Yes, the Chronicle used to do real journalism when Shelley Sulser was there. They targeted her and she is gone. The Chronicle now does little more than publish school press releases. They fought with the MTA, some of the best Principals, the community, , the support staff, and then wondered why nobody likes them and why things are in such a mess. Firing the custodians was primarily a power trip. The custodians knew a lot and told others what was going on. For this they were targeted.
Remember that Kathy Petrich was a devout Christian who would encourage everyone to love their enemies and pray for them. Despite what Joyce Phillips, Brian Metcalf, Bryan Klochack and the school board did to her, she would love and pray for them in return!
The cycle of hate and anger is bringing everyone down. There will be no true justice in this life, some people get away with some very bad deeds at least for a while. Its time for love and forgiveness to prevail. Who knows, some cold, sad and dark hearts of some school board members may even change and want to become just and good!
I would have felt very bad and resigned had I done everything I could to make an employee's life hell just because she organized a staff survey that showed how poorly Joyce Phillips and some of the top administrators were doing. To add insult to injury they bought Joyce Flowers the night they were supposed to address the survey while threatening the teachers, especially Kathy!
The school board should have done the opposite and worked with her to carefully evaluate the survey results. Had they done this it would have been obvious, as the staff knew all along, that Joyce Phillips had to go and that new leadership was needed way back then!
Had the board done this and worked with Kathy and the staff things would be going much better now in the Marshall schools and my guess is that Kathy would still be at MHS leading the choir, under Principal Ron Behrenwald!
Look what happened when the community spoke up and reversed the board and Phillip's plans to get rid of Coach Hulkow last year, they went on to win the state championship!
Imagine how much better things would be had the board taken positive steps when they had a golden opportunity when the staff survey came out?
The last bond would have passed easily and the needed renovations would be going on now. Staff morale and community support and trust would be way better!
The board gets angry when people keep brining up all the lives they have ruined and all the bad people they rewarded and protected. That is supposed to be under the rug or blamed on JKP.
Some MPS board members have denied there was a controversy last spring about whether or not they would keep Coach Hulkow around. They are pretending this never happened.
Well guess what? The Chronicle has not updated their online edition since last April and the cover story is about that topic. Check it out:
http://chronicleadvisor.blogspot.com/
I am sick and tired of all the lies coming from the school board. Why would anyone trust them with a $35 million bond?
And so far Randy Davis has let us all down. Where are the big changes we were expecting? Its the same nonsense we had before.
It sickens me that we, Michigan taxpayers, are giving Joyce Phillips $20,000/year for life after all the bad things and lies she did in our district!
Why did the board back her and protect her like they did? I wish they cared as much about their own teachers and students!
Marshall school board meeting tonight 7 pm 3-8-10 at the Middle School.
Go here to get the link to see the agenda:
http://www.marshall.k12.mi.us/
Come out and find out what is really going on. If you have questions ask a school board member or address the school board. Lots of big decisions coming up as almost $1 million in cuts are being considered.
I have just read the whole above page of posts. Once again, two months prior to the August 2007 meeting regarding the 'firing' of all local custodians. There were 2400 signatures gathered within 8 days of local citizens saying they did not support the Board in this thinking - outsourcing custodians.
In June 2007 (2 months prior) equipment began arriving at the high school loading dock. ALL THIS EQUIPMENT WAS GIVEN TO OUR LOCAL CUSTODIANS TO BE ASSEMBLED AND SET ASIDE. Our local resident custodians had to assemble the equipment that was being ordered for the new cleaning company.
NOW - IF A PERSON ACTUALLY SPOKE TO CUSTODIANS WHILE THEY WERE DIRECTED TO ASSEMBLE THE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THE NEW COMPANY - even before the decision was made public....how can anyone say this information is incorrect or a lie????? My eyes say these guys working on the assembly of equipment. My mouth asked the pertinent questions: "hey - are you guys finally getting proper equipment to do your cleaning job?" My ears heard the answers from the persons assemblying the equipment....
How about the high up, holier than thou, entitlement attitude getting dropped. You cannot just post a statement and credit it as 'THE TRUTH' unless of course - you have had day to day experience working at the MPS system. Facts vs. the figment of your imagination....Hum
Should the Marshall schools join the Math and Science center?
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20100309/NEWS01/3090318/Marshall+weighs+Math+and+Science+Center+option
What do you think? Would it lead to cuts in advanced classes at MHS? Do we have well-qualified teachers to teach advanced math and science classes properly at MHS? Some board members apparently think "no". Which is better for the students?
Marshall would be better to put their money into dual enrollment at KCC for advanced classes.
Would it make sense for whomever is running this site to, oh, I don't know, start a new post?
You have 830 comments on a million topics all under the old post about that MEA / privatization story.
It is hard to respect the validity of this site when it appears so disorganized.
The person who started this site is a college student I think.
This web site started when the school board, Joyce Phillips and their big money backers started using extreme measures (threats of lawsuits against the Chronicle and teachers union, pressured out critics from the Marshall schools, fired the custodians for speaking up, and other threats) to stifle debate, criticism and to cover up several ongoing scandals and blunders of management. One teacher forced out passed away a week after she was forced out! Yes, things were that bad, and not much better now!
I hope whoever started this web site starts a new thread soon. Those new to this site can read posts from the last four years to learn about issues in the MPS.
Marshall is losing students because of their lack of participation in the Math and Science center.
marshall is losing students because no one wants to go to a dump that is falling apart and a known fact no one wants to put up with high school do gooders that are wrapped around the board members fingers
The originator of this site....IS NOT A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. Just wanted to straighten out one fact that I know is accurate.
A new thread would be nice - - - but the bottom line - - - Davis has not brought this thread to closure. Unfortunately - Dr. Davis must not have understood what this district has and is going through. He should never have made a statement he did not intend on following through with.
Where are the savings in outsourcing the jobs of 24 local TAXPAYING custodians? Where is the rebuttal to the MEA article? Basically Davis stated the MEA article was lacking accuracy and he would bring to light the actual facts. WHERE ARE THE SAVINGS?
More job losses in Marshall!!!! Campbells Soup lays off employees. Why, in such a small community school district, is the Board asking for more tax dollars when it appears many of our residents do not know how they are going to pay the taxes they are already faced with.
I agree to yes on the renewal of the operating budget....NO ON ALL THE EXTRAS
Where is Mike R when you need him. You can go back many post and find more lies, makes for good fiction.
The bond will be even a tougher sell this time around because of the bad economy.
The school board blew the last bond by firing the custodians (despite over 2000 signatures to keep them) and support Joyce Phillips and all of her nasty deeds. Now they are as arrogant as ever and have admitted no past mistakes. Nothing learned nothing changed! I do not trust them! We need new and better leadership before a bond will pass. I know a lot of people who feel this way.
As a Marshall teacher I urge support for the bond because the school facilities in many areas are very outdated and in need or remodeling and updating. Go visit the schools yourself. Tour MHS and then tour Lakeview, Harper Creek and Pennfield. Its embarrassing.
I will support the first bond but not the auditorium bond. I think we can remodel the MMS auditorium and the current MHS one and get by ok.
I have spent years in the school buildings. I do agree - the buildings are in need of repair. But - in this time of economic crisis - I do not personally feel we need to ask for a brand new auditorium - and I do not believe many of our local taxpayers can afford any type of increase in their expenses. I have always felt it takes 5 years to turn things around - perhaps it would be smarter to wait for a year or so for sound equity - without cuts to staff and programs - then it would be a better fit. When you can balance your budget - then ask for more tax dollars through bond requests.
Currently the state suffers 14.6% unemployment, the senate is voting to extend the usual 26 weeks of unemployment to 99 weeks with the maximun before tax weekly benefit $362....how do people keep their homes, pay their bills, and keep their taxes paid - while the elite who are obviously out of touch with the middle class crisis....how can we ask these unemployed residents to pay for a tax increase - while all michigan schools make drastic cuts.
I find it curious that the only school I am hearing about asking their taxpayers for new facilities....is Marshall.
Where are the savings in the most crucial decision to date 8/2007.....firing all custodians and replacing them with GRBS employees? I have also been reading this blogsite since its inception in 2006.....I have read the truths and the fabrications....but I can tell you the fabrications are not by the people working in the buildings each and every day. The fabrications are clearly by the board supporters posting on this site.
Still waiting for those facts!
To be fair to the school board they are taking advantage of a special funding opportunity for the bond. Also they think the bond may have a better chance to pass with a new superintendent.
The problems are:
- the economy took a dive
- not much really has changed
- people have not forgotten all the bad things from before, and some more have occurred since
-There is no offer to donate a $1.5 recording studio this time around
Will it pass? Not likely, definitely not the auditorium.
Special funding opportunities maybe - but in the end - who will pay the taxes with so many families losing their jobs? This special funding is available to other schools - but they seem to have the common sense - or understanding of the middle and lower class incomes - to not ask for MORE MONEY at this economic downward spiral time.
Not sure the elite in Marshall really understand the loss to so many families.
Where are the savings???? Could we have made a better decision than privatizing 24 local family custodians....these families have to pay school taxes too.
The so-called "elite" in Marshall have proven themselves to be fools time and time again. Look at how dysfunctional the school board has been at managing the Marshall schools for years now. The backroom deals made at Schulers or the Franke's house or wherever they meet have caused nothing but harm. Most should resign and then maybe we can pass the school bonds.
I do agree with those who say we should NOT join the BC Math & Science center and keep the focus on our own advanced courses.
I also hope we keep the 8 block even though it is much more expensive.
Great job Marshall boys basketball!
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20100313/HSSPORTS/3130323/Marshall-does-it-again
Terrific job to the students and the coaches!
Congrats to Coaches Hulkow and Coddens, despite being treated like crap by JKP and many school board members, you both persevered and did a great job for our schools! You both were angered by the way Ron Behrenwald and Kathy Petrich were treated, along with others, but hung in there to serve MHS so well! Keep up the good work and it is nice to see "excellence" still exists despite the efforts of some leaders to eradicate it from our schools.
Coach Coddens is very successful and was close to both Rich Hulkow and Ron Behrenwald. Now will he be targetted next?
Marshall needs...
More love and less hate
More friendships and less cliques
More listening and less yelling, gossip and insults
More self evaluation (look in a mirror) and turn away from sin
More caring about other people and less selfishness
More cooperation and when possible-compromise
More honesty and less lies
Better health and less unhealthy habits
Who needs improvement?
Everyone, we have all fallen short and we can all become a better person
Like in the movie "Pay It Forward" lets start right here in Marshall...
Do something nice each week, or each day, or several times a day for others...
Even those you may feel do not "deserve" it or have wronged you in the past...
In the spirit of Kathy Petrich, forgive those who have wronged you and love everyone!
God bless! :-)
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/03/two_principals_tech_staffer_la.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/03/allendale_schools_put_five_adm.html
Does that mean that one or more administrator will likely get cut in the Marshall schools? Isn't it true that Walters has about the same number of students as Hughes and Gordon combined? Then only one Principal may be needed for Gordon and Hughes, so that means the lowest seniority Elementary Principal would get laid off?
Is the Tech Director coming back? Last I heard he is not. Will that position be cut and have the responsibilities moved to other administrators?
What about the rest of the $750,000+ in cuts? How will this all affect the bonds?
I think an outside audit is needed of all budgets and school records for the last six years. The financial situation in the Marshall schools should be far better! Where did all the money go when things were booming?
Didn't Linda Bennink "retire" and return under contract like Hulkow did? I bet she would be the first to go if they cut a principal.
Program cuts, staff cuts....BOND MONEY REQUEST....hum?
Whoe the bright one 3 post up? I understand when Sam@Bob brought Joyce in the district was almost 1 million dollars in hole for general fund, When Joyce left district was 1.2 million in the black. Must be Lou's expense account was to high. We should thank sam@Bob for bringing in Joyce to right the ship.
Actually you can blame "take the money and run" Bob Currie who ran things for two years before he left and paid himself $70,000 on his way out the door for "sick days" in one of the most overtly corrupt acts of the decade. Even Joyce was better than him! Wow we have had some duds in charge!
Sam and Bob did in fact support Joyce Phillips when they first hired her, as did Dan DeGood and many others. But to their credit when Joyce turned out to be something very different than they first thought, very bad for the MPS, all three of these guys spoke out against her. They did not blindly support her like the others on the school board.
Is there any way to pass a millage or something to offset the huge cuts planned?
OK genius - if Joycy left the district 1.2 mil in the black....why has there been nothing but talk of being broke, staff cuts, program cuts....where is the money. Is MPS still playing the shell game? Bob Currie was not in the district as supt. long enough to do any damage. Bob is the one that had the ISD do an audit and was the initial one to determine the district was closer to the state takeover of district that anyone knew.
Of course Sam & Bob supported the hiring of Joyce. Joyce Phillips was an artist at 'talking the talk' but she never tried to 'do the walk'. She was a hired puppet....nothing more....nothing less. She was manipulated by the elite in Marshall. You know the elite...the ones that obviously do not understand job loss, home foreclosure, and Marshall residents that are not able to pay their back taxes. The elite are the ones that are pushing for the bond....(some of who are upset that the auditorium construction is not being included - people will be given a separate bond choice).
Sam and Bob will be the first to admit they were duped by the southern charm of Joyce....lol She and her narcistic personality did what she was hired to do. Attack, target, fire thus - trimming the budget.
Joyce's budget work was of two kinds. Cut programs, and thus the budget. Now we have less of a program to sell to prospective students.
The other tack was to push expenses to the future (now) so the past looked better.
Yes, there is a way to pass an operating millage. A little known part of Proposal A allows counties (ISDs) to pass up to 3 mills for operating.
Catch - it has to pass county wide (I think).
The CISD does pass mills but they use it for their own programs. Maybe they could do it and share with local schools. It would be a tough sell countywide.
Supt. Davis, right or wrong, was known for cutting the budget severely at Athens (maybe he had no choice) which lead to less offerings and more students leaving. As Athens lost students then more cuts were needed. This is a vicious cycle, I hope it does not happen to Marshall!
You misunderstand. This is not an ISD millage. It is a separate operating millage for the districts. It just has to be done county wide (I think).
Estimating cuts is fairly easy. If $800,000 needs to be cut and over 80% of the school budget is staff, then about $600,000-700,000 of the cuts will be staff, or from staff wages and benefits.
My guess is that at least ten staff will be cut. First priority will be where numbers are low, maybe at the elementary or MMS level. Another administrator or two could be cut. Do we need luxuries like orchestra or traveling middle school sports? Or the 8 block schedule at MHS? Can bussing be scaled back? Let the rural dwellers pay for bussing separate. Can more privatization take place, maybe bus drivers and secretaries?
These are the kinds of touch decisions that have to be made by volunteer nonpaid school board members. We should appreciate their service and efforts.
It's busing. Bussing is kissing.
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/bay-city/index.ssf/2010/03/torn_from_the_front_page_bango.html
Bay City Times editorializing on combining administrative duties.
I don't really think privitization is the answer, as we've seen with the custodians, no savings. Or maybe there is, but the super. has never pubically responded with his promised rebuttal. I think it's crazy to ask for a bond at such an economic time. Especially the seperate one for the auditorium, when we know electives will be the first cut. I don't appreciate the school board because they have shown themselves to make foolish decisions over and over again. I cannot appreciate and thank people for the slow downward spiral our school district is in. I will be voting NO on the bond. Not only for economic reasons, but also because I do not want to see more money wasted at the hands of the current board. SORRY :(
Check the dictionary - it is bussing. Busing is equal to the word fuse but there is not a word buse. Check out the Walters elementary entry sign - "bussing". could be one of those either or words but I do not believe so.
Bottom line: If MPS is making cuts to programs and staff - then IT IS NOT THE TIME TO ASK TAXPAYERS FOR MONEY TOWARDS ANYTHING BUT OPERATIONS TO CONTINUE.
It is very suspicious that the bond issue is being kept QUIET. That equates to this: The less people that know how this school bond will affect their taxes - the less likely the voter turnout will be high - thus - all the elite will get out and vote and bring with them the elderly (nursing home residents) and the bond would pass. This is a quiet movement. Each and every voter should be casting their vote - board seats set aside - the bottom line is many will not be able to afford any type of increase in their taxes. Social security checks did not get any increase this year - jobs have been lost locally - and trust has not been restored with this Board or Supt. The less attention that is brought to the requests for tax increases = less people that would vote it down to get out and vote. Putting the bond vote on your calendar is crucial in Marshall this May.
Note time to up taxes - for any Marshall residents. Very curious what people think about Marshall appearing to currently be the only local school district that is asking for additional funding. Has anyone heard of any other school district locally that does not understand the economy enough to understand that NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO ASK FOR TAXPAYER INCREASES.
People who owe back taxes from 2007 have until the end of March to pay or face foreclosure by the county.
As of Thursday, 755 Muskegon County properties were at risk. In Calhoun County, there were 559, and Kent County had 413.
County officials told 24 Hour News 8 they expect a late rush of payments, but may foreclose on more than 100 properties.
The list as of Thursday:
•Kalamazoo County: 377 properties, foreclosed on about 100 last year
•Kent county: 413 properties, 102 foreclosed last year
•Muskegon: 755 properties, 203 foreclosures last year
•Allegan: 216 now, 23 last year
•Ionia: 85 now, about 11 last year
•Barry: 105 now, about 19 last year
•Calhoun: 559 now, 185 last year
•Van Buren: 253 now, 50 last year
•Montcalm: 124 now, about 30 last year
•Eaton: 111 right now, 35 last year (county record)
with these numbers how can anyone want to vote for more taxes. VOTE NO ON BOND!
What if the bond does not pass and there are $750,000 in cuts? The Marshall schools will be in even much worse shape than they are now with little hope of a turnaround!
Can we solicit donations from the anonymous donor? HIs $200,000 donation for instruments will not help much if music is slashed. Or his offer to donate $1.5 mil last time around for a Broadcast studio may be better used in other areas. I also hear one of the families that is close to the school board are worth as much as $20+ million! Could they donate to help the schools?
I think everyone is giving up. Notice not even the anonymous donor is offering an incentive to build the recording studio again? The missed opportunities may be gone forever.
In other words, firing the custodians and the school board supporting Joyce Phillips for 3 extra years of mismanagement may have cost us at least $36.5 million (last bond plus studio) if this bond does not pass?
We will pay the price for the damage done the last six years for decades to come. It was a disaster for the schools, the community and the kids! Not much has changed, so the current bonds are likely to fail too.
Now we are all supposed to pretend that all is well, nothing bad happened in the past, and we are all cooperating, communicating and happy together!
Hey, we need a new thread here! This one is way too long and off topic.
Cuts cuts cuts! Ha ha ha!
DIAF, numbnuts.
From the BC Enquirer 3-23.2010:
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20100323/NEWS01/3230314/Marshall+track+could+get+repairs
The track should get fixed- finally!
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