This is very well done, is it realistic? Tell me what you think....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
There was an error in this gadget
Search This Blog
Follow by Email
Pageviews past week
Popular Posts
-
This is the "note" from Ms. Zweig promoting her BOE brothers. Note she says "As a member of this community" not as a me...
-
Thanks for the link. Apparently this is the same LT as that who supports BBS and has a "preference" for our superintendent. http...
-
I was getting concerned that the silence was a sign of defeat for the GWS parents. Then in comes this post. I am sorry I let you down..... A...
-
This came in as a contribution on the "Sun has risen". It speaks to many and reflects the feelings of many more. Someday, we will ...
-
I found this discussion buried under a 4/20 post. It needs to be a new post and should be discussed as a voting option. Let's be informe...
-
Dear Communicus , A letter has been sent to many local businesses and residents asking for a boycott of the Sand Lake Advertiser and the bus...
-
The District has a $4.9 million gap to close. We discussed that tonight and how we need to raise awareness. "Let's write letters&qu...
-
Interesting strategy discussion here, thanks anon. I found this discussion buried under a 4/20 post. It needs to be a new post and should...
-
Administration 2013 Raises and a million dollar loan for theatre renovations? But we are cutting kindergarten hours, and oh yes, this sign ...
25 comments:
Trying to make this site an educational conversation? Good luck with that.
Thank you for your positive feedback.
Have a nice day...
Sorry bill, the only people allowed to have an educational discussion are Bridget ball and company. You should have known better than to show you are intelligent and informed about educational issues. The only people allowed to do that are district employees, especially adminstrators, and if bridget handles your dinances than you ate allowed to say more than the orhers. They are allowed to opine about everything concerning being a good person and getting a good education and the rest of us are the poor uneducated, ignorant slobs that have to foot the bill.
F them
Bill, I would love to hear YOUR opinion on education. We would LOVE to have a Montessori based educational system for our kids... yes, it works well for LOTS of kids. BUT we all know that it costs much more than the "factory" type education that we now have. I
t feels like you are teasing us with an education for our kids that we will never see/be able to afford, given our small town with most who do not want/can not afford higher taxes ( evidenced by our budget votes over the years) coupled with a state who is currently make big cuts to education. Are you really willing to put yourself out there and get a Montessori type education for our youth? If not, then why tease us with it? This systems needs small classrooms, ample materials etc. It would be a very tough sell as our community seems to value low taxes over education. Also, a system like this does not fit in with the federal and state testing standards that teachers currently have to teach to, which is why it works well in private school....
Your thoughts? Thanks.
I found this presentation to be fascinating. I haven't had time to follow up with the "facts" cited by the presenter.
I was looking for some of you who have the experience and knowledge to give it a thumbs up or down. Thats all.
Ideas?
I have an idea - instead of paying for before care and aftercare, students from the high school, could provide childcare - BUT, with sooooo many reasons why NOT to do something, we will never look into alternatives, to learning, childcare, etc.
Some communities have co-ops for childcare - but we "can't" do that, can we? Somebody would lose money, wouldn't they? Lawyers would have an "opinion".
Have the overpaid teachers signed a new agreement? Where do we think they fit into this scenario?
I personally cannot wait until the day when human teachers are no longer needed, and children will stay home and learn, via a computer. Our district is a prime example of how no one "gets along" unless the almighty dollar is dangling in front of someone's face.
The union teachers had it all wrong on their t-shirts, when it said "It's all about the kids".
Bill, in APCSD, "It's all about the Benjamins", and the politics.
So, 5:52, you want our HS students to watch your children "instead of paying" for that service? Do you know any HS students? They are busy: they work for their own clothes, books, hobbies, gas money, play sports, join clubs, do homework, have a family, etc. You can certainly hire a HS student to watch your kids after school, but I doubt that many would work 5 afternoons a week for the school year for free. Would you have at that age?
HS begins at 7;40, so I am not sure how they could watch your kids before school too, unless you want them to miss class.
I don't see why you cannot start a child care co-op here in AP.... just not at the schools (insurance or whatever reasons you know of). You just have to have parents who are willing to work one day every couple of weeks and have kids who can adjust to multiple care takers! It does work... but you cannot expect it to to be all for free.. you have to give your time and energy. I am sure that there is empty space somewhere nearby!! Even that empty SL school building would work, if it is not sold in the near future!
Why not get a list of people who are interested in WORKING to start an off site co-op and begin brainstorming. It will never happen on its own!
I NEVER stated that the high school students should work for free.
This just proves people interject what they WANT to hear, and not what is said. The co-op part equated to parents and community members - and was and IDEA. A SUGGESTION. So calm down.
How many opportunities are there for high school students to earn money, here in this community? This COULD BE another job opportunity for them, and young children LOVE to be around older students, who pay attention to them.
Of course, when you portray high schoolers as only paying attention unless the "benjamins" are being waved around, you prove my point about the selfishness in this community. I DO NOT believe that ALL high school students are self centered and money seeking. I have seen many APCSD students give of their time, and not look for anything in return. But I was NOT suggesting that THEY provide free childcare.
See, every time someone makes a suggestion in this school "community", someone is standing nearby, waiting to shoot the idea right down.
Funny how it is always the parents who need to open their wallets - well, now it is time for people to open their minds. The parents don't have the money anymore. And, Greenbush Childcaring will find this out. Many people want to work, but the cost of childcare diminishes your take home pay. So perhaps a co-op is a win-win. OR, a high school student taught after care program, could provide jobs and skills. That is all I was suggesting.
To 7:03PM - To answer your "you want our HS students to watch your children "instead of paying" for that service? Do you know any HS students?"
I have a high school student, and so yeah, I guess I do "know" some high school students. And to further enlighten you, I have paid for APCSD childcare, for that same student, from K - 5th grade. At this point, I don't need to utilize childcare, as I do not have children who need it.
Apparently you want to start an argument, instead of a discussion.
See what I mean, good luck with trying to make this an educational conversation.....yes, have a nice day.
Sorry if I misinterpreted your idea... you had said (quote), "I have an idea - instead of paying for before care and aftercare, students from the high school, could provide childcare."
When I read this idea, it appeared to me that you wanted to use the HS students instead of paying for childcare services.
I love the idea of the co-op, but like I said, someone will have to DO something and be willing to put the work into. You do not need school approval if you are not using the school!! Just get it started!
Many wonderful AP people volunteer a great deal of time to this community.... football, youth soccer, youth running club, lacrosse club, religious education, library programs for pre schoolers, etc. The same thing could easily be done with childcare. Having volunteered countless hours to our community, I KNOW THAT IT CAN WORK.... start gathering people, delegating jobs, filling out paper work, get insurance, not for profit status and so on. The costs can be kept very low if parents are willing to give of themselves, not just for their kids, but for the youth of our community.
Well, I hope Greenbush Childcare hires some of our excellent high school students, as child care workers.
And to the indivdiual that stated this is not an "educational conversation", your head is somewhere that it doesn't belong. Apparently you don't understand that an AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, does not involve changing diapers and playing games. There SHOULD BE an educational component.
And, if you think ANY educational discussion from this point on, is solved by "THE BENJAMINS", and NOT creative problem solving, well, you must be crazy - or an APCSD Teacher. Did you sign a new contract yet?
This video really encapsulates the history of education and its flaws. We can make education more pragmatic and lateral, so to speak. Standardized tests are probably going away and teaching students to be 21st century thinkers requires vision and money. In the spirit of this dialoge, here is a simple, no cost suggestion: Starting this year, start HS @ the later time and the el. ed. schools at the earlier time, eliminating potentially most of the need for before care and the cost to us. Data show teenagers benefit from sleeping later and we all know the younger ones are up at the crack of dawn! What is the rationale for starting times that cost us parents so much money?
Not a teacher, administrator or anything else.....the video that was supposed to prompt the conversation is not a childcare video. I stand by my statement, It is unlikely that this forum will engender educational conversation.
Watch the video, it speaks to dramatic educational change. Childcare, cafeteria, transportation, and operations are important SUPPORT to the educational process. They become less so if one really listens to what this video discusses.
"Childcare, cafeteria, transportation, and operations are important SUPPORT to the educational process"? Really??
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for APCSD -breaking the backs of working parents $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
"Standardized tests are probably going away and teaching students to be 21st century thinkers requires vision and MONEY"?? OF COURSE!!! MORE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ - breaking the backs of working parents.
See how every "educational discussion" always reverts right back to "the benjamins"?
Today's education systems have been corrupted and transformed into money making, politically corrupt instituions. And APCSD is now a front runner in that mess. Absolutely we need to start high school LATER, and start the elementary earlier. BUT, guess who WON'T go for that? Our lovely teachers!!!! And again, I ask, HAVE THEY SIGNED A NEW CONTRACT YET????
God help the teachers and APCSD staff, when we all find out, what they got, off the backs of Taxpayers and Students, yet again......and when TEACHERS STOP making every discussion about $$$$$ they think they are owed, for all their hard work, then TRUE DISCUSSION about education can be held. Until that time, GET OFF the backs of working parents and Taxpayers, who years before, paid taxes to BUILD school buildings in APCSD, only to have them ROBBED AND SOLD OFF by the ADMINISTRATION of APCSD. We see what you do with tax dollars - you turn them into real estate deals - and how exactly, does THAT have ANYTHING to do with an educational discussion?
Perhaps we should more aptly name our district, the "Averill Park School and Real Estate Sales District"????
So we cut programs, cloased schools, but Sharon lawrence has posted a job opening for a :
Varsity Basketball Cheerleading Coach
2011-12 Academic Year
Term: 22 weeks from starting date
To begin November 7, 2011
QUALIFICATIONS: ¨ Teaching Certification
¨ Coaching Certification/Experience
¨ Phase I, II, and III Coaching Classes
¨ First Aid/CPR/AED Training
SALARY: As per APTA Agreement
ARE YOU F'N KIDDING US????????
A DISTRICT PAID CHEERLEADING COACH??????
I'm sorry, WHERE is the EDUCATION in THAT JOB?
How is a cheerleading coach different than a soccer coach or basketball coach or football coach? What are we teaching our children with this rhetoric?
I am so confused!
BBS please let me know when I should vote yes or no on issues that you can't vote on! Thanks for the help! Majority wins......I am sorry unless you are in the minority. I am still confused!
Bridget Ball Shaw
And speaking of firefighters ... I don't live in the town of West Sand Lake, so I'm not familiar with the issues regarding the proposal of a new firehouse, but I was so sad to see that big sign in the Exxon station telling people to vote no. I'm inclined to think that if the brave men and women who volunteer to risk their lives for their community feel they need a new facility, then they should be supported.
Confusing our children with what "rhetoric"???
Can you follow this?
There is a current job posted.
For a paid APCSD Cheerleading coach.
WE DO NOT NEED ONE, AT TAXPAYERS EXPENSE!!!!
Thanks for pointing our the other useless coaching jobs - football, soccer, the list goes on and on.
And to all the "taxpayers" who rant about no more taxes, but have their children in district paid sports programs, you are, in my opinion, the most hypocritical bunch around. Don't complain about high taxes, while your children participate in ANY DISTRICT PAID SPORT. You cannot speak out of both sides of your mouth, and expect anyone to take you seriously.
Pay for the sports YOURSELVES, and have the coaches be VOLUNTEER. And be HONEST, the ONLY REASON your kids are in DISTRICT PAID sports, are the hope of potential college scholarships. Unless of course, you are thinking you are raising the next Olympic athlete, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, then you are using taxpayer money, to help your kid get into college, by participating in an AP sport. Sports benefit only a minority number of students. And at this point, after closing schools, cutting other programs like music and health, and less instruction time, is it really a time to walk proudly on to ANY sports field, in Averill Park CSD?
I cannot believe we are paying for ANY sports coaching positions, at this time!
I know, let's ask "WWBBSD" (What would Bridget Ball Shaw do)? Perhaps she can open her wallet, let some Benjamins fly out, and solve ALL our problems!!
To August 19, 2011 9:55 AM----
You think it is unconscionable to pay coaches now! You have no idea how bad it is in APCSD.
The 2 varsity basketball coaches ran summer hoop camps in our facility(the taxpayers). To register the checks were sent to the coaches' respective home addresses(not to the booster club or a not-for-profit corp). The coaches presumably supplemented their salaries and coaches stipend to the tune of 1,000's of dollars. And who subsidized the camps - of course the taxpayers because the individual coaches, in their individual capacities, paid 0.00 for the facilities.
This is a clear violation of the Education Law for school districts under contingency. And who does anything about!!!!
"Is there anyone who really believes that funding for our schools will be increasing?
Is there anyone who thinks that the cost of school district salaries and pensions will be decreasing?" - quoted from another AP website
My question, are there parents out there, who have children participating in District paid sports programs, but complain about high school taxes?????
Hmm.......
Any news on an agenda for tomorrow's BOE meeting? Will your question about GWS be answered tomorrow night?
BOE agenda for tomorrow's meeting is up. I do not see anything about a presentation on the status of GWS. Bill, you asked for this at the last BOE meeting and the Superintendant said that it was a fair question and should be answered. Will it be discussed tomorrow night even if it is not on the agenda? If not, why was it omitted?
Bill, you have had nearly 2 weeks to "follow up with the 'facts"" on this video, as you stated. Is there a chance that you can make these changes in AP so that our kids can get this type of Montessori education that you posted, even if it costs a bit more? I have been looking every day for your opinion/thoughts/plan, but have not seen it yet. Please don't lead me to believe that you were just teasing us with something that is never going to happen in AP. Can we make education BETTER here in AP, or do we just keep facing year after year of cuts and losses like we are now?
Post a Comment