School treasurer gives Huffman and Gov. Kasich an earful!
From John Curry, May 22, 2011
“Public education is under attack now like it has never been before. Our governor has an agenda and it's not to better public schools. His children aren't in public schools,” Buddelmeyer said. “And I wish I felt like Matt Huffman cares, but I personally don't feel like Matt Huffman cares.”
Shawnee Schools Treasurer - Greg Buddelmeyer
Shawnee Schools Treasurer - Greg Buddelmeyer
Parents concerned about proposed Shawnee cuts
Lima News, May 17, 2011
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — Treasurer Greg Buddelmeyer ran through a lengthy list of proposed cuts during Tuesday night's Shawnee school board meeting. But of them all, it was moving Cheryl Quay that had parents the most riled.
Buddelmeyer laid out the school's plan to try to balance the rapidly increasing number of cuts to its revenue stream by allowing a number of the jobs left vacant by retiring staffers to remain vacant. The district will save $561,493 by not replacing and adjusting staff.
That includes not replacing the retiring middle and high school choir teacher and putting Quay — who has taught music in the elementary school program for more than four decades — to the high school. That would mean the two elementary schools would share one teacher, reducing the amount of time the children have music from once a week to every seven or eight days.
The plan included similar arrangements for physical education. The district will also not replace a Maplewood special-education teacher previously paid with federal stimulus money. A retiring health/reading teacher at the middle school and a retiring high school science teacher also won't be replaced.
But it was that music spot — and a round of rumors that the program would be completely dissolved — that brought in a crowd so large they had to move the meeting to a cafeteria to accommodate them all.
“I just don't think that taking away from the little guys in the right way,” said Kris Vondrell.
Vondrell was joined by more than a dozen other parents and teachers, many of them former students of Quay's, all expressing fear that the move was the first step toward larger cuts to the arts.
“You're taking a very good teacher from the intermediate level and moving her to the high school. I'm just afraid of what will happen next,” Trudy Dennison said.
The moves come as the school is facing one of the biggest hits in state funding in the region, losing stimulus money, per-pupil funding, and taking a loss from reduced state tax reimbursements. The district faces a $2.8 million deficit in 2012, with it growing yearly. Additional cuts are likely next year.
“It keeps multiplying,” Superintendent Paul Nardini said. “It eats into our carry-over quickly.”
Other cost-cutting moves were also unveiled. A maintenance position open since November won't be replaced unless the cost of contracted maintenance services could be reduced by $75,000. The number of summer custodial, grounds and paint crews will be reduced by at least eight. Athletic busing costs paid by the general fund will be reduced by 10 percent. Student field trips will be eliminated unless the transportation is paid by an outside source. Students cannot be charged for transportation.
One classroom teacher at Elmwood and another at Maplewood will also not be replaced.
Those staffers who continue are being asked to accept some changes as well. While teachers have another year on their contract, the administration asked them to forgo the 3 percent raise they were expected to get in September. Teachers are voting on the proposal this week. Most administrators' pay is tied into the teacher union, so if approved by the union, they would also forgo the raise.
Nardini already froze his pay through the rest of his contract. Treasurer Greg Buddelmeyer got a raise in January. He said he would not take one next January if the rest of the staff does not.
The governmental changes behind the reduced income was at the center of much of the conversation during the meeting, with state leaders, especially state Rep. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, taking the brunt. House Bill 136, which Huffman introduced in March, would give parents vouchers to remove their children — and the money that they represent to school districts — from public schools to private schools. Even schools that perform well, like Shawnee, would be left wondering from year to year how many students and how much money they will have.
Members of the audience suggested writing Huffman, Gov. John Kasich and other politicians. Buddelmeyer admitted he was cynical about whether letters would help.
“Public education is under attack now like it has never been before. Our governor has an agenda and it's not to better public schools. His children aren't in public schools,” Buddelmeyer said. “And I wish I felt like Matt Huffman cares, but I personally don't feel like Matt Huffman cares.”
Buddelmeyer laid out the school's plan to try to balance the rapidly increasing number of cuts to its revenue stream by allowing a number of the jobs left vacant by retiring staffers to remain vacant. The district will save $561,493 by not replacing and adjusting staff.
That includes not replacing the retiring middle and high school choir teacher and putting Quay — who has taught music in the elementary school program for more than four decades — to the high school. That would mean the two elementary schools would share one teacher, reducing the amount of time the children have music from once a week to every seven or eight days.
The plan included similar arrangements for physical education. The district will also not replace a Maplewood special-education teacher previously paid with federal stimulus money. A retiring health/reading teacher at the middle school and a retiring high school science teacher also won't be replaced.
But it was that music spot — and a round of rumors that the program would be completely dissolved — that brought in a crowd so large they had to move the meeting to a cafeteria to accommodate them all.
“I just don't think that taking away from the little guys in the right way,” said Kris Vondrell.
Vondrell was joined by more than a dozen other parents and teachers, many of them former students of Quay's, all expressing fear that the move was the first step toward larger cuts to the arts.
“You're taking a very good teacher from the intermediate level and moving her to the high school. I'm just afraid of what will happen next,” Trudy Dennison said.
The moves come as the school is facing one of the biggest hits in state funding in the region, losing stimulus money, per-pupil funding, and taking a loss from reduced state tax reimbursements. The district faces a $2.8 million deficit in 2012, with it growing yearly. Additional cuts are likely next year.
“It keeps multiplying,” Superintendent Paul Nardini said. “It eats into our carry-over quickly.”
Other cost-cutting moves were also unveiled. A maintenance position open since November won't be replaced unless the cost of contracted maintenance services could be reduced by $75,000. The number of summer custodial, grounds and paint crews will be reduced by at least eight. Athletic busing costs paid by the general fund will be reduced by 10 percent. Student field trips will be eliminated unless the transportation is paid by an outside source. Students cannot be charged for transportation.
One classroom teacher at Elmwood and another at Maplewood will also not be replaced.
Those staffers who continue are being asked to accept some changes as well. While teachers have another year on their contract, the administration asked them to forgo the 3 percent raise they were expected to get in September. Teachers are voting on the proposal this week. Most administrators' pay is tied into the teacher union, so if approved by the union, they would also forgo the raise.
Nardini already froze his pay through the rest of his contract. Treasurer Greg Buddelmeyer got a raise in January. He said he would not take one next January if the rest of the staff does not.
The governmental changes behind the reduced income was at the center of much of the conversation during the meeting, with state leaders, especially state Rep. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, taking the brunt. House Bill 136, which Huffman introduced in March, would give parents vouchers to remove their children — and the money that they represent to school districts — from public schools to private schools. Even schools that perform well, like Shawnee, would be left wondering from year to year how many students and how much money they will have.
Members of the audience suggested writing Huffman, Gov. John Kasich and other politicians. Buddelmeyer admitted he was cynical about whether letters would help.
“Public education is under attack now like it has never been before. Our governor has an agenda and it's not to better public schools. His children aren't in public schools,” Buddelmeyer said. “And I wish I felt like Matt Huffman cares, but I personally don't feel like Matt Huffman cares.”
posted by Kathie Bracy at 9:19 PM
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