RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (Full Version)

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Kath -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 8:21:50 AM)

[sm=smile.gif]Happy Anniversary Julia! [sm=flower.gif]



JuliaHop -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 8:28:08 AM)

Thank you!!



PrincessDonna -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 8:31:31 AM)

Happy anniversary, Julia![:D]



thisistheday -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 9:58:34 AM)

Happy Anniversary Julia!



debilyn -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 11:40:37 AM)

[sm=icon_smile_sing.gif] Happy an-ni-vers-ary, hap-py an-ni-ver-sa-ry, happy an-ni-vers-ary, haaap-py anniversary!



ladyingrace1979 -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 7:55:57 PM)

Hi all,
I haven't been posting much. I went back to school myself and it has been a bit of a struggle getting adjusted. Know that I read the posts and you all are in my thoughts and prayer.

Love ya sisters,
Kim Q



Karaboo2 -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/16/2008 11:31:22 PM)

Happy anniversary Julia and Mr. Julia!!! (That's the way my kids say it when they don't know a person's name ... they still call friends of mine 'Pastor and Mrs. Pastor')



JuliaHop -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 7:13:13 AM)

Thank you for the anniversary wishes! We went to dinner at Red Lobster and had a nice peaceful evening. My mother made us the nicest gift....a photo album of pictures from the time I was born, through our wedding, and sections on each of the children! It is wonderful!!



DenimDiva -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 10:06:45 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: JuliaHop

Thank you for the anniversary wishes! We went to dinner at Red Lobster and had a nice peaceful evening. My mother made us the nicest gift....a photo album of pictures from the time I was born, through our wedding, and sections on each of the children! It is wonderful!!


That sounds very nice. My estranged husband and I used to go to Red Lobster every year on our anniversary.

I bet the photo album was a wonderful surprise!



danas_mom -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 1:33:55 PM)

I tried to post in here a couple of days ago and the page kept shutting itself down on me. I will be so glad when we can afford to update our computer. The hard drive on this one is just dying on us.

Anyway...

Garsy, so sorry to hear about that accident [:(] and about Brian's job. I pray the Lord brings him from glory to glory (one area of provision to another - not heaven! LOL) soon.

Julia, happy anniversary! 27 years, that's awesome. Hubby and I recently celebrated 13 years so we're almost halfway there. [:)]

Nathan had another 100% week at school this week. He needed it. Last week was AWFUL. He and another little boy were sliding at the same time on Wednesday and somehow the other little boy got stuck and Nathan crashed into him from behind, knocking him off the slide and breaking both of his arms. [:(] I've had to spend many days reassuring Nathan that it was an accident - one which would not have happened if the recess teachers were doing their job and not letting them double slide, I might add - and that he is not at fault for what happened. Nobody at school has come out and blamed him for it, but they've sure made enough comments that he thinks they think he hurt him on purpose. [:@]

Ten more days, ten more days, ten more days.

Oh! Nathan had us cut his hair into a mohawk this week - it's SO cute. I wish I could post a picture.



PrincessDonna -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 3:20:53 PM)

Noah is at AWANA camp...a one day camp for those who finished all three of the Sparky books. It's a couple hours away, so he left pretty early. I hope he's behaving himself...[&:]



momma_bee -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 4:29:59 PM)

CW ate my post the other day.

Would someone feed Fritz, please!

I saw a teacher and her daughter who is DeeDee's age and I asked how many days were left and the young lady said NINE. Her mom corrected her, 8 and a half.

No, the teachers aren't ready for a vacation...



garsyt -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 8:08:09 PM)

WARNING!!!!! Serious rant follows:


I so wanted to scrapbook today, but my heart and head are not in the right place right now!

I'm frustrated beyond belief with our govenor, school board, superintendent and school budget. Here's what I heard, today at a birthday today from a reliable source:

Apparently there was an emergency budget meeting recently and the ax has been lowered. Next fall they are cutting ALL science teachers from all the elementary schools in our district and eliminating ALL but one field trip per grade per year and are considering charging students for transportation to take those trips. They are also talking about eliminating all choir and band trips through highschool that are more then a certain distance away from the school OR again charging transportation costs to students and their families.

Now I can live with these cuts. I SERIOUSLY don't like them (especially the cutting of the science teacher positions as the state and district still expect the kids to pass the lovely ISTEP science portion) but I can live with it. I can supplement science at home and my kids just won't be able to participate of prices get to high for field trips.

But here's the kicker. Within the next 2 years they are considering charging for or ELMINATING altogether BUSSING to and from school everyday. BUSSING!!! Eliminating without even considering how many families and kids this will seriously affect.

Now I know with the mess the economy is in that serious budget cuts are going to happen, but there has got to be a better plan, a better way, a more practical approach to figuring out where things can be done more efficiently, without messings with the only mode of transportation many families have for their kids.

There has got to be other options - but alas our school board is well known for making drastic decisions without really thinking about the folks that it impacts the most. All of our school board members live within a few miles of the district office, have nice cushy jobs outside of their paid positions as school board members, and 85% of them don't even have kids in ANY of our districts schools.

But of course this doesn't affect the fact that the board passed this past Fall to replace all of our schools computers that really didn't need replacing (only a couple years old) and agreed to resurface the football field, and many other decisions that don't show good financial budgeting.

Anyway - I'm just a bit perturbed right now. I would really like to attend an upcoming meeting that the school board is having on Monday - but of course NO one has heard about it out our way and it's pretty much a given that no one will. I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to the school board and the super. very soon as soon as I calm down a bit. I'm also going to talk to as many parents from my area as possible and see if they are all willing to write letters with me. I'm going to ask for a meeting down in our neighborhood - I'd even offer up a meeting place as I'm certain I can secure space at our town hall and if I had to a nearby church on rather short notice, to let the folks in our area know what is happening.

Anyway - thanks for listening to my rant!

I really need some GOOD news, something good to happen. All the bad news lately has about done me in. What on Earth is God preparing me for?

Anyway - Ethan had a great time at the birthday party he went to today! We were about 45 minutes early because I had read the invite wrong then I was an HOUR early to pick him up. So we just stayed there and the girls played right along with everyone else. About 10 minutes after we got there the dad of one of the guests had a 3 of the girls out on the little sail boat and it CAPSIZED!!! Thankfully everyone had life vests on! The mom of the birthday girl dropped her shorts on the beach (she was wearing a swimsuit) and dove in and out to help the adult out in the middle of the lgood sized pond! The dad of the birthday girl had a few other kids out on in a canoe so they rowed over and the adults were able to get the kids into the canoe and get the little sailboat upright and back to shore. In the meantime the birthday girl had dove in to help her mom and the other adult get the boat back to shore. Needless to say - after that NO one went out in the boats!

9 days of school left. And for so many people - those 9 days can't go by fast enough.

Brian and Ty are in Cleveland right now at a concert - they had bought the tickets several months ago so this is kinda the last hurrah before things get REALLY TIGHT for us.

Blessings,

Garsy



Ellie-Mae -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 8:57:33 PM)

Goodness gracious!!! I hadn't given though to how much the gas hike was going to affect the schools! I don't think I would have ever thought of a plan as dastardly as that! I have never heard of science as being an extra curricular activity before.[&:] You know what might really crisp you creamer? take a look at your school budget and see how it averages out per kid. Then Multiply it by the average class size and divide it by the number of classes are given each day, and continue working it on down. Then try to figure out wear all that money is going. Anyway, our school district try to get superturf last year.[8|] Our already too high taxes would have gone up to pay for it. This one of my big pet peeves.

I hope that you guys are able to figure out some way to keep the kids from suffering too much from this. The economy is downright painful right now and everybody is feeling it. It is sad when the kids fall victim to the economy in thier own schools.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 10:14:01 PM)

Happy Birthday a day late Julia!

Garcy, Budget things are so tough. But yours sounds a bit extreme. How can they cut Science teachers out of the budget and still expect them to learn science?

As for field trips, we have to pay for ours when our kids take them. And they do add in the cost of the bus divided by the number of kids in the classes. But that is how it has been even while I was growing up. But if you aren't used to that, I can see why it would upset you. I just can't believe the science thing.

I just got Jake's progress report and he is still on the honor roll. I cannot believe that he spent this year doing so well. He has tried hard and I am so very proud of him. Especially during all of this house stuff, we have not had alot of time and he has been almost flying solo on his work because we have been too busy to help. But we do make sure he is doing it. And it is probably time that he learn how to discipline himself without us being over his shoulder all of the time. But I still plan on checking over his work and helping with projects throughout the rest of his middleschool and probably spot check during highschool. But I will always check and see what he has going on so that I know he is at least doing it.

Kali sailed through her first year at her new school and made many friends. I walk into her classroom and they all seem to get along so well. I am glad because nobody seems snotty or too good to be friends with certian other people.

Kay is finsihing preschool at our old school and then we are totally done there. Next year she will be in 4K in the afternoons and in a Lambs class at our church on Friday mornings next year while I go to bible study.

Both girls want to dance again, but I told Kali if she is going to be on the pom team, she doesn't get to do other dance classes because that is just too much time and money. I will be happy with the pom team if that is all she does. Plus they do like their youth group so that is going to happen again next year.

I am kind of sad to see this year come to an end because all of my kids have grown so much and I feel like I am losing them but at the same time, I am looking forward to the little bit of freedom I am going to get when all three of them are in school. Overall, this has been a decent year.



garsyt -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 10:53:17 PM)

Oh but of course there is NO mention of cutting sports activities, or exorberent salaries of higher up administration, or in replacing computers that don't need replacing.

I'm extremely concerned about where this could lead and what are they going to suggest gets cut next time.

It would seriously help if they had a REAL person or two on the school board - but from what I've seen is that they are most certainly a CLOSED group, as they chase out those who "don't fit in."

And I have since discovered that there is a referendum bond going to the tax payers in April of 2009. If this economy doesn't rebound fast - little good that will do us, as even if it does pass, the schools won't benefit from it until 2011.

ARGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I despretely need some GOOD news! GOOD NEWS PLEASE! Anyone have any for me?

Don't get me wrong - I know God will provide for us - But JEEPERS! I could use certainly use some good news.

Blessings,

Garsy



thisistheday -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/17/2008 11:36:59 PM)

That is lousy Garsy, especially about the buses. I can't imagine a district as spread out as I imagine yours to be without them.

I too get frustrated when certain things, such as sports, aren't even a consideration for cuts it seems. Your school board members are paid? Is that common? I've not heard of that before; I assume they are not here....

Regarding the science teacher cuts--we for the most part don't have separate science teachers in elementary school. For some reason in K and maybe 1st grade it seems like somebody came in to teach science. But usually that is just one of the things that the teachers here are expected to teach along with everything else. So is that what they will do there Garsy? It will be an adjustment though, and is sad that that was an area chosen to cut.

Three days of school left here! Well, maybe only 2.75!

E has no finals until Wednesday, which is good since she works Monday night.

N will be cleaning out his desk, having an auction, an AR party, etc next week.

I'm not so sure about the middle school; I know they are watching a movie next week for a class.

Dee



PrincessDonna -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 8:01:05 AM)

quote:

Goodness gracious!!! I hadn't given though to how much the gas hike was going to affect the schools! I don't think I would have ever thought of a plan as dastardly as that! I have never heard of science as being an extra curricular activity before.


Why not combine half days to save on money? Nick's last three days of school are half days, and his district is huge and hilly.[&:] Seems like they have a half day every other week at least. It's ridiculous. They could probably lengthen the day by 30 minutes, go to 4 days weeks, and still teach them all they are teaching them...AND save on gas and bus mileage. But then that causes a problem with state funding which mandates 180 days, even if those days are just barely long enough to qualify (the half days are).[8|] Waste, waste, waste...

As for the science teacher, it stinks for the teachers who are being laid off, but IMO there is no need to have separate science teachers in elementary school. I don't think any elementary schools around here do that. They have reading and math specialists, but not science. Reading and math are the foundations of learning though...science can be barely touched in elementary and the kids will be fine in middle or high school.



soukz8696 -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 8:09:16 AM)

Hi everyone

Garsy that is terrible about the school district. Especially the buses cause if it wasn't for buses here I know a lot of kids wouldn't be able to get to the school including mine.

Only 5 more days here and we are so ready. Seems like a waste to go next week tho all they are doing is different parties for 5 days.



momma_bee -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 12:05:11 PM)

I only skimmed, I'll go back later, I promise.

Garsy. I just had a discussion with Poppa, not 1/2 hour ago, asking how long it would take us to go to Cleveland. I wanna go to the zoo there.

It was neat to come here and be reminded you were with driving distance. I hear you on the 'getting tight' thing. [sm=icon_smile_cry.gif]

BTW, I hate hormones. I just hate them.



garsyt -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 1:22:06 PM)

The deal is is that change is hard. Our district and state expect kids to pass and do very well in sciences and pass those STUPID state tests to fulfill that STUPID No Child Left Behind act, but they don't plan on giving the teachers the support they need to do it. Our district has set pretty high standards which was why they hired teachers whose sole responsibility was science in the first place, 20 years ago.

But like I said - I don't like it but I can deal with it.

BUT I WON'T be able to deal with the bussing issue. There are ways to cut down the mileage drivers are driving without cutting it out completely - I just hope the powers that be are willing to listen when apporached with these ideas.

Anyway - I'm going to scrapbook today. I NEED to get my head back in the right place.

Oh, Brian and Ty got home very early this morning. I guess they had a great time.

Blessings,

Garsy



garsyt -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 1:38:13 PM)

quote:

Why not combine half days to save on money? Nick's last three days of school are half days, and his district is huge and hilly. Seems like they have a half day every other week at least. It's ridiculous. They could probably lengthen the day by 30 minutes, go to 4 days weeks, and still teach them all they are teaching them...AND save on gas and bus mileage. But then that causes a problem with state funding which mandates 180 days, even if those days are just barely long enough to qualify (the half days are). Waste, waste, waste...


There is a school in Iowa that has had to deal with budget issues and has cut their school week to 4 days a week and gone to HOURS in the classroom instead of a required number of days. They lengthened the school day by an hour for 4 days a week. This eliminated one entire day of travel for the school busses, and it also reduced school utility bills greatly as well!

There are other schools around the country that bus all their students k-12 into the schools at the same time, instead of doing 2 routes like our district does. There are also schools that don't have bussing for students within a certain distance of the school. In our case if they even went even three miles around some schools that would eliminate the need for several busses. Then the routes could work on ways to be more effiecent. A friend of mine that lives in a subdivision says the bus that picks up her kids goes by her house 4 times every morning and afternoon. I'm thinking "Why?" Maybe they need to look at bus stop locations in those areas more. Maybe some of the subdivisions need to look into a centralized pick up location, instead of having the bus put on so many miles driving through them everyday. I'd even be open to that in my little community - I'd even host the stop and supervise it every morning! I'm sure parents down here would be more willing to take their kids to a stop 3 to 4 miles away from home then having to drive their middle school/high schoolers 14 miles ONE WAY to school everyday.

Anyway - I really need to settle in and pray HARD about this. Aryn is asking to be homeschooled if the bussing issue gets placed on the table OR if the district decides to make MORE cuts to special areas - ESPECIALLY in the science or ART departments. And I must say it came to my mind a few times yesterday. I would do it if I had to, at least through middle school.

Blessings,

Garsy



PrincessDonna -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 4:19:56 PM)

quote:

There is a school in Iowa that has had to deal with budget issues and has cut their school week to 4 days a week and gone to HOURS in the classroom instead of a required number of days. They lengthened the school day by an hour for 4 days a week. This eliminated one entire day of travel for the school busses, and it also reduced school utility bills greatly as well!


Okay, so it wasn't an original idea though I hadn't heard of anyone doing it. I bet it has worked for them though, and the teachers might not mind working an extra hour each day and then having a weekday off...easier for them to do errands and make appointments, I would think. I bet it would lessen the amount of subs needed also. I doubt many schools would go for it though...[&o]

Garsy, you have some good ideas. I hope you will make it to the BOE meeting and bring some of them up. Light a fire under some other parents' behinds and show up together, KWIM? People driving cars would appreciate busses stopping less too, I would think...less gas they'd waste sitting. The combined stops are a great idea, even in good financial times.

Our district also covers every single road in our district several times a day, with separate runs for elementary, middle/highschool, and morning and afternoon pre-K. Rural districts like ours are HUGE.



garsyt -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 5:37:43 PM)

quote:

Garsy, you have some good ideas. I hope you will make it to the BOE meeting and bring some of them up. Light a fire under some other parents' behinds and show up together, KWIM? People driving cars would appreciate busses stopping less too, I would think...less gas they'd waste sitting. The combined stops are a great idea, even in good financial times.


Thanks! I needed to hear that today! I'm going to e-mail the powers that be tomorrow (the super. and each and every school board member). I'm going to also send a copy of what I e-mail to them to our school's principal and the transportation director. I'm also thinking about sending a note to our township board, as they will be concerned about this as well. Property values PLUMMET the minute access to public schools is hindered. I don't know HOW I'm going to contact all the parents that need to know about this - as I'm certain the district wants to keep this hushed, but I'm going to do my best!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Blessings,

Garsy



PrincessDonna -> RE: ...Brings May Flowers! May PPS Chat (5/18/2008 5:43:56 PM)

quote:

I'm going to e-mail the powers that be tomorrow (the super. and each and every school board member). I'm going to also send a copy of what I e-mail to them to our school's principal and the transportation director. I'm also thinking about sending a note to our township board, as they will be concerned about this as well.


[sm=thumbsup.gif]

When is the meeting? Could you email whoever you have emails for and ask that they pass it along to other parents in the district? You could cover a lot of ground that way.

The district wanting it hushed is exactly the reason it shouldn't be.



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