A message from Morrisville Pride

The Morrisville Pride candidates have left a message that everyone needs to see.

Click here to see the message!

We will go on...we will stay strong

After letting the results of the election sink in for a day, we came to the realization that an impact was made during this election. The Morrisville Pride team ran an ethical and a clean campaign. They presented their case with facts from board meeting minutes, and quotes from the SOT candidates themselves. They could have gone after Brenda's illness, or Jack Buckman's bill's. But they didn't. They stuck to the issues. They did not print up phony newspapers filled with lies, They did not spread lies about a new school. They did not sling mud with anyone. For that they should be proud. Great job to Morrisville Pride and their supporters.

Election day is just 2 days away

Election day is now just 2 days away. On November 3. we the people of Morrisville will have the chance to make a change. We have the chance to send a message to the stay on trackers that WE THE PEOPLE of Morrisville do not condone, nor do we appreciate the behavior and politics of the stay on trackers. We can send a message to the rest of the county and state that we are ready to prosper and revitalize this great town. We the people can send a message to the stay on trackers that their time is done in Morrisville politics. They have not served us well(or even at all).

This blog was started after we found out that the Save the Morrisville School Blog was not going to be updated after the May 19 primary. We felt the need to document the actions of the school board majority, and give the community a forum to express their views and opinions regarding our school district and other happenings in the boro. Because the community was being "tuned out" at monthly school board meetings this blog has given and will continue to give the community an opportunity to voice their opinions. We (with the help of others in the community)have been able to document since May the inappropriate actions of the SOT team. If you are still undecided and think that SOT is right for you and Morrisville, go back through the older posts, read the comments. After reading you will see an open and shut case against SOT.

We have strived to provide the citizens of Morrisville with the truth. SOT relies on lies, deceit, misinformation, double standards, cronyism, and bully tactics to get their message out. This is not the way to run a school district or a town. Take a look around you, take a look at the town when your driving to work. What do you see? Do you want to stay on this same track? The answer clearly is NO.

On Nov 3 cast your vote for the future of Morrisville. We need leaders that will act with integrity, and communicate openly with the public.

The Morrisville Pride candidates have run an amazing campaign. Through all the lies that have been thrown at them they have weathered the course and chose not to sling mud back and forth with their opponents. That says alot about these guys. They deserve a chance to bring PRIDE back to Morrisville. They deserve a chance to right the many wrongs that SOT have created.

On Nov 3 do not be intimidated by the stay on trackers and their small band of supporters. You have a right to vote. If the person opening the curtain for you tells you who to vote for, tell him it's wrong and he and his judge of elections will be reported. Any and all info coming from the SOT camp at this point is a desperate attempt to mislead the public and hang on to what power they have left.

Vote with PRIDE on Nov 3. Vote for the future of Morisville!!
BECK
MILLER
JENKINS
STONEBURNER

WARD 1
ROOKSTOOL

WARD 3
DAVIS
KERNER

WARD 4
CICERO

MAYOR
SCHELL

Did you notice?

Did anyone notice that the two pieces supposedly written by Bill Hellmann and Jack Buckman had no supportive comments posted on the BCCT website? There was not one comment from any of their supporters. There was no "way to go Jack", or "Bill your doing a great job". Why not you ask? In our opinion their letters further damaged the stay on trackers credibility, and showed that they are not concerned with students and education at all. It only strengthened the position of the Morrisville Pride candidates.

An open letter to Mr. Buckman

We received this letter from a former student as a response to Mr. Buckman's recent piece in the BCCT. This letter unlike the ones from Mr. Buckman and Mr. Hellmann is full of facts. It is a great summary of how the students and the community feel about what this board has done to the town and district over the past two years.



Mr. Buckman, I went to every school board meeting for almost two years and I heard one of your own colleagues say that "Newspapers are in the business to sell papers." You thanked the BCCT for letting you post your letter. To go with the words of your colleague, I'd say the paper published what you wrote solely because your outlandish comments will prompt more letters and therefore sell more papers. I appreciate the Courier too, but with these comments from you, papers should be flying off the racks.

You stated "But their actions belie their slogan: They are on a mission to undermine what we have accomplished in two years and tarnish the reputation of our school district. To get elected!" Mr. Buckman, Damon Miller is one of the most passionate pro- Morrisville School District men I have ever met. He has joined committees to try to make our district better; he comes to concerts and sporting events because he CARES. Damon Miller and his "noisy band" want people to care again about Morrisville and feel PRIDEFUL when they say "I go to Morrisville." You know what happened when your current majority got elected? My class said "At least we won't get affected by this board." I counted the years and started to feel sorry for the students behind us because I knew that you would hurt their education somehow. This proves that it just happened quicker than I expected.

"To put it simply, they are part of a group that believes great education comes from bricks and mortar. You will recall that two years ago a slate of candidates and their allies on the former school board were on a campaign to build a new school building." Very good, this is a true statement for once. Yes, they wanted a new school because the current ones are FALLING APART! For the last 20 years the budget for maintenance has been too low and important building issues ignored. We need to show that we care about education. Families might actually move in and STAY in Morrisville. Businesses see a rising population and move in to town. Morrisville is back.

"I have heard teachers, parents and administrators and "no breakfast" blamed, but never has anyone said our kids are doing great, or our kids are doing poorly, and it's all because of that "damn old school board." Mr. Buckman, we know you heard the complaints about the “sick” M. R. Reiter building, a building you ignored now during two terms on the board of education. Before the explosion, that school building DID affect the performance of the students. There are a lot of factors that attribute to poor PSSA scores. It's a natural flow of ages and grades and people and there is nothing to change about it. It's neither bad nor good, it simply is. But, I will refer back to "Damon's Group" for a second and refer to Pride. Would you go to work every day and try hard for a boss who doesn't care about you? I didn't think so. But guess what, that is what you are expecting the students to do. We all believe that the school board doesn't care about us. All we hear at MHS is "money, taxes, money," and not "students, students, students." The kids may not be doing well because they feel you don't care: So... why should they?

Let me finish on this last passage: "I know what it takes to be a good school board member. It takes responsibility, common sense, and the ability to listen." Good Mr. Buckman, I agree. So PLEASE start on that and maybe we can get going in the right direction. If you actually felt responsibility, the school would have been maintained right in the first place, OR we wouldn't have only "shiny new windows" as our "renovations." If you had common sense, you would see most of the problems are because of the school board’s disinterest in education and its lack of caring about "Student John" instead of how caring much anonymous Student #123 costs to educate and how that cost can that be lowered.

If you listened, you would know that Damon Miller's "band of noisy politicians" is in this election because they want what is best for the kids and not just their wallets. Pride is something you should probably look up in the dictionary because it is a strong word being used for the purpose of a lot of good. "And we need to be realistic" you say? Here it is Mr. Buckman: Beck, Miller, Jenkins, Stoneburner. Why? Because they genuinely care about the school. And I don't mean the building like your "Stop the School Stay on Track" friends mean...in the bricks and mortar way...but as STUDENTS. Morrisville Pride not only wants there to be a MHS today, but a MHS in the future because they care about Morrisville and they care about the KIDS. They have... what word am I looking for? Oh yes, they have PRIDE in us.

On the wrong track

Nicely said Peter.

From the bcct:

On the wrong track

By: GUY PETROZIELLO
Bucks County Courier Times
In regards to David Stoneburner's Oct. 22 Guest Opinion, I agree with him and think that Morrisville is on the wrong track.
Classroom aides have been sacrificed to save a few bucks and school board President Bill Hellmann keeps talking about huge tax increases, but this board went ahead and hired a public relations person for $25,000.
Test scores are declining. The latest report card on local schools show Morrisville quickly undoing years of steady progress that had some of our scores among the top in the county just a few years ago. We save a few dollars in taxes, but our property values have woefully declined, far below the economic decline of neighboring areas.

We need a school board that won't stay on a track that leads Morrisville toward a train wreck. I support the Morrisville Pride candidates that will find a balance between the community's concerns and education for the children.
Peter Eisengrein

Pride for Morrisville

From the BCCT:

Pride for Morrisville
By: GUY PETROZIELLO
Bucks County Courier Times
I am writing in response to a recent guest opinion sent in by David Stoneburner, a candidate for the Morrisville school board.

It is refreshing to hear from a candidate who is interested in involving the community and looking out for the welfare of the children. I appreciate the openness the Morrisville Pride candidates have shown the public during their long campaign. I believe when elected the Morrisville Pride candidates will bring balance to the school board and will steer the district onto the right track, not stay on the same track.

For many years leaders in Morrisville have been elected into office on name recognition only. When you go to the polls on Nov. 3 remember which candidates will represent you. Remember which candidates will balance your tax dollars and give children the best education possible. Remember which candidates want a better school district, not a new school. Remember to vote with pride. Remember to vote for Jack Beck, Damon Miller, Jermaine Jenkins, and David Stoneburner for the Morrisville School Board.

Jeffrey R. Danbury

Morrisville Borough

Buckman...Why must you lie?

Notice anything missing from this piece? He doesn't tell everyone that he is thousands behind on his municipal bills. Hey Jack....take your own advice "Don't listen to the noisy politicians" such as yourself and slate you are running with.

Have at it guy and gals, tell it like it really is!

From the BCCT:
Stay on track: Don't listen to the noisy politicians

Bucks County Courier Times
I am a member of the Morrisville school board and a candidate for re-election with the Stay on Track team. I read this morning a "fantasy" letter from Damon Miller, a candidate with the opposing group.
I want the voters of Morrisville, the same ones who rejected Miller's friends in the election two years ago, to understand that Miller and his noisy band of politicians are parading as concerned citizens with "pride" in their slogan. But their actions belie their slogan: They are on a mission to undermine what we have accomplished in two years and tarnish the reputation of our school district. To get elected!
To put it simply, they are part of a group that believes great education comes from bricks and mortar. You will recall that two years ago a slate of candidates and their allies on the former school board were on a campaign to build a new school building - K through 12th grade - a school that now would cost as much as $48 million. Instead, we have renovated and repaired schools that were neglected for as much as 40 years at a cost of less than $5 million when completed.
Miller is wrong when he said we want to send our students to other school districts and pay tuition - not so! They say we want to merge with Pennsbury. That long-ago option never made it to the table.
Also, our opponents have attempted to connect our PSSA scores (which have been rising for the last four years) with the school board, which is always baffling to most people. In every school district where scores go up and scores go down, the fluctuations are based on numerous factors. I have heard teachers, parents and administrators and "no breakfast" blamed, but never has anyone said our kids are doing great, or our kids are doing poorly, and it's all because of that "damn old school board."
Revenue - finding money - and taxes are issues we deal with in Morrisville. We are dealing with a small school district with fewer than 1,000 students and no real tax base, so we rely on homeowners to pay the bills. We never lose sight of the fact that people today are struggling to keep their jobs, find jobs, pay taxes. Seniors do not want to be forced out of their homes and we keep that in mind. It is important to note that our school board has managed to retain the quality of our educational system and cut taxes twice in two years.

But Miller and friends muddy the waters with last-minute attacks that are devoid of truth. Thankfully, the Courier Times provides us the chance to refute them.
We believe Miller, Stoneburner, Jenkins and Beck have a plan of their own and that is to build a new school. They know what happened with their friends' other school building plan, so it is mostly hinted at. We base this on what they have said publicly and where they level their criticism - the reconfiguring of schools and the plan at Grandview, for sure. Their solution would be a new elementary school, but we insist it is unnecessary and unaffordable and we will fight it.
As a member of the Morrisville school board and a member of the Bucks County Technical School Board, I know what it takes to be a good school board member. It takes responsibility, common sense, and the ability to listen. We must value education and the quality of education we deliver. And we need to be realistic.
I am proud to serve on the current school board and seek another term to continue on the financially responsible path the board set two years ago. We rejected the turmoil and dissension of the past and are committed to serving new and longtime residents, senior citizens who have paid the bills for years, and new families, many of them struggling with job loss and hefty mortgages.
It is very important that the voters know who is telling the truth here. Please look at the facts and the history of the school board now and then. I ask for your vote and votes for school board director Brenda Worob and our running mates John DeWilde and Ron Stout. We all agree to stay on track -with the help of our neighbors and voters.

Morrisville Pride's New Flyer

Be sure to check out Morrisville Pride's latest flyer.
Morrisville Pride Flyer

'Stay on Track' slate a looming train wreck

Damon Miller a candidate for the Morrisville School Board has written a piece that appeared in the BCCT today.

From the BCCT:
'Stay on Track' slate a looming train wreck
Bucks County Courier Times


By Damon Miller

As a school board candidate in Morrisville, I feel that it is important that residents of our community understand the issues our district is facing. The current school board majority and our opponents want Morrisville to remain on a "track" that will lead our schools and community into a "train wreck."



Our opponents have claimed that students are receiving a "quality education." Unfortunately, "Stay on Track" candidates do not have children in the district nor do their vocal supporters. How can they claim that students are getting quality education when they have no children in the schools? Test scores are not showing it.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Morrisville's most recent PSSA test scores dropped from the previous year. In my view, that decrease in test scores is the result of budget reductions, including not filling teacher aide vacancies. This also coincides as being the first budget the current board passed. If this is the beginning of the "track" they want Morrisville to stay on, where is education headed for our district? Is this how our opponents plan to provide "quality education?"

Plans to tuition-out high school students, closing our last remaining elementary school, and making the high school a K-8 facility have also been discussed by our opposition. This would affect not only the students but the community as well. Is this how our opponents plan to provide "quality education?"

If high school students are sent to another district, that district could raise their tuition higher than what we currently pay and increase your tax bill. If that agreement is discontinued, then the students will either be sent to another district or come back to Morrisville creating a K-12 facility in a building not designed for it.

Little Bulldogs and Holy Trinity pay a fee to the school district use the A-field, with Little Bulldogs paying more than half of the lighting costs. Would they be able to continue using the field if the school no longer needs it? Their "track" is wrong for Morrisville.

The future of our district and the effects on our community need to be discussed openly but our opponents don't agree. All school board candidates for Morrisville received a letter from the League of Women Voters asking for our interest in holding a forum allowing for the community to ask questions. All of the Morrisville Pride candidates, Jack Beck, Jermaine Jenkins, David Stoneburner, and myself said yes. Our opponents did not respond, even after repeated calls by a League representative.

The current situation of elementary children being taught in the high school and in trailers needs to change. We need long-term solutions, not patches, which allow students to learn in a safe environment. Traffic around both schools is hazardous and needs to change before an accident happens. We need to bring up the test scores again by identifying the issues and not simply throw money at it. We want to work with the administration and fix those problems within our budget constraints. Parents with special needs children should not have to wonder if their child is getting the best services provided. Morrisville students should be able to graduate in their district, and not be tossed aside once they reach ninth grade.

The current board majority has turned their backs on the students, families, and the community of Morrisville. The Morrisville Pride candidates want to build a better school district that everyone in our community will benefit from. As we have walked our district listening to the community, we have heard of the Morrisville that seems to have been lost. Pride and a sense of community were displayed and we want to bring that back. Doesn't Morrisville deserve it?

I encourage you to contact the Morrisville Pride candidates by going to our Web site at www.morrisvillepride.com where all of our information is listed. We will listen to your concerns and answer your questions.

On Nov. 3, I ask you to vote Democrat. Vote for Morrisville Pride candidates Jack Beck, Jermaine Jenkins, Damon Miller, and David Stoneburner for school board and make the changes Morrisville deserves.

Putt for Pride Family Fun Golf Outing

We are hearing that the Putt for Pride Family Fun Golf outing was an enormous success. Feel free to comment if you attended.

Just received our Morrisville Times paper

We just received our Morrisville Times Newspaper and in it on page 5 was an ad from the folks over at Morrisville Pride. Nice ad guys.

There was also an article about the board hiring a communications director. Missing from the article was the fact that no one was interviewed for the position, and resumes were only turned in the day before the meeting. Also missing was the fact that that she worked for board solicitor Mike Fitzpatrick.