Monday, March 7, 2011
A few reminders
Dont forget this Wed there is a middle school cheerleading competition being held from 2-5 pm in the HS gym.
Also on Wed evening at 6:30 in the LGI, Superintendent Bill Ferrara will be holding a forum to answer questions regarding the tech school. His monthly Superintendent meeting will follow immediately after.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Potpourri for 3/6-3/12
This should be an interesting week. We are hearing that there was a great turnout for Bingo night last Friday. Nice job PTO!
Friday, March 4, 2011
The 6 point plan
1. Stop the new school. Complete
2. Close M. R. Reiter via neglect, and putting children in harms way. Complete
3. Cram and pack remaining students into the H.S. and Grandview buildings. Complete
4. Aviod tax increases by eliminating anything not mandated by the state .Ongoing
5. Do not take responsibility for any actions the board may take, rather blame it on "tough economic conditions." Ongoing
6. Appoint "friends" to the board who will not challenge your actions , "robots" if you will. Create a "PR" position to put a positive spin on all you do. Complete
This regime fronted by Bill Hellmann CPA, but run by none other than Marlys Mihok,(who by Hellmann's definition "has no skin in the game", since she is a renter) is systematically destroying our School District. They may have saved a few bucks on our taxes, but they have made our property values PLUMMET!! Think about it next time you drive through any neighbor hood in Morrisville. Why are there so many home for sale? Homeowners property values have sunk tremendously in the past 4 years under this Mihok led regime, homes are difficult to sell, and with a school district run by incompetent, backward thinking individuals, young families are choosing to move elsewhere. They are only concerned with lowering taxes, nothing else, children are a tax liability to them.
Why would they do this you ask? Well for one they are hoping that either the state comes in and takes the district over, or they are waiting for some sort of state mandated consolidation plan to take effect. Or there is always the pipe dream that we could merge with Pennsbury.
So when you see either Mihok, or Hellmann, or any of their "robots", ask them why they are destroying our school district. Ask them why through their actions, are they fascinated with sticking it to the hard working parents of this district, and to the homeowners of Morrisville.
Regime Change is needed. Think about it people in Egypt and Libya are fighting and dying for what they believe in. It's time the citizens of Morrisville stand up and take action against the tyranny WE have lived with for the past 4 years.
Manor Park building aka "The Lair"
The rumors of the Manor Park building being used for an Administration building are beginning to pick up steam. In typical stay on track fashion , mum's the word on this. However, given Bill Hellmann's dire straights outlook on finances, this move would be just foolish at this point. Think, about it. Two buildings would have to be retrofitted in some way. And you would be operating yet another building, with no additional income coming to the district. It still is possible that this Mihok led train of destruction could make this happen. After all it wouldn't be the first time they put themselves before the children.
Think about this also, what would really be happening is we would have a stay on track "lair", or "clubhouse", being used under the guise of a, administration building. Ok, enough conspiracy theories for now.
All this talk is probably just smoke and mirrors for what this uninspiring, crony infected board will do next.
Think about this also, what would really be happening is we would have a stay on track "lair", or "clubhouse", being used under the guise of a, administration building. Ok, enough conspiracy theories for now.
All this talk is probably just smoke and mirrors for what this uninspiring, crony infected board will do next.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Outsourcing and Early retirement
Attn Bill Hellmann, you can't complain about salaries and such when you give generous salary increases to members of the administration. We the taxpayer are also left paying Dr. Yonson's salary, whom you ran out of town. Your scare tactics are not working anymore Billy, hang it up. Oh yea...you too Marlys.
From the bcct:
Early retirement, outsourcing being considered
Early retirement, outsourcing being considered for budget
Posted: Thursday, March 3, 2011 12:00 am
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE staff writer | 0 comments
morrisville
An anticipated $2 million budget deficit in the coming school year is forcing the district to cut costs, says the school board president.
Morrisville School District is offering an early retirement plan to its teachers and considering outsourcing custodial services to cut costs.
The measures are necessary because district spending is "is out of control" due to increases in salaries, benefits and pensions, said board President Bill Hellmann.
"We need to go out to bid on custodial services in order to determine what the cost would be per the market. This will allow us to be in a better negotiating position," said Hellmann. "We have to control our costs of operating this school district. The annual employee raises, health insurance and pension increases will really hurt our town.
"We are offering an (early retirement incentive plan) to our teachers. We appreciate the work that they do but again, the cost of operating our school district is out of control. We will know how many are taking this option by March 31. The expensive pension increases approved by our state legislators back in 2001 will wind up hurting education across the state and is the same everywhere around the country," he said.
Such board action comes at a time when the district faces a deficit of more than $2 million, according to preliminary budget figures for the 2011-12 school year.
To help reduce costs, the district has taken up a financial fight with Bucks County Technical High School, accusing directors of the Bristol Township school with overcharging for its education services for the 51 Morrisville students who attend the school full time.
Officials say Morrisville's cost has increased about $400,000 for this school year and what is projected for the coming school year. As a result, the district has refused payment to the tech school until the two educational institutions figure out a cost solution.
Parent Jon Perry appreciates the officials' efforts to keep costs as low as possible for Morrisville taxpayers, but he has concerns about the proposed spending plan for the next school year.
"Looking at the preliminary budget, special education is up by almost $1 million, to nearly $4 million," he said. "This a 32 percent increase - much bigger than any other budget increase. It's five times bigger than the tech school increase. "
Perry noticed that two-thirds of the increase is not on salaries and/or benefits, it's from increased services, he said.
Hellmann said Wednesday, "The special education budget is a conservative budget based on our projected special education population."
Perry added the business office budget is up 16 percent, to almost half a million dollars.
"The new hire in the business office is an intern only at $12 per hour. The business office will also not be implementing some optional software upgrades due to budget constraints," Hellmann said,
Hellmann didn't go into detail about the business office increase, but he added "this is only a preliminary budget and we will work to get it more in line with our available revenues with a mind towards quality education also" and "what we have here is a perfect storm. Declining revenues due to a poor economy and escalating costs due mainly to labor contracts that were in place prior to this board's arrival."
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com Follow Gema on Twitter at twitter.com/deadlineduarte
Copyright 2011 phillyBurbs.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
From the bcct:
Early retirement, outsourcing being considered
Early retirement, outsourcing being considered for budget
Posted: Thursday, March 3, 2011 12:00 am
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE staff writer | 0 comments
morrisville
An anticipated $2 million budget deficit in the coming school year is forcing the district to cut costs, says the school board president.
Morrisville School District is offering an early retirement plan to its teachers and considering outsourcing custodial services to cut costs.
The measures are necessary because district spending is "is out of control" due to increases in salaries, benefits and pensions, said board President Bill Hellmann.
"We need to go out to bid on custodial services in order to determine what the cost would be per the market. This will allow us to be in a better negotiating position," said Hellmann. "We have to control our costs of operating this school district. The annual employee raises, health insurance and pension increases will really hurt our town.
"We are offering an (early retirement incentive plan) to our teachers. We appreciate the work that they do but again, the cost of operating our school district is out of control. We will know how many are taking this option by March 31. The expensive pension increases approved by our state legislators back in 2001 will wind up hurting education across the state and is the same everywhere around the country," he said.
Such board action comes at a time when the district faces a deficit of more than $2 million, according to preliminary budget figures for the 2011-12 school year.
To help reduce costs, the district has taken up a financial fight with Bucks County Technical High School, accusing directors of the Bristol Township school with overcharging for its education services for the 51 Morrisville students who attend the school full time.
Officials say Morrisville's cost has increased about $400,000 for this school year and what is projected for the coming school year. As a result, the district has refused payment to the tech school until the two educational institutions figure out a cost solution.
Parent Jon Perry appreciates the officials' efforts to keep costs as low as possible for Morrisville taxpayers, but he has concerns about the proposed spending plan for the next school year.
"Looking at the preliminary budget, special education is up by almost $1 million, to nearly $4 million," he said. "This a 32 percent increase - much bigger than any other budget increase. It's five times bigger than the tech school increase. "
Perry noticed that two-thirds of the increase is not on salaries and/or benefits, it's from increased services, he said.
Hellmann said Wednesday, "The special education budget is a conservative budget based on our projected special education population."
Perry added the business office budget is up 16 percent, to almost half a million dollars.
"The new hire in the business office is an intern only at $12 per hour. The business office will also not be implementing some optional software upgrades due to budget constraints," Hellmann said,
Hellmann didn't go into detail about the business office increase, but he added "this is only a preliminary budget and we will work to get it more in line with our available revenues with a mind towards quality education also" and "what we have here is a perfect storm. Declining revenues due to a poor economy and escalating costs due mainly to labor contracts that were in place prior to this board's arrival."
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com Follow Gema on Twitter at twitter.com/deadlineduarte
Copyright 2011 phillyBurbs.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Withholding payment
The online version didn't have the author when we posted the piece. If anyone knows the author, please let us know so we may credit them.
Witholding payment
Unsatisfied customer
Morrisville raises legitimate concerns about costs and outcomes at the technical high school.
When you don't get what you're paying for, stop paying. That's what smart consumers do. And if Morrisville school board President Bill Hellman is anything - and he's been called lots of things - he's a smart consumer.
To that end, the Morrisville School District has stopped payments to Bucks County Technical High School, which charges Morrisville roughly $15,000 for each of the 51 students Morrisville sends to the tech school. (Next September that bill rises to $18,000 per student.)
No, the district hasn't chosen to become a deadbeat; it will simply put its next payment to the tech school in an escrow account. Call Morrisville an unsatisfied customer.
Hellman's gripe is twofold: 1. The tech school is too expensive; and 2. It's not doing the job academically.
First issue first: Hellman points out that Morrisville's payments to the school "for last year and projected for the next year (2011-12) + has increased approximately $400,000. + That is an approximately 76 percent increase in two years."
A whopping increase for sure, bringing Morrisville's total yearly bill to $767,000. (Remember, that number will go up next year.)
Hellman, who is a certified public accountant, knows a thing or two about finances. And in his estimation, all of the technical school's sending districts - six counting Morrisville - could save a combined $15 million annually if the tech school operated solely as a part-time "technical" school.
That's what it used to be. Time was students attended the school for a technical education only, rotating back to their home school every two weeks for academic instruction. That system changed a few years ago when the tech school morphed into a comprehensive school, meaning it provides academic instruction as well as vocational training. It also operates full time.
That brings us to Hellman's other issue: that the technical school isn't meeting its academic requirements.
To their credit, technical school officials have come up with a plan to remedy that shortcoming. Just this week the school unveiled plans for a "freshman academy" beginning next year. Under the plan, intensified instruction in reading and math will be provided to incoming students who did not score at the proficient level in state assessment tests.
Our compliments to tech school officials for recognizing a need and coming up with a plan to address it. Still, Hellman's complaints merit some attention.
As he points out, the county's other two technical high schools remain part-time institutions. Did the Lower Bucks school make a mistake going full time? It's a debate worth having, especially with school districts facing huge financial challenges, including significant reductions in state and federal funding. Would the $15 million Hellman cited come in handy at this time?
For the record, Morrisville spends approximately $17,000 a year per student at the district high school. So the tech school's cost won't be dramatically higher next year - just $1,000 more per student. What's worrisome is the dramatic increase in the technical school's costs over the past two years, at least in Morrisville's case.
Hellman is right to sound an alarm and, as any smart consumer would do, withhold payment if costs aren't contained and service doesn't improve.
Copyright 2011 phillyBurbs.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Witholding payment
Unsatisfied customer
Morrisville raises legitimate concerns about costs and outcomes at the technical high school.
When you don't get what you're paying for, stop paying. That's what smart consumers do. And if Morrisville school board President Bill Hellman is anything - and he's been called lots of things - he's a smart consumer.
To that end, the Morrisville School District has stopped payments to Bucks County Technical High School, which charges Morrisville roughly $15,000 for each of the 51 students Morrisville sends to the tech school. (Next September that bill rises to $18,000 per student.)
No, the district hasn't chosen to become a deadbeat; it will simply put its next payment to the tech school in an escrow account. Call Morrisville an unsatisfied customer.
Hellman's gripe is twofold: 1. The tech school is too expensive; and 2. It's not doing the job academically.
First issue first: Hellman points out that Morrisville's payments to the school "for last year and projected for the next year (2011-12) + has increased approximately $400,000. + That is an approximately 76 percent increase in two years."
A whopping increase for sure, bringing Morrisville's total yearly bill to $767,000. (Remember, that number will go up next year.)
Hellman, who is a certified public accountant, knows a thing or two about finances. And in his estimation, all of the technical school's sending districts - six counting Morrisville - could save a combined $15 million annually if the tech school operated solely as a part-time "technical" school.
That's what it used to be. Time was students attended the school for a technical education only, rotating back to their home school every two weeks for academic instruction. That system changed a few years ago when the tech school morphed into a comprehensive school, meaning it provides academic instruction as well as vocational training. It also operates full time.
That brings us to Hellman's other issue: that the technical school isn't meeting its academic requirements.
To their credit, technical school officials have come up with a plan to remedy that shortcoming. Just this week the school unveiled plans for a "freshman academy" beginning next year. Under the plan, intensified instruction in reading and math will be provided to incoming students who did not score at the proficient level in state assessment tests.
Our compliments to tech school officials for recognizing a need and coming up with a plan to address it. Still, Hellman's complaints merit some attention.
As he points out, the county's other two technical high schools remain part-time institutions. Did the Lower Bucks school make a mistake going full time? It's a debate worth having, especially with school districts facing huge financial challenges, including significant reductions in state and federal funding. Would the $15 million Hellman cited come in handy at this time?
For the record, Morrisville spends approximately $17,000 a year per student at the district high school. So the tech school's cost won't be dramatically higher next year - just $1,000 more per student. What's worrisome is the dramatic increase in the technical school's costs over the past two years, at least in Morrisville's case.
Hellman is right to sound an alarm and, as any smart consumer would do, withhold payment if costs aren't contained and service doesn't improve.
Copyright 2011 phillyBurbs.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
School develops plan to meet federal guidelines
School develops plan to meet federal guidelines
School develops plan to meet federal guidelines
By: CHRIS ENGLISH
Bucks County Courier Times
bucks county technical high school
Increased math and reading instruction for ninth-graders who need it is part of a freshman academy being created at the school.
Bucks County Technical High School is changing the way it does business in an effort to improve academic performance and reverse a trend that has seen the school in Bristol Township fail to meet federal Adequate Yearly Progress standards the last three years.
At Monday night's joint school board meeting, Principal Connie Rinker and a team of teachers gave a presentation on the creation of a freshman academy at the comprehensive technical school starting next year.
The idea behind the academy is to provide intensified instruction in reading and mathematics to freshmen who did not score at a proficient level in their eighth-grade PSSA exams in those subjects.
"They will be getting 90 minutes of math and 90 minutes of reading every day," said Rinker. That's about twice the amount freshmen who need remedial help in those subjects are getting now, she added.
Those who have scored at a proficient level on their eighth-grade PSSAs will move into the regular freshman schedule at the school, she said.
The plan is to have about 12 academic teachers at the school work exclusively with freshmen, Rinker said.
"If they are not proficient in their eighth-grade PSSAs, we will give them extra support as freshmen," she said. "What we're trying to do is make this AYP thing go away by filling in gaps these students come to us with."
The school is a full-time educational facility where students drawn from the Pennsbury, Neshaminy, Bristol Township, Bensalem, Bristol and Morrisville districts receive both academic and vocational instruction. The technical school gets students from 27 different public, parochial and private schools within those districts, said Rinker.
About 48 percent of incoming freshmen at the technical school are reading at a level at least two grades below the grade they are in, said Rinker. About 51 percent do not meet proficiency standards in math, she added.
"So this will be an intensified academic experience to build a base?" asked joint school board member Gene Dolnick.
Yes, said Rinker.
Bob Harvie, a teacher and chairman of the social studies department at the technical school, said the team that developed the freshman academy idea is also working on a school homework policy it will be submitting to the joint school board for approval in May or June.
"There has been a lot of attention paid to how we can help our students improve," he said.
A meeting to explain the new freshman academy for parents of students who will be ninth-graders next year will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the school, 610 Wistar Road, Fairless Hills.
Chris English can be reached 215-949-4193 or cenglish@ phillyBurbs.com Follow Chris on Twitter at Twitter.com/courierc
March 01, 2011 02:01 AM
School develops plan to meet federal guidelines
By: CHRIS ENGLISH
Bucks County Courier Times
bucks county technical high school
Increased math and reading instruction for ninth-graders who need it is part of a freshman academy being created at the school.
Bucks County Technical High School is changing the way it does business in an effort to improve academic performance and reverse a trend that has seen the school in Bristol Township fail to meet federal Adequate Yearly Progress standards the last three years.
At Monday night's joint school board meeting, Principal Connie Rinker and a team of teachers gave a presentation on the creation of a freshman academy at the comprehensive technical school starting next year.
The idea behind the academy is to provide intensified instruction in reading and mathematics to freshmen who did not score at a proficient level in their eighth-grade PSSA exams in those subjects.
"They will be getting 90 minutes of math and 90 minutes of reading every day," said Rinker. That's about twice the amount freshmen who need remedial help in those subjects are getting now, she added.
Those who have scored at a proficient level on their eighth-grade PSSAs will move into the regular freshman schedule at the school, she said.
The plan is to have about 12 academic teachers at the school work exclusively with freshmen, Rinker said.
"If they are not proficient in their eighth-grade PSSAs, we will give them extra support as freshmen," she said. "What we're trying to do is make this AYP thing go away by filling in gaps these students come to us with."
The school is a full-time educational facility where students drawn from the Pennsbury, Neshaminy, Bristol Township, Bensalem, Bristol and Morrisville districts receive both academic and vocational instruction. The technical school gets students from 27 different public, parochial and private schools within those districts, said Rinker.
About 48 percent of incoming freshmen at the technical school are reading at a level at least two grades below the grade they are in, said Rinker. About 51 percent do not meet proficiency standards in math, she added.
"So this will be an intensified academic experience to build a base?" asked joint school board member Gene Dolnick.
Yes, said Rinker.
Bob Harvie, a teacher and chairman of the social studies department at the technical school, said the team that developed the freshman academy idea is also working on a school homework policy it will be submitting to the joint school board for approval in May or June.
"There has been a lot of attention paid to how we can help our students improve," he said.
A meeting to explain the new freshman academy for parents of students who will be ninth-graders next year will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the school, 610 Wistar Road, Fairless Hills.
Chris English can be reached 215-949-4193 or cenglish@ phillyBurbs.com Follow Chris on Twitter at Twitter.com/courierc
March 01, 2011 02:01 AM
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