Open Letter to the Board of Education

 

Dear Members of the Board:

           At the recent budget meeting Dr. Porter's opening remarks stated that the budget cuts would come with the least effect on the children as possible.  This sounds like the politically correct thing to say because in reality it seems that many of his proposed cuts are going to come in areas that DO affect our students.  Secretaries who deal with students every day, Slingerland aides who are vital to the learning environment of those special need students, bus drivers who will affect when and if our students will get rides to school are some of the proposed cuts that "have the least effect on our students."

           On the other hand, the proposed cuts at the district office appear not to be cuts at all; but simply a shifting of the funding source from which they are paid.  For instance, Paula Bolling's job is listed as a $75,000 cut on the proposed cuts, but she is not being laid off nor is her job being eliminated.  So in keeping with the attempt to have the least effect on the students, how many students do Paula Bolling ($150,000), Merle Audette ($100,000+), Bob Dunwoody ($100,000+), Bob Spychala ($100,000+), and some of the TOSAs see on a daily basis?

           In conclusion, it is you the Board of Education who are charged with doing what is best for the STUDENTS of Franklin McKinley, not the Superintendent.  

Name Withheld

Elections Update

· There have been several recent elections. Congratulations to Tom Blackman who won a seat on our state delegation to the NEA Representative Assembly in Washington D.C.

· In our recent State Council elections Yvonne Tran ran as a write-in candidate. Though she received far more votes than any other write-in candidate, a run-off election in the fall will be necessary for her to be formally elected to CTA State Council. Thank you to Tom Blackman and Karin Meyer who are wrapping up their multi-year terms on State Council.

· FMEA officer elections will be conducted at sites, April 29th through May 1st. Do not write in anyone without first discussing it with that person.