March, 2011
Volume 19, Issue 7
EYES ON THE BOARD
THE CHALLENGE FOR OUR CHILDREN
McAllen ISD Board Meeting, March 21, 2011
Dr. Caporusso was absent.
There was no action on the legal case for Delia Longoria, former principal at McAllen High School.
In Public Comments last night there was a very professional presentation by the Music and Arts teachers--one of the best they have ever done. I can say that as I have attended school board meetings for 26 years.
Another Public Comments presentation was done by Perez Elementary children, teachers, and parents to support IB, music, and the arts. The children made a great impact.
Our Public Comment is below.
The construction for a Pavilion for Perez Elementary was approved. The cost will be $99,095. The PTO at Perez will contribute $50,000 and the city $50,000. The district will contribute in kind--electrical, painting, etc. The Pavilion for Seguin was mentioned.
It seems it will be built in the summer.
The Application for Candidacy for IB for Morris and De Leon was pulled from the agenda. At the next budget workshop, the candidacy will be discussed.
Milam Elementary was approved for a new 50 ton chiller. Morris was approved for two (2) 70 ton chillers. Travis was approved for two (2) 7.5 ton and one (1) 10 ton unit chillers.
MCALLEN AFT PRESENTATION TO THE MISD BOARD OF EDUCATION March 21, 2011
Good evening. My name is Ruth Skow, and I represent the McAllen AFT. We represent employees from the teacher to the bus driver.
On March 14, 2011 McAllen AFT members, parents, children, citizens, went to Austin to talk to our legislators concerning school funding.
We told them that we wanted a balanced approach. Relying on cuts alone will not meet people’s urgent needs and will fail to invest in the future—our children.
In addition, in these hard times we’re past either/or choices; as a practical matter, we’ll need to do everything—use our reserves (Rainy Day Fund); maximize federal assistance; make some cuts; and create new revenue. That’s a practical, balanced approach.
When we spoke to the legislators, we said the following:
1. Our goal should be to maintain adequate funding for education and health care and to help families struggling because of the recession.
2. We need to support K-12 and college funding because it helps people get good jobs. You don’t improve our kids’ future chances by laying off their teachers.
3. If we don’t invest in education and children’s health care now, we will be poorly positioned to take advantage of our opportunities when good times return.
4. The worst thing a state can do in an economic downturn is to weaken basic public services that a strong economy needs, like education, health care, public safety.
5. In these hard times, Texas schoolchildren and their families need more help, not less.
6. It’s always right to prioritize spending, see what works, see what doesn’t, and make adjustments. But to get out of the deep hole the recession has put us in, we need a balanced approach, not just spending cuts.
We would like to mention polling data that you might need to know.
1. 88% of Texans agree that Texas public schools need more money from the state. Only 10 percent disagreed. Source: Texas Poll/Texas Association of School Boards, October 2010.
2. 82% of the public is opposed to proposed cuts in education.
3. They also oppose cuts to: pre-kindergarten, 62%; state contributions to teacher and state employee retirement programs, 69%; the Children’s Health Insurance Program, 87%; for closing four community colleges, 77%.
Source: UT/Texas Tribune Poll, February 2011.
Thank you.
School Board Meeting Regular/Special, March 7, 2011
The McAllen ISD Board meetings started at 5:30 p.m. and ended at 11:56 p.m.
The plane (McAllen ISD) has not landed. Remember the legislature continues to meet until the last day of May, 2011. The legislature can continue to foul up local decisions.
First of all, when the budget cut sheets were shown, librarians had disappeared from being cut. Library assistants are still on the list to be cut.
RN's (nurses) are still going to be replaced by LVNs' over time. Big discussion over this--seems many board members don't want LVN's to replace majority of RNs'.
Pre-K--not on the cut list. Not sure whether there will be 1/2 day or full day.
Administration cut by $300,000. Who are cut--don't know yet.
The Board discussed IB, but did not reach a decision. Will come up in further budget meetings. The Board asked for more information.
At 11:50 p.m. the Board voted to give $3,000 to employees under Chapter 21, who submit voluntary early notice. There are 170 secondary eligible, 50 elementary, 10 counselors, 5 librarians, and 5 speech path. The incentive will be given to up to 245 (may reopen again). This is for teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, and speech path. Other groups of employees are not offered the voluntary incentive. The sign up time begins at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 and ends March 23, 2011 at 6 p.m. at H.R. The voluntary employees can sub and come back after two (2) years.
A discussion of teaching 7 classes in high school and 6 in middle school lasted about 45 minutes. Some board members requested more information. Seems as if some of administration wants electives to have 1 conference period and the core to have 2 conference periods--obviously administration does not understand what is going on teaching wise.
A 45-minute discussion on increasing health insurance was presented. Mr. Moore discussed dropping what the district put in--$367 a month for each employee--to $225 a month.
Mrs. Garcia--absent from the meeting--has been pushing hard to go down to $225 a month.