March 1st Lakewood School Board Meeting - 7:00 P.M.

[marklingm]

The next regular meeting of the Lakewood City School District Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, March 1, 2010, at 7:00 P.M., at Board of Education Building, Board Auditorium, 1470 Warren Road.

The current agenda is attached.

Check the school district website for updates and possible changes in location.

Everyone is encouraged to attend.

[Jim O'Bryan]

The next regular meeting of the Lakewood City School District Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, March 1, 2010, at 7:00 P.M., at Board of Education Building, Board Auditorium, 1470 Warren Road.

The current agenda is attached.

Check the school district website for updates and possible changes in location.

Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Thank you for the post.



.

[sharon kinsella]

Why would anyone bother?

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Why would anyone bother?

Hi Sharon,

Believe me, it takes a lot of energy to "bother". Most members of the Lakewood BOE don't want us to bother. They want us to go away. When we don't communicate to them directly about how we feel about their decisions, and when we stop keeping the conversation alive in the community, than our BOE distorts that as thinking that the community trusts them or that we don't care about what they do. They really do think that this whole school closing issue will die down and within a few weeks people won't care anymore.

Here are some reasons you might want to attend the meeting tonight:

1. Let the BOE know that negligent decisions made behind closed doors are unacceptable to you.

2. If you think they closed the wrong school or shouldn't have closed a school at all, or think it should be up to the voters to decide, let them know.

3. Go because they didn't allow us to respond to their decision and handling of the vote directly after they made it. Instead, comments were taken at the beginning of the meeting that they voted. They let many good people ramble on knowing it wouldn't change their minds...Tonight is our opportunity to respond directly and publicly to the BOE.

4. Go because you want to know more about the levy and if they are going to close a school this fall. What are they going to cut?

5. Go to let the BOE know that before we can consider approving a levy or a bond that we want a BOE who is trustworthy able to make fiscally sound decisions.

Go and let them know they don't get a free pass this time. We elected them and the voters deserve our School Board to be accountable for their decisions.

[Rhonda loje]

Good post!

[sharon kinsella]

Kristine -

Great post and I certainly understand what you are saying.

I would just wind up screaming at them and raising my blood pressure. I think they are a bunch of thieves pulling what they did and behaving in the manner they did. The win when everyone behaves, gives them leave to pull their crap.

I may go, but if I do, you all have to hold me down, maybe channel my energy to keep yourselves going.

I would love to go, I just want all of you to have your say and to be heard and I know they're going to try and sidestep.

If I do go, Dannielle and Betsy know me and I'll sit by them.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Sharon, I do hope you go (and anyone else who may be reading this).

You're energy is great. You wont' have to be held down because you DO UNDERSTAND how to act with integrity. Unlike...

I hope that I will be able to meet you personally and put a face to the post.

[sharon kinsella]

I honestly tried Kristene, it was unbelievably hot in that room and no air circulated. Why didn't they have both sides of door open?

I wish I could have stayed, it was so great to have all you young parents there and I added more faces to go with names. I'll see all of you again.

I'm hoping someone posts what happened after that unbelievably long powerpoint presentation. There were many things in that that I had questions about, didn't need to over explanatory remarks that were made. Creativity is going to be expected but art courses are electives? Huh? Who's deciding that? Sorry, doesn't compute.

Teachers just agreed to no raises but now they have to help design individual plans for students and testing for those outcomes. 5 times the work. Great idea, rotten foresight.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Sharon,

I think it was great that you came! The room was unbearable and there were others in attendance who had to move out into the hall. But, glad you came and I hope you will ask the BOE or the administrators your questions. I know some of the control over the program is limited because the State of Ohio is requiring that all school districts adopt the new graduation/credit requirements.

I wish you could have stayed, but I am sure there will be posts regarding our BOE and Phase III.

Also, thanks to Rhonda and her husband for attending the BOE meeting. It is great to have citizens who have been listening to actually go and find out about all that is posted on the Deck. Sorry it was so hot and long for your first visit.

Good to meet both of you in person,

Kristine

[Rhonda loje]

Not being part of the Phase III process, Mike and I learned alot.

I can certainly understand now what you all have been discussing.

I especially liked how Mr. Markling expressed his opinion about the time wasted during this March 1 meeting explaining the decision about the last meeting, when if it had been done during the process of voting it would have maybe been understood a little bit better and not caused the discomfort that it has created with Lakewood residents. It could have been handled better. He is right.

Now there seems to be a discomfort with the BOE itself.

Since I have never been involved with the schools or the BOE because I don't have kids...I always felt that I didn't have a stake in the game. I'm wrong. We pay taxes and with the pending levy...they are asking me and my husband for money. I should be involved and I will be and so will my husband.

It think we all should be more involved.

Rhonda

[David Westlake]

Rhonda is so right. Any notion that EVERY Lakewoodite doesn't have an equal stake in the game is laughable. We ALL pay property taxes regardless if we have kids in the schools. (Yes, even renters) And most probably pay more in property taxes to the schools than they pay in local income taxes to the city. Heck, most retirees don't even pay any local income taxes, but that is an issue for another thread!

We most definitely need to be informed and involved in the dealings of our BOE. And not just for the sake of our kids, but also for the strength our community. Our elected board members need to be accountable for their actions. Effective, accountable board members should be commended for their hard work, and others should be voted out. That's the way it's supposed to work, right?

It is often that our board runs, and is re-elected in unopposed elections.
Maybe it is time that we rethink who should be running our schools???

[Stan Austin]

Rhonda--- I am single and no kids. But, I am a DAMN PROUD ALUMNI. We are all involved in the schools.

I SUPPORT THE LEVY, (regardless of any possible disagreements with the Board)

Stan

[Justine Cooper]

I will admit I have only been to one school board meeting and rely on the dedicated ones like you all to report what is happening. Thank you for that. We always need checks and balances and differing opinions to see the truth.

What I will say is that in my current position professionally I deal with many school districts and I see how they are all struggling financially. I see programs cut and services not being offered because there is simply no money there and they cannot pass a levy. I feel proud to be in a district that has passed enough levys and done enough work to produce beautiful schools that other districts would envy and to keep education a top priority, as evidenced by the reports. This is also evidenced by the work my children bring home and I wonder if the teachers ever rest with all those papers to grade!

This is a sidenote from backdoor discussions and lack of transparency and the Grant issue which many dedicated taxpayers are proudly fighting for. Lakewood as a whole is fortunate to have so many who care about the quality and without those members and the PTA members who keep schools afloat, as well as the board members who truly care, we would not be what we are. And I think Lakewood is still a shining star with their education. TYes, there are problems that need addressed and I am glad that people like you out there are fighting for all the kids and parents and taxpayers. I am so grateful for school board members like Matt Markling who answers phone calls directly and answers questions directly. Let's continue to vote and bring in more of what IS working.

I feel very proud to be part of such an active and caring community and even though certain "elite" groups try to discount some of the most important citizens (parents), that revolution will help sustain the integrity for our most valuable resource-the children.