Jackson BOE grants week long vacation for two day convention in 2009
July 5, 2009 by NJ News
Filed under Jackson News
Jackson, NJ – Each year, schools shut down as teachers and administrators head to Atlantic City for the annual NJEA convention. This year’s convention will be held on November 5th and 6th, but the Board of Education has declared the entire week as NJEA Convention and granted faculty and students the entire week off, creating a “Fall Break” of sorts.
While this newly adopted fall break is welcomed by both teachers and students, it creates hardships on families where both parents work, causing them to miss work or make undesirable arrangements for their children. It’s also just one more misleading action by our Board of Education. The convention is only two days, however the entire week in the district calendar is extremely misleading as it declares the entire week as NJEA Convention, while the actual convention is only Thursday and Friday. Tuesday is election day, but historically the schools have not closed on election day. Last year teachers were only granted two days off to attend the two day event. (see the Jackson Schools Calendar) (see the Atlantic City Convention Center Calendar)
Another problem with this newly approved schedule is that school in 2010 is currently scheduled to close on June 22nd. If last year’s snowfall in Jackson is any indicator to what’s in store in 2010, we can expect the school year to run into the last week of June.
The district should be truthful to parents and not try to mislead parents into thinking the NJEA Convention is the entire week.
Do you think that Jackson Schools should be closed the entire week for a two day event? Do you like the idea of a fall break in K-12 education? How will this week long vacation impact you and your family?
As NJ moves toward unifying school districts, one of the issues they face is the disparity in school calendars. The Executive County Superintendent, Dr. Bruce Greenfield, urged that all districts in the county adopt a single county-wide calendar for the school year.
This provides for continuity across districts that provide a more efficient educational process. Most districts in the county send special needs and VoTech students out of district each day. In the past the effort to coordinate who was open and who was closed required significant time and expense. It also left many special needs and VoTech students without classes since those schools followed a different calendar than the districts did.
In many districts this often created a need for substitutes that did little more than warehouse these students on those days. It created issues with transportation as well since the locations the students were normally taken to were closed.
In addition to Jackson, this County School Calendar has been adopted by most districts including Toms River: (http://www.trschools.com/docs/calendar_pupil_09-10.pdf) and Plumsted: (http://www.newegypt.us/Calendar/Final%202009%202010%20District%20Calendar03122009.pdf)
The thought process behind the scheduled week off is not as nefarious as you would have your readers believe. Optionally, the calendar in many districts would have called for classes on Monday the 2nd, closed on Tuesday for Election day, classes once again on Wednesday, and finally closed again for the NJEA convention on Thursday and Friday.
The county felt that such a schedule would be disruptive to learning, and has often left many classes in the districts with poor attendance as many families take advantage of the long week end by stretching it a few days. The traditional absenteeism during this week was factored into the compilation fo the county school calendar.
Lastly, to correct one additional point, the NJEA convention does not include supervisors. The NJEA is the teachers’ union and have little interest in the ‘boss’ being there.
While I applaud your efforts to provide information to our town, it would be far more valuable if you could provide accurate information.
Perhaps the calendar should be updated to reflect what it is. The NJEA convention is just two days. Historically Jackson seems to have never had off on election day. Do the children really need such a disruption in education early on because the teacher’s union has to go to Atlantic City? Why have we not petitioned for the opposite? Do employees who have a two month break really need a full week break sixty days after their summer break ended?
It’s disengious to the parents who may believe that the NJEA convention is the entire week and misleading to think that the entire week, the teachers will be honing their skills and attending conferences.
I’ve worked tables at NJEA and there are administration level employees there interfacing with vendors, researching new products and technologies.
You compare the calendar to that of Toms River Regional Schools, but yet the Toms River Regional Schools’ last day is June 16th. Jackson’s last day of school is June 22nd. How much is that extra week costing taxpayers? Why can’t that time be made up elsewhere to shorten the year, thus cutting overall costs to the taxpayers to maintain schools, buses, etc? The 2009-10 Jackson school calendar is a demonstration in fiscal irresponsibility once again. I’m sure the costs to stay open until the 22nd FAR outweighs parking fees.
How much does our district cost to operate per day? Why are we giving a full week off like other districts, but staying open one full week longer than those districts?
If you have any interest in the facts, I will present them here. However, I expect you will continue to misrepresent them as is your earmark.
Each school district is required to have 180 days of student instruction by state law. When you refer to the two calendars that you mentioned in your introductory commentary, you can see there are numerous differences that account for the difference in final days.
Toma River opens on 9/2, but 9/2.3 and 4 are shortened days. Note that Labor Day is on 9/7, and that Jackson Schools open on Tuesday September 8th. This means families do not have to curtail their summer vacations, unlike Toms River who is bringing children in for shortened days before Summer ends. Traditionally, the Labor Day weekend is the last long weekend before getting back to school.
Another consideration is that many of our students are employed for the Summer. Some locally, others in far away places. Some are serving as Summer interns in their fields of interest. Others may be performing service with their youth or church groups. To bring them in before their commitment has ended is unfair to the community.
If you want to discuss costs, how about opening schools when many students may still be on trips, and only for a limited period of time? You might question why Toms River would chose to do such a thing.
You ask about the cost of the “extra week”, but in reality, Jackson schools have the same 180 days as any other district. We start a week later, with full days, and without the interruption of the extended Labor Day weekend.
Contrary to your statement, Jackson School District is not paying staff, or running buses for an ‘extra week’. In fact by starting school after the holiday weekend the district has demonstrated a greater responsibility to the community as people and taxpayers.
Surely you can see that.
Joe, I am not following you. In your first comment you stated that TR and Jackson both adopted the “unified” county calendar. If that is the case, how do each have different starting and ending dates? Doesn’t seem very unified to me…
You’re right on the schedule. I have a printed schedule that showed the 8th as their starting day as well and did not note the 1/2 days from my niece who is TRRSD student. That would have accounted for the ‘extra week’ but I see the online calendar for their district shows the correct dates.
I will still disagree with the County superintendent however to push for a full week off since many districts do not close for election day and it’s 3 days we could have taken off from the end of the calendar. I’m not so sure children are that overworked by the first week of November and can hold out until the Thanksgiving Day weekend. I would like to know why they pushed for the whole week instead of pushing districts to not close on election day.
Since we’re on costs though, what about turning off a few light bulbs starting in September? Drive by any Jackson school any night this summer and at least 1/3 of all interior lights are on unecessarily.
I’m not afraid to admit I’m wrong when I was presented with wrong facts to support my stance, but I do not agree with the full week in November, those three days could mean school in July and then we’re into the same church group, job, etc issues on the other end.
I know full well about 180 days. I was concerned about how those 180 days are being stretched out. Four 1/2 days in June is also a waste of time since there is very little education happening.
The issue of external schools and County VoTech schools have always been an issue with the calendar. Our district would end up warehousing students that had nowhere to go. Working towards a unified calendar is beneficial to all districts, but it will take a few more years for things to fall into place on a county wide level.
With respect to energy, I suggest you contact a district official and learn first hand what has been in place for many years, and what is being done currently. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Joe, tell us what is in place for energy cost cutting since I don’t see it anywhere in the 3 schools that I’m affiliated with. Lights are on when the kids and teachers aren’t even in the building. Heat was on until the last day of school (not on in the winter where I sit, but was on throughout the spring). Computers on overnight, not on stand-by, but full on. Lights on in almost every room (Switlik is the exception) and in parking lots while the sun is shining (IF the sun is shining). Then we have the suggestion by me of cutting power by taking bulbs out of light fixtures, which you thought was ridiculous. Being a little energy conscious means being cost conscious which the JSD is not as far as I can see. JSD may be sharing costs of oil etc. with the township but that’s as far as it goes on cutting costs when it comes to energy. Energy efficiennt – we are not. If the BOE would visit the schools when they’re in session, they would see that.
Heating the school buildings until June is a complete waste of taxpayer money. I am all for setting a heat schedule as major cities do. Start and end dates should be at the discretion of the BOE and widely announced to all parents. Let everyone know that there will be no heat in all JSD buildings until October 15 (for example). This way parents know how to dress their children for school so they will be comfortable. Same goes in the Spring. Determine an end date and make it known to all parents so they can supervise how their children are dressed to spend a day in a building without heat. Typically, we don’t get 30 degree days in October or May in this part of the country. This program just needs leadership, coordination and publicity.
I was at Holman many times and the hallways were blasting heat out at nearly 80 degrees on 75 degree days. We’re just giving money away. It’s so frustrating to see Joe Fiero, the husband of the Board President come to message boards and such bitching about things like parking and how broke our district is when there are such blatant disregards for spending when it comes to energy use. I would advise Joe to actually take a trip with his wife and visit the schools she presides over to see first hand what we are talking about. I’ve been to several schools way after hours and computers were all on, lights on, windows open.. infact some classrooms had the windows open because the heat was too high and they had to cool off. Where is the sense in this?
Why are lights still on 24/7 at ALL schools? Joe, I don’t need to read whatever policies or progams you might be referring to on paper because I see first hand, the reality of the situation.
Also why are parents being charged $25 for parking? Does the school board and the district even engage one another? It seems they are oblivous to any decisions made at the board level. Perhaps Principals and Vice Principals should be required to attend these meetings regularly as well.. yes yes.. i know. their contract doesn’t require it.
I thank her for not addressing the real issues in the district. It will make my job easier.
The way to repeal the “tax” is in the voting booth. I agree that this fee is ridiculous and aimed at the STUDENTS, no less. I will repeat, IMO it is discriminatory to impose a fee to use a high school parking lot and charge only one segment of the people who use that lot. This fee is particularly abhorrent when every resident can see daily how wasteful the district is with our money. We can see the lights on overnight, the open windows, and feel the heat when we enter a school. The BOE and Administration should incorporate money saving procedures BEFORE putting an additional fee on our studens.
A completely empty school building at 11pm at night in the middle of summer with lights on inside in all corners of the building is not a misrepresentation of any facts, Joe, especially when those lights have been on since the last day of school in many buildings. To prove this, I will drive by LMHS tonight, which is our state of the art building and report back to you (hopefully you can make the call before to have all the lights turned off)
When was the last time you were in one of our schools Joe? We’re blasting heat on 75 degree days whether you want to believe it or not. You use the excuse of “other towns are doing it” to push your agenda all the time, yet when it comes to the ideas proposed, guess what?
Other towns are doing it and they are saving upwards of $250,000 per year. And guess what elese? They have schools much older than most of Jackson’s schools.
They are using online energy procurement services to save additional $100,000 and more per year.
Other districts have old schools. Other districts have sun problems (they installed reflective shading on those windows to reduce the heat issue you explain.. not just open windows).
On sunny days lights can be turned off in hallways that have direct sun throughout the day in the fall and spring.
You sit here and defend what you assume is happening, but it is not. You are merely acting as an advisor to a rear officer who blindly discredits reports from young officers on the front lines.
By the way what I am campaigning for? I’ve made it clear I will not be running for anything any time soon. This isn’t the Lotto, you don’t have to be in it to win it. I have also stated publicly why I will not run for a BOE seat, but instead support who I feel are the right candidates. I have a newborn baby and hopefully we’ll be having another in the next 12 months, so I would not be able to devote the time I would towards reforming the poor habits we have grown accustomed too here in Jackson.
What WILL I be doing? I will continue working to meet members of the community, reaching out to the senior communities again and trying to bridge those gaps between gated communities and education (which our BOE should be doing.. not just in March) You see, my motivation is to make sure that when all my kids are in Jackson Schools we have competent leadership.. we have an entire community behind education and we are making the right decisions in education.
It’s not driven by any political allegiances.. parties or even my spouse’s political ambitions or interests. I work, as I always have.. for my children and now for the children of Jackson… there is no other higher calling. Maybe you would like to finally meet me and see the work that I do at tonight’s little league game and maybe you and Barbara could see first hand the children in our district and what they can accomplish outside of school and actually meet and hang out with the parents she serves outside of the board meeting and talk to them about their opinions.
Maybe you would like to help our local scouts find opportunities outside of schools to supplement lost opportunities in the schools. Maybe you want to become more involved in helping me get parents on board when it comes to being involved in education and our community? Maybe you want to lend a helping hand at the next benefit event held by our local sports organizations?
Sitting behind a desk with your nameplate on it is only a small part of the job. So when you say I’m campaigning. Yes. I’m campaigning for the children. My children and the children I see nearly every day at our parks, sporting events and other community functions. I see the faces associated with the agenda I’m pushing EVERY day. I know how important it is for them to make sure as parents we do anything and everything in our power to make sure everything is in order for them ad we’re doing the best possible job we can to provide for them, both as parents and as a community.
btw, i’ve spoken to several dozen parents on this new schedule and most are not happy about the late ending and possible snow days. Once in a while you should try listening to parents instead of discrediting their every word.
So we’ll make it McCauliffe Middle School and I promise not to mention the over the top costs associated with building JLHS, which by the way.. I asked questions and it’s one of the reasons the senior community votes the way they do.
I understand why there are posts from Phil Stilton but should there be posts from the “Jackson NJ Online Staff Writer”?
As stated on this web site, “Editors should provide content in a neutral manner. This website is not affiliated with any political parties, lobbyists or special interests and we want to keep it that way. Even if you are affiliated with a party, as an editor, it is expected that your articles are fair and honest. It is expected that your moderation is neutral.” As such, I think you need to more clearly differentiate when you acting as an editor in a neutral manner as opposed to a resident of jackson expressing their opinion. This line has been crossed more than once in the past.
If jacksonnjonline is to gain further traction, as well as advertising, it needs to further differentiate itself as more than just a very good blog and I mean that sincerely. Some of the dialogue found here has been more than scintilating and relevant.
thank you Phil.
Paul, you are very correct. I usually login as admin to approve new comments and articles posted by some of the contributors, but I have to get into the habbit of logging out and back in as my account. Usually when I catch myself doing it, I go back and correct it, but it has been a problem that I do recognize. Sometimes I’ll just add a -phil at the end of it, but when I don’t have all that much time to really log out/login for a comment, I sometimes forget. I can assure you I don’t do it to mislead, it’s just an annoying software issue where logging in and out all the time to comment is a hassle (like now).
I also need to come up with a way to allow all these other contributing articles (such as the ones from the Armed Forces network, State Department, etc to be show with the proper byline instead of “staff writer” without making myself go crazy creating an acocunt for each writer. This thing has grown a bit from my original idea to stick it to those who tried to insult me, into a pretty big publication, something I never expected (2,500 readers per day worldwide now).
I understand where you are coming from 100% and appreciate the feedback, but this is really just a blip on my business radar, but that may be changing soon.
This year we’re getting signs at the pop warner field and next year, I’ll be sponsoring a team in every youth sport and as you may know, I’m working hard on undoing the “seniors” comment, which never was what Joe claims it was, but I can assure you by March, he’ll be eating that claim out of my hand. I have come to understand .. by asking questions and engaging your peers.. as to why they do and think what they do, and I learned that perhaps I did jump the gun in my opinions and I realized certain seniors are not the mouthpiece of the communities (which I had suspected incorrectly).
I learned that like parents, seniors are also frustrated with the executive salaries, waste and refusals to conserve and reduce. While for them it is easier to just say no, and rightfully so while parents would rather say yes.. just this one time.. in hopes it can be fixed next time. It’s just two different ways of saying the same thing and hopefully we can unite both communities over the next two years to deliver that message loud and clear.
While I may not agree with you on several issues, the overall goal remains the same. To make this town a better place, drive out negative influences and make sure the taxpayers come first. Like i told Joe, I’m not running for anything any time soon. Maybe in 5-6 years when all 3 kids are in school, I may choose to do so, but until then, I’m going to continue doing what I do regardless of whose feathers get ruffled along the way.. I don’t need to be in it to win it..
Hopefully one day, we can all set aside our differences. My main concern is children.. and I’m honored to learn that I was selected for the Youth Advisory Council and can’t wait to get going on that and meeting many of you guys. I doubt however you will see me at township council meetings in any capacity other than as required by being on that committee. There are many more knowledgeable people when it comes to ordinances and laws and you all don’t need me. The children are the ones who need the help right now.
Groovy Joe my bad, that’s only like $100 per square foot more than it cost Toms River to build Intermediate West. Apples to Apples remember. Toms River is a comparable district to Jackson. New York, Newton, The Bronx,etc are not.
http://www.p-h-p-a.com/TomsRiver%20Intermediate%20south.pdf
It’s no wonder why the gated communities vote down budgets. Of course West wasn’t built with all the fixin’s either.
Lights off, nobody’s home
ASBURY PARK PRESS EDITORIAL • July 13, 2009
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It’s all well and good that the 2,400-student Central Regional School District’s leaders want to reduce the Ocean County district’s $776,000 annual electric expenses and its $250,000 yearly heating bills. And if the district wants to appoint an energy conservation specialist, fine.
But the school district is paying second-year chemistry teacher Curtis Kleier a stipend of $22,000 on top of his $44,300 teaching salary essentially to tell students and teachers to turn the lights off when they leave a room and to remind them that “Hey, we’re not heating (or cooling) the neighborhood here.”
Kleier will be trained throughout the summer by a Dallas-based outfit called Energy Education, whose approach to energy conservation focuses on changing human behavior. And Central Regional high school and middle school will be closed Fridays during the summer in an effort to save utility costs.
It doesn’t take a consulting firm to figure out that you’ll use less energy if you’re open four days a week rather than five.
The lights, heat and air-conditioning systems will be linked to a computer program that will regulate usage. Technology aside, Kleier says he will be focusing on changing the behavior of the students and staff.
But many common-sense tips for conserving energy are available for free from the federal government and even utilities. So, are there some secret methods of getting folks to wear sweaters in the winter and reminding them to turn the lights off at the end of the school day?
The district hopes to save between 20 percent and 30 percent in utility costs through the efforts of their new energy czar. That’s an admirable goal, achievable through common sense and inexpensive techniques.
It’s been said that it takes money to make money. The question is, how much do you have to spend to save money?
This appears in today’s paper. Imagine that – a district that’s anticipating saving money by turning off the lights and cutting down on heating/air conditioning usage. Wow, what a great idea!!! While I don’t agree with paying someone $22,000 a year to manage this program since we have people in high places making a nice sum of money that can take this on IMO, I do believe that the Central Regional school district is taking a step in the right direction; something that our district hasn’t thought of doing as of yet (hopefully this discussion has led to some type of iniative on the part of the JSD, I hope).
Looks like our ideas aren’t falling on deaf ears after all. LOL I think that we’re doing some forward thinking and hopefully the naysayer on this thread will look at these suggestions with an open mind and realize that they work “in other districts”. JSD should learn by example and at least TRY to implement programs that could (would) save the taxpayers a lot of money instead of instituting a tax on children. Look to SAVE instead of RAISE money. All of these other districts are on to something here – common sense. Try it!
It is inexplicable to me that the Administration and BOE seem to need the $25,000. so badly that they will “tax” our students to raise the money yet there is much more money that could be saved through Joyce and Phil’s suggestions and no one is hurrying to implement them.
We did have enough extra money to pick up the three “disenfranchised” football coaches from Brick, though. Wonder if teaching positions are coming with those coaching jobs………..
Ok. Joe. I’ll do it your way.
Where can I get the district’s policy on containing viral outbreaks for the 2009-10 school year? Will there be any extra steps beyond “disinfecting after hours” in the fall?
IE: Will students be restricted from touching things like trays, silverware, etc in common areas? Will teachers be trained to identify symptoms and be given directives on how to handle chilren who are sent to school sick by parents who either don’t care or can’t take off work? Will bus drivers look for signs on the way to school? Will there be any routine disinfecting of common spread points such as door knobs, water fountains, bathrooms,etc?
Will there be any mandatory hand washing in the school? Will there be hand sanitizing stations in the school? Will the district ever release the figures on attendance they had thus far refused.
You always say ask questions.. There they are. I’ll be asking them all next week too.
I would agree with your assessment of H1N1 being no different from the seasonal flu except for a couple of issues.
Historically, the season flu subsides in May, June and July. This strain is increasing as the summer progresses. So there is one way it is not ‘just another flu’
When was the last time Jackson lost a child from the seasonal flu?
I also think that when the WHO declares a pandemic, it is the responsibility of parents to keep sick children home, but in reality, parents routinely send their sick children to school because of the burdens and costs associated with keeping a questionable illness home.
I think this is important enough to warrant an open forum with parents and the district and I also think it’s important enough to take extra measures to prevent widespread outbreak in our schools.
I also think openess and honesty today will prevent the district getting a black eye in the fall and winter. Nobody wants to admit they’re the ones with a problem until it’s too late.
Our schools claim 10% of the entire county’s confirmed cases, which according to experts who predict the actual rate of infection is sometimes 20-40% than confirmed, it is important for the district to release absenteeism reports so we, as parents can see the reality of the situation.
If the reality of the situation is positive, then perhaps you are right. There’s nothing to see here. If they are hiding the reality and there is a problem, then it is an awful game to play with parents.
Releasing the facts and being open is the only way to settle the matter.
It just seems to me to be a lot of hot air having a “unified” calendar if in the end the calendars are NOT unified! When all of the calendars for the county are in synch (which I don’t necessarily see as a bad thing) then, yes, the start and end dates and holdiays (religious or otherwise) should all be uniform. I understand your point about being open when the vo-tech school are not and vice versa and the costs associated…but don’t we have the same problems if we aren’t starting and ending on the same days and taking ALL of the same holidays? If we are not following exactly the same schedule then we ar still incurring those costs at least a few times a year.
If the goal is to avoid those expenses, then lets avoid ALL of them.
At a President’s Council meeting this past spring, Mr. Gialanella informed all of the Presidents of the schools that the County Superintendent wanted all Ocean County schools to follow one calendar and suggested that schools start after Labor Day because of tourism. He wasn’t too thrilled with that and at that point, he was still undecided as to what Jackson was going to do as far as the start date. I guess he decided to go along with the county calendar with a few revisions because of the Vo-Tech schedule. When the Vo-Tech schools are off, the kids attend high school and then are off. Then we’re off and they have no morning classes but have to catch the bus for the afternoon. It’s double time off. As it was explained to us, the County Super wants to try to eliminate this situation.
While I’m thrilled to be off until then, I’m not too thrilled to be going so far into June because of possible snow day closures and then make-up days. It was entirely too long this year – the kids were done, the teachers were done and the parents were done. Everyone was getting on everyone’s nerves. It’s a double-edged sword IMO and I can’t believe that I’m siding with Joe here. It’s been a long, long time.
So it appears that Toms River is the district not adhering to the master plan then. I can go on to say how insightful and forward thinking they are for their schedule, but I don’t get why schools would accept the whole week of in November. It just seems the more responsible thing would have been to tell schools there’s no reason to close on election day. I understand the worries they may have with polling stations in schools, but I don’t there are many incidents where voters have interfered with education in Ocean County. I think it’s the education systems’ way of justifying 3 full weeks of vacations in a school year.
As a parent, and many agree, we’d rather have a more condensed schedule that doesn’t have kids in school in the last week of June again. Years ago in Ocean County school usually ended around the 18th, with a 180 day schedule. Now we are complacent with the 22nd 23rd and later. The 1/2 days at the end of the year are just a waste and I would rather replace them with more productive days in November, just my opinion. My daughter’s most challenging task in this last week of 1/2 days was whether she wanted chicken mcnuggets or a cheeseburger in her happy meal on McDonalds Day.
Maybe the district should consider issuing these policy memos through email. It might be a good idea to include more than a single person per school on that distribution list so this kind of “glitch” isn’t repeated.
I’m a little bewildered that no one would review mail when a co-worker is on vacation. That is normal office procedure in the corporate world. The wheels of progress shouldn’t be expected to stop until people recover from an illness and/or return from vacation.
Sorry Joe but someone is telling little white lies to someone regarding this situation or there is a serious break in the trickle down effect here. I called JMHS on Thursday of last week and the secretary wasn’t aware of the change in price and was going to call over there when she got off the phone with me. The JMHS office didn’t start to take the apps until this past Monday specifically because the woman who handles them was on vacation (she told me that herself when I was there on Monday at 10:00). There could very well have been some applications taken prior to Monday at JMHS, but in talking with the woman on Thursday and the woman on Monday, I seriously doubt it.
As for Liberty, they were taking the apps but not the money until the finalized price was told to them since they were hearing of the reduced price but it hadn’t been confirmed (a phone call by my friend Karen yesterday after I went to Memorial is where this info comes from. She has a son who attends Liberty. They are taking the apps and will accept payment when they pick the pass up in August, as per Liberty’s office YESTERDAY late in the morning/early afternoon).
Oh, and by the way, I am the parent who called Jeanne about this while I was on my way home from JMHS because nobody believed what I was saying. I emailed Barbara about this on Thursday and was going to bring her reply with me yesterday but she never responded. I am in no way blaming her for this mixup so don’t jump down my throat like you like to do. LOL I knew this was going to be a problem after speaking with the secretary on Thursday and that’s why I emailed Barb, thinking that the copy of the email would be proof enough. I tried to nip the problem in the bud before it became an issue but to no avail.
Communication is the key and there certainly was a lack of one here. Who is at fault, I don’t know and I don’t care but people have got to talk and not rely on emailed or interoffice memos. A phone call would have done the trick! Someone would have had to have answered the phone and actually taken a message; put it on the secretary’s phone/desk and there wouldn’t have been the confusion that there was in both schools. This is such an item of contention that I would think the BOE/Administration would want to get it out there that they do take what we, the taxpayers are concerned about, into consideration. But instead, the problem just continues to spiral out of control as is common here in Jackson at every turn (road to nowhere, gypsy moths, energy waste, contentious BOE elections, senior parking tax, politics).
Good news, however – I got a phone call from JMHS telling me that the fee was lowered and to pick up my $15 any time between 9 and 1 and when I did that today, the signs were changed with the new fee, which I still don’t agree with.
Hopefully we can force them into saving that $10,000 at minimum in energy costs this year and it can repealed for 2010-11.
That would be wonderful but this “tax” should never be – this year or any year.
That’s one school Joe. What about Holman, Switlik and all the other older schools that don’t have the motion sensors? I think it’s you that need to face reality.
If all the other school districts can turn off lights and only put 2 of 4 fluorescent light bulbs in a light set then why can’t Jackson? Do we have custom made light fixtures that make us unable to do what the Toms River district, for example, can do? It’s this kind of mentality that has gotten us to where we are today. The district never even tried to make this plan work. Why? Because it wasn’t the BOE’s idea or the Superintendent’s? They only can figure out ways to MAKE money and not come up with any ideas to SAVE money? Maybe the wrong people are making the decisions from what I can see. Give me a break!
We had three football coaches that resigned? I hope the “volunteer” coaches you speak about were offered these positions before we went outside the district to fill them.
BTW, I didn’t “assume”, I “wondered”….according to Mr. Webster, “to feel curiosity”. Closer to question than assume in my book!