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Post by Admin on Sept 11, 2005 20:13:59 GMT -5
There is a calendar feature on this board that lists all of the board meetings. I also have listed new September and October events that the community should know about.
The Calendar link is located just below the Message Board title at the top of the page. Here is the link for those that may have a hard time finding it. plainedgechat.proboards57.com/index.cgi?action=calendar
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Post by techie on Sept 12, 2005 12:54:41 GMT -5
Hello, Is it possible to add the meeting or event times to the calender?
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Post by Admin on Sept 12, 2005 14:37:19 GMT -5
When you click on the specific date, it will open up and display the information.
If you have specific times for items such as BOE meetings, please share those as I didn't have them yet.
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Post by techie on Sept 12, 2005 14:56:34 GMT -5
Thanks VERY MUCH for responding so quickly!
If I come across any times for meetings I will first run them past you. Amazing, isn't it that the BOE that has been watching this forum has not decided to post the meetings themselves with the times. If their sites are "disabled" you would think that they would use EVERY Opportunity and Resource to tell people how to get to the meetings.
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Post by Admin on Sept 12, 2005 19:51:16 GMT -5
The times are listed in the school calendar and I just updated this site's calendar to reflect the times of the meetings through December.
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Post by yruohk on Sept 13, 2005 0:50:56 GMT -5
Amazing, isn't it that the BOE that has been watching this forum has not decided to post the meetings themselves with the times. If their sites are "disabled" you would think that they would use EVERY Opportunity and Resource to tell people how to get to the meetings. My understanding is they don't have to go beyond what the minimum posting requirements state and that is publication in the newspapers, local? And some other method of posting the meeting. Maybe someone wants to post those specifics here so we can hunt down these locations to see if the meetings are posted. We'll send out a team maybe with the help of bloodhounds. As for the sites being disabled, thought they were supposed to be up in a week? Looks like another tall tale! Guess more than the sites are disabled.
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Post by justfacts on Sept 13, 2005 8:22:32 GMT -5
Come on yruohk, ease back a little.
I know your frustration, I share much of it too. But we do have the meeting info posted on this Forum. The Administrator is doing a good job of alerting Forum members to when the meeting are taking place.
If the School site is down for a while, even if down permanently, we know for at least the next year when the meetings will be.
It then becomes our job as well as the District's job to spread that information to all residents.
Even if the district cried "poverty" and have discontinued mailing the School Calendar for "cost reasons" to each household in the district; but then passes the costly printed document on only to parents of school children, the rest of us could take up the slack to see that all are informed.
Just because they have fallen down on the job, doesn't mean we have to fall also. Yes, a team going out to the Schools, checking what notices and meeting information is posted on doors (even the back of the door to the men's room in Richman's office as you once suggested), is a good suggestion. Then coming back to this Forum to post and share with the rest of us - is something that we can do.
But then we also must think wider than this Forum. I'll generate flyers about the info for others to distribute if that is necessary. Anyone else have a suggestion or want to step up to the plate?
Since the School District doesn't want to mail info to each house, is there anyone else out there that can? Anyone else that has a mailing list?
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Sept 13, 2005 9:24:06 GMT -5
But then we also must think wider than this Forum. I'll generate flyers about the info for others to distribute if that is necessary. Anyone else have a suggestion or want to step up to the plate? Since the School District doesn't want to mail info to each house, is there anyone else out there that can? Anyone else that has a mailing list? I like the flyer idea.....supermarkets, trees/telephone poles near the schools, parked cars, door to door.
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Post by justfacts on Sept 13, 2005 9:53:03 GMT -5
Whoa! Woe! We may have a problem!
I just went to the Schwarting site that's now back on line. Their calendar lists the BOE meeting for the following Thursday, the 22nd, not this Thursday.
Either the date was moved, or Schwarting is in error. Our postings that I sent in are from the old School Forum Calendar and may be "out of date".
This brings up an important point - since only the District sets these dates, how are we to keep current to changes without their participation. A link must be established. Or a member of this Forum who's attached to the District, should advise the Administrator that they'll be responsible for updates.
Golly, the pulling the plug on a Community site becomes more of an impediment every day, and it could give rise to further feelings of purposeful separation - keep the community in the dark, they only get in our way, - so to speak.
Hey Go Plainedge! - I like your spirit and comment - Posters will arrive at your door. How many?, I'll pay for the repro's - just let me know how many.
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Post by concerned on Sept 13, 2005 11:50:34 GMT -5
Signs at the schools have indicated the meetings are this week.
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Post by elphaba65 on Sept 13, 2005 13:15:12 GMT -5
Just a thought, all the things we are crying about, not getting enough info, were items cut from the budget two years ago when the community screamed for cuts. Remember we used to get Plain Talk 4x a year as well as having a " PR" person. Unfortunately her administartive position was cut from part time to being completly eliminated. Ironic isn't it?
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Sept 13, 2005 14:14:20 GMT -5
elphaba65 So is this, then the way the Schools are punishing the community? Being that the community screamed for cuts, they cut a position and then keep the community in the dark about the latest events and issues (good or bad). Why hasn't someone else picked up the "slack". That's what happens when companies lay off workers. Others have to make up the difference. If the school (Dr. Richman, and the BOE) hope to have the community rally with them for the next budget vote, I suggest they start involving the community a little more. Telling them (the community ) to come to the board meetings is not the only answer. That's a cop-out answer and the easy answer. GET CREATIVE! We're a district filled with wonderful technology...use it. We have students that can bring home flyer's...use them. We have senior centers to reach out to....go there We have a PUBLIC library that people use.....use it. We have signs at schools on major roads - USE THEM Plainedge Football and Soccer play weekly.....go there (not just once and don't stand around talking with people in YOUR "circle" - actually be social with the community). It's really not that difficult to get the community more informed and involved. You can't simply place an ad in the Massapequa Post because most people don't get it...or is that the intention? Place ads where no one will see them? Most people don't go to a board meeting for several reasons. Some of those reasons are... 1. They get home from work late or work off hours 2. They have children to tend to and can't get away for 2 hours 3. They don't know about it because they didn't receive their school calendar, don't have kids in school to bring one home or even know they can pick one up at the Administration office or their local school. When it comes to creating unity and motivation, this BOE and Administration FAIL! ......in my humble opinion
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Post by justfacts on Sept 13, 2005 14:25:59 GMT -5
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No e-mail return from Schwarting yet about their different calendar date for Thursday's meeting. But the day is young. I'll forward info to the Administrator as it comes.
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Thanks Concerned for the update about what is posted at the schools, this coming Thursday is it.
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elphaba65 - Yes, we remember "crying" as you put it, requesting as others put it, to keep costs in check. But there are many ways to do this without cutting into your relationship with the public. Many did ask at that time that the amount of postage dollars saved be weighed against the value of the mailings to the public.
Apparently the thoughts about the value of the product were less important to some making that decision, than to others. Maybe those making the decision did have better access to other ways to get the same information. It was even suggested during one of the meetings that the student roster be checked for addresses against the community roster, and that duplicates be eliminated.
That way, handing out the calendar to the students could be used to save mailing costs by reducing the student part of the previous total mailings (6,000 or so), while those fewer residents not having children in the school, could still have the calendar (or other publications) mailed to them.
This more cost-effective solution was either not heard over the turmoil, or as stated by one Board member, considered not worth the effort to do.
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It's strange how the Library, with 1/25th the budget, still consider's the monthly mailings to be of such value to the Plainedge residents that it uses the same amount of money (but a larger percentage of its budget) to mail to each home each month.
They have followed the advice of studies which have shown that such service is valued so highly by the residents, that those institutions that communicate so open and freely with their public - those institutions that make their public "part of the act" - most often have their budgets passed.
They also believe that the information about their activities for the public in the meeting rooms, which are done on a break-even cost basis, provide another form of value to the residents - one that makes it a habit for them to come into the facilities on a regular basis and feel more a part of what is going on. Being a part of the action and involved inside the library, often promotes voting in favor of the library budget. No one section of the population needs to feel de-franchised.
Mailings to the home may cost some money, as do adult programs within the facility, but it has been proven to be a cost-effectrive way to spend the money! Instead of "More Bang for the Buck!" the saying is: "More Yes Votes for the Buck!" Try it - you might like it!
Maybe that's why the library budget passed by the largest margin of any Nassau County library budget this year - despite the large number of second vote rejections of School District budgets!
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And, let us all continuously remember - the Plainedge rejection was not unique - (although the "hurt" left behind feels that way!) - and the sooner we find a more cost-effective and fairer distribution of costs way out of this situation, the better off we'll be.
A fairer share of State money, and/or a county wide distribution of commercial classes of property tax as proposed by Levison, are but two of the solutions to ease the particular problem in Plainedge.
The latter approach needs support from us to bring it to the forefront in local politician's minds. The voters who would benefit from this in Nassau Districts are greater in number than those who would reject it (Commercial rich properties like Freeport) Projections of from a $7 to $9 million dollar reduction in Plainedge property taxes each year can be achieved by their getting an equal share of the commercial property taxes paid to other School Districts. Eliminate Shoreham type inequities in Nassau County, listen to Levison!, should be the cry.
Meanwhile, a tighter grasp of the seriousness of the problem that property tax increase have on our residents, both young and old, is an absolute necessity.
Yes, there are those in the community that can afford the increases (I speak for myself on this), however, the amount of residents that can NOT do so any longer is increasing, and increasing rapidly! Their costs must be capped or reduced in some way!
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Post by elphaba65 on Sept 13, 2005 18:03:12 GMT -5
I have to disagree that is was the schools way of punishing the community. I have been going to meetings since the days of the "black shirts" and the crowds only come out at budget time. As far as your suggestions, they are very good. We're a district filled with wonderful technology...use it. Isn't that what the website is for? We have students that can bring home flyer's...use them. My kids just about always brought home the Bulletin Board which contained the meeting dates and agenda. We have senior centers to reach out to....go there- Hasn't that been tried? Ask some of the seniors at St. James. We have a PUBLIC library that people use.....use it. The library posts ( or should) the signs with the meeting dates. ( BTW once your kids reach 7th grade you go to Farmingdale Library) We have signs at schools on major roads - USE THEM The portable signs do not belong to the school district, they belong to the sports clubs. The moving sign at the Middle School does run information.
The Public Relations position and mailings in my estimate must have run in the area of $125,000. People asked Dr. Richman not to cut programs, that was his suggestion instead. I for one will seek out the information I need rather than see a program cut for my children. As far as the library budget, the increase is so small each year that people don't realize what they actually pay in Library taxes. Someone mentioned that if we did not have a Plainedge Library we would have to pay $300.00 to belong somewhere else. My Library taxes are in excess of $400.00 so I would be saving money!
Time to get ready for a meeting.
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Sept 13, 2005 18:20:08 GMT -5
I have to disagree that is was the schools way of punishing the community. I have been going to meetings since the days of the "black shirts" and the crowds only come out at budget time. As far as your suggestions, they are very good.
We're a district filled with wonderful technology...use it. Isn't that what the website is for?Which website, this one or the "hacked" school site that is not operational and the elementary schools that aren't updated?
We have students that can bring home flyer's...use them. My kids just about always brought home the Bulletin Board which contained the meeting dates and agenda. In the elementary level, they are NOT given any information about district updates to bring home
We have senior centers to reach out to....go there- Hasn't that been tried? Ask some of the seniors at St. James. ".... try, try again
We have a PUBLIC library that people use.....use it. The library posts ( or should) the signs with the meeting dates. ( BTW once your kids reach 7th grade you go to Farmingdale Library) why?
We have signs at schools on major roads - USE THEM The portable signs do not belong to the school district, they belong to the sports clubs. The moving sign at the Middle School does run information. West has it's own sign that doesn't offer too much
The Public Relations position and mailings in my estimate must have run in the area of $125,000. People asked Dr. Richman not to cut programs, that was his suggestion instead. I for one will seek out the information I need rather than see a program cut for my children. Agreed. Sometimes it's easier. But my point is that the BOE and Admin say that no one gets involved. But they make no effort to get the people involved
As far as the library budget, the increase is so small each year that people don't realize what they actually pay in Library taxes. Someone mentioned that if we did not have a Plainedge Library we would have to pay $300.00 to belong somewhere else. My Library taxes are in excess of $400.00 so I would be saving money!
Time to get ready for a meeting. See ya there
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