The 2007/8 Budget

[mother2]

Try to stay open minded about these developmental programs i.e. 40 kids try put for the girls volleyball team only nine 7th graders and nine 8th graders will make the team...and probably only 12 of these girls will get real playing time..the remaining 5 will be second string subs. Any parent who has ever had a child play on any team in PMS will agree that is true. Money is spent for uniforms, district supervisiors, participation fees, refs, coaching staff, and our very expensive P'edge transportation. ....and how real is the competition??? This year the combined 7th and 8th grade girls volleyball team was placed in the 7th grade division!!!!!!
In contrast, the developmental program will have up to 40 interested athletes staying active and learning a sport everyday afterschool instead of simplying going home to watch TV...more kids being active, more kids participating in an active, more exposure to new things.
Many kids are reluctant to even try out for a team...they might be interested to learn a new sport but if they have never played volleyball before except for a few gym classess they might not have the confidence to give it a shot...remember these are middle schoolers. If they had a chance to play for a season everyday afterschool we might discover that they actually were pretty good at the game and opened another door for a child.

[plainedgeammo]

Mother2,

I can appreciate your remarks regarding a developmental program....Here are some interesting facts:

1) How did the administration determine that 40 children would participate in this developmental program?
2) What is gonna happen to the 30 or more children seeking to compete each year at a high level?
3) Are we no longer going to fund a program which provides those children services?
4) There are NO districts on Long Island which have a program such as this...NONE
5) I can appreciate the intent....but all other districts on Long Island disagree with us.
6) Many of the districts on Long Island understand that they want to provide additional opportunities so how do they handle it....They create more teams....One 7th and one 8th grade team.
7) When developing these programs shouldn't you consult the Varsity Coaches to make sure you are helping them develop a great program...
8) The fact is the Varsity Coaches don't think this is a good idea.
9) Wouldn't you discuss these programs with the Community Leagues to get there input and concerns?
10) What are the Youth Council Meetings for anyway?

Last night the administration was asked how many districts in Nassau county or Long Island had a similar program? The response was I am not sure. Which means our Board of Ed didn't know either...

However, this Board of Ed voted unanimously to adopt a program which they did not have all the information available to them. Hopefully, they will stop supporting programs which have not been researched thoroughly and have no hard empirical data to support them.

The directive in years past has been to research the other comparable districts and determine which sports programs are offered in those districts.....I just wish we would do that!

[patriot2415]

I have spent some time this morning looking at different school web sites and other sites concerning the Developmental Sports topic. Looks like it leans heavily toward competition. There are articles about developmental sports, but it is on the elementary level as part of physical education.

It is my opinion that running a strictly "developmental" program in the middle school will put our children at a disadvantage.

As Joe K explained last night, the youth leagues in Plainedge are training the children from 3rd grade. These athletes have been competing for 3-4 years when they get into the middle school. Now it is planned to take that away from them. Anyone who has run a league or has been a coach will tell you that a good coach, running a good program and the competition of games all goes into the development of the athlete. Is it fair to the athletes that have trained 3-4 times a week with their team, have had private training and have been competing for years to be thrust into a "developmental program"? What type of development are they going to get? Lets all be honest, there are some questionable coaches already in the district, what is the level of expertise that a "development coach" would bring?

To be fair to everyone, what we should have are competitive teams, and developmental programs for those athletes who are just starting out or those that do not make the teams.

In the end if this developmental approach goes through, a future 9th grader will have NO practical competitive experience on the school level while those he will be asked to compete against will.

As a side note, the development of a "TEAM" cannot start at the JV level. To have successful programs, all levels should develop a program where the same structure, plays and teams rules are adhered to. This is why other districts that are the same size as Plainedge are at the top every year. Their youth leagues, middle school and HS sports teams are all on the same page.

In conclusion, we are told we can't have everything, but we all what as much as we can for every child in Plainedge. That includes, sports, special ed, gifted programs, music and clubs. We want all of our children to be well rounded.

The first cut of the budget last night was just that, a first cut. Lets work toward common goals. lets give as much to as many kids that is possible.

[thewildrover]

Tami, I'll forward it for you:

Hello everybody, my apologies if this belongs in another section or thread.

Part of my duties as a board member of the PGSA (Plainedge Girls Softball Association), is to relay information to league families, but it was suggested to have this communication posted here on this board as well.

Please note that this communication has already been sent to all PGSA registered families, so some people here may already have this information.

============================================

From: Tami Hernandez, President PGSA
To: All PGSA Parents,

We are quickly approaching the Budget creation time period, and it is extremely critical that everyone get involved in this process. The passing of the School Budget last year has communicated to the Board of Education that our community is looking to have more programs for our children re-instated. When I refer to programs, I am specifically talking about all Academic and Athletic programs which this community enjoyed prior to the Austerity process.

I implore everyone in this community to get involved in the budget process this year. As a community, we made some huge steps toward improving the Educational Experience of our children. However, we are far from the educational experience that our kids deserve. Plainedge can not afford to take any steps backward at this time. That is why we need YOU to get involved.

How can you get involved? Firstly, we need you to attend the next Board Meeting which is being held on Thursday, February 15 at 8pm, at the Plainedge High School. Once we begin attending these meetings and voicing our concerns, we can actually take part in the creation of a Fair and Equitable budget. Don't assume that there are enough people attending these meetings.....WE NEED YOU TO ATTEND!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email our Board President, Tami Hernandez at [e-mail].
Thanks so much for your support of our children and our schools.

Sincerely,

Tami Hernandez
President
Plainedge Girls Softball Association

[thewildrover]

Philly, Ammo and all,,

Very "compelling" arguments. Very "compelling".

WE can get this done with these types of arguments.

As Tami stated, WE can not go backwards.

With a organized, impassioned, committed community we will demand the BOE listen to the people who elected them and not the imperial administrator who pressured the past BOE's to present to this community a budget that perpetually failed the first time out.

Build on the past years momentum, last years mandate, and get what WE want in the budget,

And then, most importantly,

Do every possible thing each and everyone of us can do to get this budget passed.

WE did it last year, WE can do it this year and WE will get OUR Plainedge back to where WE want and need it to be.

Just keep presenting such "compelling" arguments.

[Go Plainedge!]

Last night the administration was asked how many districts in Nassau county or Long Island had a similar program? The response was I am not sure. Which means our Board of Ed didn't know either...

However, this Board of Ed voted unanimously to adopt a program which they did not have all the information available to them. Hopefully, they will stop supporting programs which have not been researched thoroughly and have no hard empirical data to support them.

Unfortunately, this has been the theme of the BOE for many years. They appear to vote based on the limited information they receive from the administration and through the persuasion of Dr. Spin. It would appear that no additional research is done. So, when they are asked a question that is outside of the information they are given, the answer is "I don't know". But yet, they vote to move forward with these items. It makes no sense.

If these programs are to be restored, administrative and operational costs are to be reduced and or curbed. This is the ONLY way a sound, fair and reasonable budget can be presented and passed. Anything less than that is a failure.

The students deserve the bulk of the budget.

[plainedgeammo]

Tonight's the Night!!!!

Phase 1 in the budget creation process..... Last year we were told to get involved and help make the budget OURS so we could get the community to back it.

Unfortunately, the Administration does not want to alter any programs or services which they built their budget around. Our Athletic Department has proposed a program for our Middle School Program which has been based on studies Nationally and in Canada. ....Yes I said Canada. I bet the Canadians have a Competitive Hockey program in their Middle Schools. I bet the English have competitive Soccer Teams in their Middle Schools. Lets study Long Island School Districts if we are going to make a complete revamping of our sports programs.

We need attendance at this evenings meeting....We need overwhelming numbers of people to come to tonight's meeting to display to the Administration that they are creating OUR budget....Not THEIR budget....The Board of Education members are our mouthpiece and would like to hear our concerns. I commend them for that. ....We pay the BILL we should pick the services which we would like our children to receive.

Tell your Neighbors....Tell your Friends.....Get involved or Don't complain!

[patriot2415]

ammo,

Excellent call to arms!!!!!

I believe it was said the other night that the budget will be finalized at the end of March. People may be thinking they have time to be heard, but time is running out !!!!

[devilsrus]

just reflecting on tonite's meeting and the accomplishments that were recited by the various school reps...great academic achievements by the teachers and the students...kudos to all...but curiously no mention at all of the upcoming nassau county wrestling tournament...our wrestlers have been a championship caliber team for a number of years and are always ranked in the top 10 on long island(not just nassau)...kudos to coach shaver and his teams and good luck this weekend...but we have three clear competitors for a nassau county title and thereby a shot at a state championship and no mention is made...i'm sure its not meant as a slight but aren't their achievements important as well? just a question... or is there another agenda at work?

[patriot2415]

and Girls Varsity basketball made the playoffs, and the JV team was I think 17-0.

But hey, they are just dumb sports right? no value in them?

Except someone, check over the past 4-5 years how many plainedge students received some type of scholarship money, many of them academic/athletic financial help.

It's the WHOLE package we need for our kids....

[4thekids]

In all that is said and done and with all of the efforts put out by this community to keep sports in our district. There seems to be a person missing. Jamie Labelle is the Athletics director of this district and no one hears from this man. I can not imagine an Athletic Director in any district not wanting competitive sports in the middle school level. When is he up for tenure? I have heard it is very soon. You would think his efforts would be intense on saving his own department and developing players that are competitive. Never mind the fact being thankful to the people in this community and their efforts. Again, where is he and does he deserve tenure??!! Has he even assigned the spring sports clubs field times as of yet??!! If he has tenure that is a shame and we are stuck with him, but if not this board needs to know he does not deserve it!!!

I've emailed the board re my feelings I hope you all do the same.

[pgsa1stdad]

4thekids said:

...Again, where is he and does he deserve tenure??!! Has he even assigned the spring sports clubs field times as of yet??!! If he has tenure that is a shame and we are stuck with him, but if not this board needs to know he does not deserve it!!!

I've emailed the board re my feelings I hope you all do the same.

PGSA still has not received their field usage permits. We are 6 weeks away from our opening day, and this will be the 3rd year in a row where we are are waiting almost until our season begins to even know if we are getting field time. Our managers/coaches meeting is in roughly 2 weeks or so, and we don't even have a gaming schedule put together to be able to give to them or allow them to schedule practices.

We used to get them earlier, but using this new method of theirs, it leave little to no time to get schedules prepared along with copies to the staff so they have them.

I thought going to a new computerized system of permit distribution was supposed to help get things to happen sooner - as far as I have seen, things have not changed since before teh computerized system.

Jamie is apparently going to get his tenure, and then all he has to do, is just set foot in the building that September morning and then it will official.

[Go Plainedge!]

Tenure never made sense to me. For a union free school district it's certainly run like it's unionized.

Perhaps Dr. Gestapo told Jaime NOT to speak.

[devilsrus]

on the inclusion of competitive middle school sports and the necessity to do so.....each day we are beseiged by media bombardment and alarm over the epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes resulting from this obesity... so the reaction by OUR boe to a generation of coach potato game and computer players is to eliminate competitive activities that will get them off the coach, out of the house, away from the keyboards and video games...great solution...lets try something that by all accounts to this point has never been done on long island...the kids of plainedge will thusly become guinea pigs for someones' experiment or maybe thesis or yet another doctoral degree...i just dont get it

[Go Plainedge!]

For your consideration and to discuss

2002/2003 budget = $45,804,413
2007/2008 initial draft = $69,036,542

More than a 50% increase since 2002/2003