Kings Bay in the early 2000's had 10 subs stationed at the base. With the addition of the Alaska we will have 8 subs. We will still bed own @ 2000 sailors and family.
Amazingly the last ESPLOST was stopped shortly after the first two left the Pennsylvania and the Kentucky (the boat I commissioned), because they had all they needed.
The plan was to replenish Kings Bay with the refitted subs that were in refit in Virginia. As Virginia is the only place that refits the subs with the tomahawk missiles.
How can we be short on space, if we had plenty when there was 10 subs ported at Kings Bay?
And how will a new sub affect the ratio of free/reduced lunches?
Hope their kids aren't dumb and all go to CRES!!!!!
"The people of this County do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created." ***The views expressed on this blog are the opinions of the individual that wrote them.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Point The Finger At Hardin, And Fire Him
Piss poor management at the schools can be blame on Dr. will Hardin.
In the beginning of the year Hardin sent a memo to board members stating in order to cut cost they would reduce the bus routes, which led to students sitting on the floor of some buses.
Now he brings this rezoning plan to the board that would increase bus routes. Where is the cost savings?
We are busing kids that live within walking distance of their school so that top administrators don't have to work so hard.
THE BOE HAS TAKEN SHORT CUT AFTER SHORT CUT.
First they appointed Dr. Hardin after they told parents they would allow us in on the process. They did not and he was approve but not all board members were on board. Doug Benton was the lone hold out who thought they should allow parents in on the process. But it was EASIER for them to just do with out the parents.
Then there was the ESPLOST. By the board own admission if it failed they would look elsewhere for funding. Why did they not look elsewhere first? Because it was EASIER to tax the people then actually have to find funding elsewhere.
Now the rezoning is a lot EASIER than actually making some administrators work a little harder to do their jobs. It's EASIER to blame the students, than their own employees.
WHAT IS THE BOE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN? TAKE SHORT CUTS AND DON'T WORK HARD, BECAUSE THAT IS THE EASIER WAY!!!!
In the beginning of the year Hardin sent a memo to board members stating in order to cut cost they would reduce the bus routes, which led to students sitting on the floor of some buses.
Now he brings this rezoning plan to the board that would increase bus routes. Where is the cost savings?
We are busing kids that live within walking distance of their school so that top administrators don't have to work so hard.
THE BOE HAS TAKEN SHORT CUT AFTER SHORT CUT.
First they appointed Dr. Hardin after they told parents they would allow us in on the process. They did not and he was approve but not all board members were on board. Doug Benton was the lone hold out who thought they should allow parents in on the process. But it was EASIER for them to just do with out the parents.
Then there was the ESPLOST. By the board own admission if it failed they would look elsewhere for funding. Why did they not look elsewhere first? Because it was EASIER to tax the people then actually have to find funding elsewhere.
Now the rezoning is a lot EASIER than actually making some administrators work a little harder to do their jobs. It's EASIER to blame the students, than their own employees.
WHAT IS THE BOE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN? TAKE SHORT CUTS AND DON'T WORK HARD, BECAUSE THAT IS THE EASIER WAY!!!!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Board Should Throw Vote Out On Conflict Of Interest
If you believed Charlene Sears voting on Sheriff Office funding was a conflict of interest, then you must believe that TEACHERS VOTING ON FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS IS ALSO A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
Therefore, I am calling on the board to throw this vote out and hold another election without the conflict. I know you teachers are going to say that you are taxpayer too. Well so was Charlene and it didn't matter to you then. Yes many teachers agreed on the conflict of interest with Charlene, so I expect them to agree with me on this issue.
Therefore, I am calling on the board to throw this vote out and hold another election without the conflict. I know you teachers are going to say that you are taxpayer too. Well so was Charlene and it didn't matter to you then. Yes many teachers agreed on the conflict of interest with Charlene, so I expect them to agree with me on this issue.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Fire The Staff, Don't Blame The Students
TRSP IS CALLING FOR DR. SHEILA SAPP, PRINCIPAL OF CROOKED RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND 10TH HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEE TO RESIGN OR BE FIRED.
From Crooked River Elementary School's website:
We are recognized as a 2002 Georgia School of Excellence. This is an achievement that was awarded after reviewing the previous five years of academics, extracurricular programs, as well as community involvement. We have also been named a Distinguished Title I School for meeting AYP for five consecutive years.
WHAT HAPPENED????????????????
We are supposed to believe that this school didn't meet AYP due to the students.
In 2006 4 schools didn't meet AYP. They were Woodbine and Kingsland Elementary Schools, and both middle schools.
In 2002 Crooked River was a Georgia School of Excellence with 516 student. Today the didn't meet AYP with almost a 100 less students.
WHAT HAPPENED?????????????
Can someone please honestly tell me why we can't punish the staff for their failure. If a few kids fail, it must be the kids. (Maybe they should get some after school help from their teachers.) If the whole school fails, it must be the leadership. The captain always goes down with the ship.
DR. SHEILA SAPP DO THE RIGHT THING AND RESIGN, OR THE BOE SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIRE YOU.
OR IS THIS REALLY THAT BIG A DEAL????????????
Is the BOE just using the free lunch program as an excuse?
I have no problem with rezoning to equal out the population in schools. But don't lie.
On a side note here is a list of budget cuts the board has made:
(Notice they cut field trips, I guess that was in the best interest of the kids)
From Crooked River Elementary School's website:
We are recognized as a 2002 Georgia School of Excellence. This is an achievement that was awarded after reviewing the previous five years of academics, extracurricular programs, as well as community involvement. We have also been named a Distinguished Title I School for meeting AYP for five consecutive years.
WHAT HAPPENED????????????????
We are supposed to believe that this school didn't meet AYP due to the students.
In 2006 4 schools didn't meet AYP. They were Woodbine and Kingsland Elementary Schools, and both middle schools.
In 2002 Crooked River was a Georgia School of Excellence with 516 student. Today the didn't meet AYP with almost a 100 less students.
WHAT HAPPENED?????????????
Can someone please honestly tell me why we can't punish the staff for their failure. If a few kids fail, it must be the kids. (Maybe they should get some after school help from their teachers.) If the whole school fails, it must be the leadership. The captain always goes down with the ship.
DR. SHEILA SAPP DO THE RIGHT THING AND RESIGN, OR THE BOE SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIRE YOU.
OR IS THIS REALLY THAT BIG A DEAL????????????
Is the BOE just using the free lunch program as an excuse?
I have no problem with rezoning to equal out the population in schools. But don't lie.
On a side note here is a list of budget cuts the board has made:
(Notice they cut field trips, I guess that was in the best interest of the kids)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Win Me A Championship Coach And I Will Give You Anything You Want!!!
Herron builds Camden County into one of the state’s elite teams
By Todd Holcomb
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Friday, November 14, 2008
Kingsland —- If it’s the best coaching job in Georgia, as his closest friend insists, then give Jeff Herron some credit.
In 2002, his third season on the coast at Camden County High, Herron wanted a new weight room and took boosters to Brookwood, Parkview and Buford to spark some envy.
“My superintendent said, ‘Fine. You win a state championship, and we’ll see about getting it built for you,’ ” Herron said.
Herron delivered Camden’s first title in 2003.
The new weight room, finished in 2006, has 40 weight stations and space for a 40-yard dash in the middle. It’s housed in a $3 million complex that has a locker room for 200 players, a training room with four tables and a whirlpool and a theater room for watching film.
And Herron, 48, has continued to win games and supporters.
The former coach at Walton and Wheeler in Marietta who first won a state title in 1999 at Oconee County has found his treasure at Camden, where his record is 103-11.
He enters the state playoffs tonight as a region champion for the eighth consecutive time. Camden is 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class AAAAA.
“Coach is a well-liked person around here,” said Frank Smith, a Camden booster who hasn’t missed a game in 30 years. “The sheriff here says Jeff could run against him and whip him. And I don’t think anybody in Georgia has better facilities, including the Georgia Bulldogs.”
Herron agrees about those bells and whistles: “Ours are pretty dang-gum good,” he said.
Other amenities in Herron’s coastal empire include:
> A base salary of $98,822, third highest among Georgia coaches, and free use of a Chevy pickup that Herron can trade every 15,000 miles.
> An 8,300-seat stadium with FieldTurf and an $85,000 matrix scoreboard.
> Three practice fields.
> 220 players, 15 assistant coaches and two full-time certified athletic trainers.
> More victories this decade than any Class AAAAA school.
And with 2,956 students, Camden is Georgia’s largest high school that has no rivals in its district.
“That’s huge,” said Jim Dorsey, the retired McEachern coach who brought Herron to Georgia as an assistant 25 years ago.
The two are best friends who talk at least three times a week.
“He’s literally the only show in town,” Dorsey said. “I don’t see how there could be a better job in Georgia.
“I tell him, ‘Boy, you’re a fool if you ever leave that place.’ “
When Herron arrived in 2000, Camden had tripled in population in 20 years in large part because of the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, the eastern port for ballistic missile submarines. Established in 1978, it employs 9,000 of the county’s 48,000 residents.
The football teams were good but never a factor in the state playoffs.
Herron wasn’t looking to leave Oconee County but found an envelope from Camden on his desk after returning from a ski trip with Dorsey and other coaches in the 1999 offseason. Camden had sent one to every coach in the finals that year.
“What attracted me was there was only one high school in the county, the resources were there, and to everybody I met it seemed like football was so important,” Herron said.
The TD Club raises about $50,000 to $60,000 per year on memberships and sponsorships. There are 62 signs on the fence in front of the home stands of Chris Gilman Stadium, each space rented for $400 to $800. And there’s a waiting list to buy one.
It’s another $1,000 per game to sponsor the matrix board.
“We give him what he needs,” said Robert Dandeneau, the TD Club president and a retiree from the Naval base. “He doesn’t hurt for anything.”
That kind of booster revenue is not unusual for a school of Camden’s stature. What’s rare is the relationship between Camden and its parks and recreation department. The county owns the stadium and paid the $750,000 for the artificial turf last year.
Like all military communities, the school receives federal funds based on enrollment.
Herron believes the base is an asset financially but also for the families that it attracts.
“We have an element of our student body that is very worldly,” Herron said. “Their parents are driven and educated people with high expectations.
“It’s some of what you see in metro Atlanta, but not a whole school of that. Lots of kids here live out in the country.”
Herron’s career winning percentage is .834. That’s third among active Georgia coaches with at least 100 Georgia victories and fourth all-time.
He’s 59-0 against overmatched region competition that virtually guarantees Camden a No. 1 seed and home advantage in the playoffs each season.
A native of the western hills of Virginia, Herron won a state championship as a player at Gate City High under a famous coach, Harry Fry. Herron was a four-year starting defensive back at Division III Emory & Henry.
His first coaching job was as a graduate assistant at Tennessee Tech, where he met Dorsey and followed him to Paulding County and then to McEachern in Powder Springs.
“The thing about Jimmy that impressed me was he could find a way to get players to play hard; he taught me that was the important thing,” Herron said. “To do that, you’ve got to convince people that you care about them.”
With his success on the field, Herron has made his mark in the community for what he’s doing outside the lines.
Herron and his wife, Inka, have four children who have attended Camden schools, including Major, his quarterback last season. He’s playing at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Herron’s parents maintain their home in Virginia but live in Camden during the academic year to watch their grandchildren grow up. Herron is an only child.
A Christian, Herron forbids profanity among his players and coaches. He’s a disciplinarian who has suspended starters this season for breaking rules.
Two years ago, Herron approached his principal about a drug program. Camden students who drive on campus or participate in extracurricular activities are now subject to random drug testing.
Herron’s Champions in Life program, which he started four years ago, recognizes players for their character, regardless of their athletic performance. A banquet this week honored 48 of them, each needing letters of recommendation from two coaches and the approval of teachers.
“He gets up and praises parents for raising kids the way they do, and they appreciate that,” Dandeneau said. “The community loves Jeff to death, and they’ve adopted his family. I think that he’s almost become an icon in Camden County.”
HEAD OF THE CLASS
Georgia high school coaches with the best winning percentages:
Alan Chadwick, Marist ………..859 (268-44-0)
Larry Campbell, Lincoln County…852 (423-72-3)
Jeff Herron, Camden County…….834 (191-38-0)
Robert Davis, Westside-Macon…..829 (351-72-1)
Rich McWhorter, Charlton County .827 (207-43-1)
Note: Winning percentages are based on Georgia games only and include active coaches with at least 100 victories.
PAY TO COACH
The top salaries among high school coaches in Georgia:
Rayvan Teague, Carrollton..$114,221
Rick Tomberlin, Valdosta ..$104,430
Jeff Herron, Camden County..$98,822
Roger Holmes, Dublin……..$97,465
Frank Barden, Cartersville..$97,459
Note: Source of salaries is the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts, using figures from Jan. 7, 2008. They do not include booster club supplements.
On ajc.com/sports: Keep up with tonight’s high school football playoffs and update your brackets.
By Todd Holcomb
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Friday, November 14, 2008
Kingsland —- If it’s the best coaching job in Georgia, as his closest friend insists, then give Jeff Herron some credit.
In 2002, his third season on the coast at Camden County High, Herron wanted a new weight room and took boosters to Brookwood, Parkview and Buford to spark some envy.
“My superintendent said, ‘Fine. You win a state championship, and we’ll see about getting it built for you,’ ” Herron said.
Herron delivered Camden’s first title in 2003.
The new weight room, finished in 2006, has 40 weight stations and space for a 40-yard dash in the middle. It’s housed in a $3 million complex that has a locker room for 200 players, a training room with four tables and a whirlpool and a theater room for watching film.
And Herron, 48, has continued to win games and supporters.
The former coach at Walton and Wheeler in Marietta who first won a state title in 1999 at Oconee County has found his treasure at Camden, where his record is 103-11.
He enters the state playoffs tonight as a region champion for the eighth consecutive time. Camden is 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class AAAAA.
“Coach is a well-liked person around here,” said Frank Smith, a Camden booster who hasn’t missed a game in 30 years. “The sheriff here says Jeff could run against him and whip him. And I don’t think anybody in Georgia has better facilities, including the Georgia Bulldogs.”
Herron agrees about those bells and whistles: “Ours are pretty dang-gum good,” he said.
Other amenities in Herron’s coastal empire include:
> A base salary of $98,822, third highest among Georgia coaches, and free use of a Chevy pickup that Herron can trade every 15,000 miles.
> An 8,300-seat stadium with FieldTurf and an $85,000 matrix scoreboard.
> Three practice fields.
> 220 players, 15 assistant coaches and two full-time certified athletic trainers.
> More victories this decade than any Class AAAAA school.
And with 2,956 students, Camden is Georgia’s largest high school that has no rivals in its district.
“That’s huge,” said Jim Dorsey, the retired McEachern coach who brought Herron to Georgia as an assistant 25 years ago.
The two are best friends who talk at least three times a week.
“He’s literally the only show in town,” Dorsey said. “I don’t see how there could be a better job in Georgia.
“I tell him, ‘Boy, you’re a fool if you ever leave that place.’ “
When Herron arrived in 2000, Camden had tripled in population in 20 years in large part because of the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, the eastern port for ballistic missile submarines. Established in 1978, it employs 9,000 of the county’s 48,000 residents.
The football teams were good but never a factor in the state playoffs.
Herron wasn’t looking to leave Oconee County but found an envelope from Camden on his desk after returning from a ski trip with Dorsey and other coaches in the 1999 offseason. Camden had sent one to every coach in the finals that year.
“What attracted me was there was only one high school in the county, the resources were there, and to everybody I met it seemed like football was so important,” Herron said.
The TD Club raises about $50,000 to $60,000 per year on memberships and sponsorships. There are 62 signs on the fence in front of the home stands of Chris Gilman Stadium, each space rented for $400 to $800. And there’s a waiting list to buy one.
It’s another $1,000 per game to sponsor the matrix board.
“We give him what he needs,” said Robert Dandeneau, the TD Club president and a retiree from the Naval base. “He doesn’t hurt for anything.”
That kind of booster revenue is not unusual for a school of Camden’s stature. What’s rare is the relationship between Camden and its parks and recreation department. The county owns the stadium and paid the $750,000 for the artificial turf last year.
Like all military communities, the school receives federal funds based on enrollment.
Herron believes the base is an asset financially but also for the families that it attracts.
“We have an element of our student body that is very worldly,” Herron said. “Their parents are driven and educated people with high expectations.
“It’s some of what you see in metro Atlanta, but not a whole school of that. Lots of kids here live out in the country.”
Herron’s career winning percentage is .834. That’s third among active Georgia coaches with at least 100 Georgia victories and fourth all-time.
He’s 59-0 against overmatched region competition that virtually guarantees Camden a No. 1 seed and home advantage in the playoffs each season.
A native of the western hills of Virginia, Herron won a state championship as a player at Gate City High under a famous coach, Harry Fry. Herron was a four-year starting defensive back at Division III Emory & Henry.
His first coaching job was as a graduate assistant at Tennessee Tech, where he met Dorsey and followed him to Paulding County and then to McEachern in Powder Springs.
“The thing about Jimmy that impressed me was he could find a way to get players to play hard; he taught me that was the important thing,” Herron said. “To do that, you’ve got to convince people that you care about them.”
With his success on the field, Herron has made his mark in the community for what he’s doing outside the lines.
Herron and his wife, Inka, have four children who have attended Camden schools, including Major, his quarterback last season. He’s playing at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Herron’s parents maintain their home in Virginia but live in Camden during the academic year to watch their grandchildren grow up. Herron is an only child.
A Christian, Herron forbids profanity among his players and coaches. He’s a disciplinarian who has suspended starters this season for breaking rules.
Two years ago, Herron approached his principal about a drug program. Camden students who drive on campus or participate in extracurricular activities are now subject to random drug testing.
Herron’s Champions in Life program, which he started four years ago, recognizes players for their character, regardless of their athletic performance. A banquet this week honored 48 of them, each needing letters of recommendation from two coaches and the approval of teachers.
“He gets up and praises parents for raising kids the way they do, and they appreciate that,” Dandeneau said. “The community loves Jeff to death, and they’ve adopted his family. I think that he’s almost become an icon in Camden County.”
HEAD OF THE CLASS
Georgia high school coaches with the best winning percentages:
Alan Chadwick, Marist ………..859 (268-44-0)
Larry Campbell, Lincoln County…852 (423-72-3)
Jeff Herron, Camden County…….834 (191-38-0)
Robert Davis, Westside-Macon…..829 (351-72-1)
Rich McWhorter, Charlton County .827 (207-43-1)
Note: Winning percentages are based on Georgia games only and include active coaches with at least 100 victories.
PAY TO COACH
The top salaries among high school coaches in Georgia:
Rayvan Teague, Carrollton..$114,221
Rick Tomberlin, Valdosta ..$104,430
Jeff Herron, Camden County..$98,822
Roger Holmes, Dublin……..$97,465
Frank Barden, Cartersville..$97,459
Note: Source of salaries is the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts, using figures from Jan. 7, 2008. They do not include booster club supplements.
On ajc.com/sports: Keep up with tonight’s high school football playoffs and update your brackets.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
School Officials Call Poor Kids Dumb
From the Tribune and Georgian
School rezoning draws fire from several parents
By Ellen Robinson
Published: Friday, March 13, 2009 9:56 AM EDT
Learning that her gifted second-grade daughter is one of 177 students that will be transferred due to proposed school rezoning sent Mary Thompson to the streets with a petition and picket signs in hand.Her daughter attends Mary Lee Clark Elementary, but under the proposal will attend Crooked River Elementary next year.Thompson doesn't want her daughter to have to ride a bus to a school farther away from their Sugarmill Plantation home than the school she currently attends. Mary Lee Clark is within walking and bike-riding distance, while Crooked River Elementary is a few miles away across a state highway. She and her husband chose specifically to live where they do so their children would go to Mary Lee Clark."I don't want them moving my child who is in the gifted program at a well-performing school just so they can increase another school's standardized test scores," Thompson said. "She shouldn't be moved just because we live in a neighborhood that traditionally performs well on tests."
Thompson's neighbor, Deb Maner, says schools should be the hubs of neighborhoods. She said she understands the need for rezoning, but she said it's unethical for the board to redraw the lines through the middle of a neighborhood that is designed around Mary Lee Clark Elementary."They need to leave the children within a certain circumference of the school in that district and start the redistricting with the students that live outside of this circumference," said Mane, a local real estate professional who serves on the local Board of Realtors. "They should not be able to pick and choose which neighborhoods to shift around in such a spotty way."Maner said having a school within walking distance is a major deciding factor for the people who buy homes in Sugarmill Plantation."People that I deal with are more concerned about the school associated with a neighborhood and its location than they are concerned about square feet [of the home they are buying]," Maner said.Maner along with Thompson and other parents packed the Camden County Board of Education meeting room Tuesday night to speak out against the proposed rezoning of St. Marys elementary schools.There was standing room only as many residents of Sugarmill neighborhood packed in to have their voices heard and to learn more details about the proposal.Deputy superintendent Gary Blount said during the board meeting that the goals for rezoning some of St. Marys elementary student populations are to balance student numbers among the schools, to balance the proportion of students receiving free and reduced lunches in the schools and to create capacity for future growth in all of the schools."We have to do something to address the overcrowding in the St. Marys elementary schools. Students will have to be moved out of Mary Lee Clark; we have students in nine portable classrooms and six nontraditional classrooms," Blount said. "We are going to have more room in the new St. Marys Elementary School, so we began there with balancing out the student populations and those with free or reduced lunches."One of the reasons the board hopes to balance out the percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunches is because this factor is used as an indicator of standardized test-taking abilities.Crooked River Elementary School, which has 60 percent of students receiving free and reduced lunches, was the only school in the district not to meet Annual Yearly Progress requirements as laid out in No Child Left Behind for 2007-2008."Its much harder to meet Annual Yearly Progress with a higher percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients. We don't want to penalize the faculty and staff of schools because they have a disproportionately higher percentage of these students," Blount said.Affected neighborhoods and schools -- The board has proposed moving 177 current Mary Lee Clark students that live in the northeast area of Sugarmill Plantation, including McIntosh Landing, New Savannah, Millers Trace, Mill Creek and Ashton Pines, to Crooked River Elementary School.A total of 114 current Crooked River Elementary School students that live in Old Jefferson, The Pines Apartments, Harbor Pines neighborhood and those on the east side of Martha Drive would be moved to St. Marys Elementary School if the rezoning proposal is approved as is.And finally the board has proposed to move 52 Sugarmill Elementary School students that live in the Colerain Oaks neighborhood to Mary Lee Clark.The proposed rezoning will sit on the table for 30 days before coming to a vote, as all school system policies do. During this time, public hearings will be held at the various affected schools. Dr. Will Hardin, superintendent of schools, invited concerned parents to attend the hearing and voice their opinions on the proposal. The board is expected to vote on the issue at the April 9 board meeting.
TRSP Review:
This is called economic integration of schools. In theory the idea of this plan is to put rich smart kids in with the "dumb" poor kids. This in itself is a double edged sword. As studies do show some improvement in the poor "dumb" kids when mixed with smart rich kids, but it also shows that the rich kids grades slip at the same rate as the increase in poor kids.
What king of affect does this have on the kids? Is it really the kids? Some schools with nothing but poor kids do quite well. Why? Maybe they have good teachers? Maybe they have good parents?
Why does the school system not call it what it is? Does sound better to use the term free and reduced lunch kids opposed to poor kids?
Here is a link for more info on economic integration of schools, or just google economic integration of schools.
http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/economicschoolintegration.pdf
School rezoning draws fire from several parents
By Ellen Robinson
Published: Friday, March 13, 2009 9:56 AM EDT
Learning that her gifted second-grade daughter is one of 177 students that will be transferred due to proposed school rezoning sent Mary Thompson to the streets with a petition and picket signs in hand.Her daughter attends Mary Lee Clark Elementary, but under the proposal will attend Crooked River Elementary next year.Thompson doesn't want her daughter to have to ride a bus to a school farther away from their Sugarmill Plantation home than the school she currently attends. Mary Lee Clark is within walking and bike-riding distance, while Crooked River Elementary is a few miles away across a state highway. She and her husband chose specifically to live where they do so their children would go to Mary Lee Clark."I don't want them moving my child who is in the gifted program at a well-performing school just so they can increase another school's standardized test scores," Thompson said. "She shouldn't be moved just because we live in a neighborhood that traditionally performs well on tests."
Thompson's neighbor, Deb Maner, says schools should be the hubs of neighborhoods. She said she understands the need for rezoning, but she said it's unethical for the board to redraw the lines through the middle of a neighborhood that is designed around Mary Lee Clark Elementary."They need to leave the children within a certain circumference of the school in that district and start the redistricting with the students that live outside of this circumference," said Mane, a local real estate professional who serves on the local Board of Realtors. "They should not be able to pick and choose which neighborhoods to shift around in such a spotty way."Maner said having a school within walking distance is a major deciding factor for the people who buy homes in Sugarmill Plantation."People that I deal with are more concerned about the school associated with a neighborhood and its location than they are concerned about square feet [of the home they are buying]," Maner said.Maner along with Thompson and other parents packed the Camden County Board of Education meeting room Tuesday night to speak out against the proposed rezoning of St. Marys elementary schools.There was standing room only as many residents of Sugarmill neighborhood packed in to have their voices heard and to learn more details about the proposal.Deputy superintendent Gary Blount said during the board meeting that the goals for rezoning some of St. Marys elementary student populations are to balance student numbers among the schools, to balance the proportion of students receiving free and reduced lunches in the schools and to create capacity for future growth in all of the schools."We have to do something to address the overcrowding in the St. Marys elementary schools. Students will have to be moved out of Mary Lee Clark; we have students in nine portable classrooms and six nontraditional classrooms," Blount said. "We are going to have more room in the new St. Marys Elementary School, so we began there with balancing out the student populations and those with free or reduced lunches."One of the reasons the board hopes to balance out the percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunches is because this factor is used as an indicator of standardized test-taking abilities.Crooked River Elementary School, which has 60 percent of students receiving free and reduced lunches, was the only school in the district not to meet Annual Yearly Progress requirements as laid out in No Child Left Behind for 2007-2008."Its much harder to meet Annual Yearly Progress with a higher percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients. We don't want to penalize the faculty and staff of schools because they have a disproportionately higher percentage of these students," Blount said.Affected neighborhoods and schools -- The board has proposed moving 177 current Mary Lee Clark students that live in the northeast area of Sugarmill Plantation, including McIntosh Landing, New Savannah, Millers Trace, Mill Creek and Ashton Pines, to Crooked River Elementary School.A total of 114 current Crooked River Elementary School students that live in Old Jefferson, The Pines Apartments, Harbor Pines neighborhood and those on the east side of Martha Drive would be moved to St. Marys Elementary School if the rezoning proposal is approved as is.And finally the board has proposed to move 52 Sugarmill Elementary School students that live in the Colerain Oaks neighborhood to Mary Lee Clark.The proposed rezoning will sit on the table for 30 days before coming to a vote, as all school system policies do. During this time, public hearings will be held at the various affected schools. Dr. Will Hardin, superintendent of schools, invited concerned parents to attend the hearing and voice their opinions on the proposal. The board is expected to vote on the issue at the April 9 board meeting.
TRSP Review:
This is called economic integration of schools. In theory the idea of this plan is to put rich smart kids in with the "dumb" poor kids. This in itself is a double edged sword. As studies do show some improvement in the poor "dumb" kids when mixed with smart rich kids, but it also shows that the rich kids grades slip at the same rate as the increase in poor kids.
What king of affect does this have on the kids? Is it really the kids? Some schools with nothing but poor kids do quite well. Why? Maybe they have good teachers? Maybe they have good parents?
Why does the school system not call it what it is? Does sound better to use the term free and reduced lunch kids opposed to poor kids?
Here is a link for more info on economic integration of schools, or just google economic integration of schools.
http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/economicschoolintegration.pdf
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Comparing Turf
From http://fieldturf.com/news.cfm?newsID=1546
Camden County Noticing Positive Changes After Installing Artificial Turf
Oct 10, 2007The Brunswick Newsby Joe Overby KINGSLAND, Ga. (AP) --
After just three regular-season games on their new artificial turf at Chris Gilman Stadium, the Camden County Wildcats are already noticing positive changes.And the best part about that is they haven't had to make too cumbersome an adjustment to the new surface."It's pretty nice and really good to run on," said senior tight end Steven Pecko, who added that when he runs on the turf, it feels like he's not wearing shoes. "You feel like you're gliding on it."Camden County installed the new turf -- known as FieldTurf and similar to the surface the Wildcats have played on at the Georgia Dome -- this past May and the school held its graduation there at the end of the last school year.Twenty-one NFL teams and colleges like Georgia Tech, Nebraska and Michigan use FieldTurf, which according to research is said to be softer and results in fewer injuries than natural grass.Camden plans to use the football field as a multi-purpose facility, with other events like graduation, spring soccer, and recreation league games being held on the field.The county owns the stadium, and the Public Service Authority said in May the total cost of the project was $727,588.When the Wildcats began the season on the new surface, the benefits were especially noticeable. And Camden coach Jeff Herron said it doesn't affect the Wildcats' style of play."Quite honestly, I don't think there's any big adjustment. The surface is so close to being the real stuff," Herron said. "The only difference is it looks the same every time, it plays the same every time and you don't have to paint it."And that's more than can be said about natural-grass fields. Weather, rain, drought, and usage can wreak havoc on natural turf. Having an artificial field as an option, the Wildcats haven't had to put much wear and tear this season into their practice field, which is natural grass.For instance, on days such as Monday, when the clouds looked ominous, Herron said the team could practice on the game field to not destroy the practice turf."It makes a huge difference," Herron said. "We haven't had to tear up our practice field."The team practices on the game field on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which is part of their traditional routine, regardless.Even opposing coaches have noticed a positive difference. Groves coach Richard Redding and his Rebels ventured to Kingsland on Friday to play on the new field, eventually falling to the Wildcats 50-6. Though Redding said he would have liked to have seen a more favorable outcome for his Rebels, the field was a positive."It was a very nice surface. The surface was wonderful. No complaints whatsoever," Redding said.And getting a chance to play on a surface they weren't used to made for a change in pace for the Rebels."It was a great experience for the kids to get to play on a surface like that," Redding said.
Compare to other teams. (be sure to look at the date installed. Older dates are not the best turfs as the new turfs are much better and much more expensive. The Falcons turf cost $500,000)
http://fieldturf.com/football/highProfile.cfm
If you are wondering what this is about be sure to check Friday's Tribune.
Camden County Noticing Positive Changes After Installing Artificial Turf
Oct 10, 2007The Brunswick Newsby Joe Overby KINGSLAND, Ga. (AP) --
After just three regular-season games on their new artificial turf at Chris Gilman Stadium, the Camden County Wildcats are already noticing positive changes.And the best part about that is they haven't had to make too cumbersome an adjustment to the new surface."It's pretty nice and really good to run on," said senior tight end Steven Pecko, who added that when he runs on the turf, it feels like he's not wearing shoes. "You feel like you're gliding on it."Camden County installed the new turf -- known as FieldTurf and similar to the surface the Wildcats have played on at the Georgia Dome -- this past May and the school held its graduation there at the end of the last school year.Twenty-one NFL teams and colleges like Georgia Tech, Nebraska and Michigan use FieldTurf, which according to research is said to be softer and results in fewer injuries than natural grass.Camden plans to use the football field as a multi-purpose facility, with other events like graduation, spring soccer, and recreation league games being held on the field.The county owns the stadium, and the Public Service Authority said in May the total cost of the project was $727,588.When the Wildcats began the season on the new surface, the benefits were especially noticeable. And Camden coach Jeff Herron said it doesn't affect the Wildcats' style of play."Quite honestly, I don't think there's any big adjustment. The surface is so close to being the real stuff," Herron said. "The only difference is it looks the same every time, it plays the same every time and you don't have to paint it."And that's more than can be said about natural-grass fields. Weather, rain, drought, and usage can wreak havoc on natural turf. Having an artificial field as an option, the Wildcats haven't had to put much wear and tear this season into their practice field, which is natural grass.For instance, on days such as Monday, when the clouds looked ominous, Herron said the team could practice on the game field to not destroy the practice turf."It makes a huge difference," Herron said. "We haven't had to tear up our practice field."The team practices on the game field on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which is part of their traditional routine, regardless.Even opposing coaches have noticed a positive difference. Groves coach Richard Redding and his Rebels ventured to Kingsland on Friday to play on the new field, eventually falling to the Wildcats 50-6. Though Redding said he would have liked to have seen a more favorable outcome for his Rebels, the field was a positive."It was a very nice surface. The surface was wonderful. No complaints whatsoever," Redding said.And getting a chance to play on a surface they weren't used to made for a change in pace for the Rebels."It was a great experience for the kids to get to play on a surface like that," Redding said.
Compare to other teams. (be sure to look at the date installed. Older dates are not the best turfs as the new turfs are much better and much more expensive. The Falcons turf cost $500,000)
http://fieldturf.com/football/highProfile.cfm
If you are wondering what this is about be sure to check Friday's Tribune.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Who's #1? Are We Really One Of The Best In Georgia?
As Dr. Hardin and others like to tell you Camden is one of the best in the state, I will tell you this report card does not say that. We are 115 out of 380. (Camden is on page 3.) That is average. AVERAGE!!!!!! So why do they continue to tell us something different?
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Sunday, March 01, 2009
Top Twenty Employees Could Finance ESPLOST!!!
The BOE wants to raise taxes on everyone, the rich, the poor, and the unemployed. Is that what responsible elected officials do during a recession?
Some frequently told lies by the BOE:
Those who do not pay property tax and/or live outside the county, but work and travel in and through Camden, will pay a significant portion of the ESPLOST – estimates say 35 to 40 percent.
TRSP Review: Who does not pay property taxes? Those who rent!!! So if you rent your house to someone else you don't have to pay property taxes!!! A landlord still pays taxes on that property it does not matter if the person living there owns or rents, taxes are still paid on that piece of land. A renter does not just pay the landlords mortgage, he or she also has the taxes and repairs added in to the price of the rent.
Don't believe that 40% will come from our massive tourist industry. Just ask the local hotel owners if the hotels are booked fully every night!!!
Approximately 90 percent of the District’s operating budget pays salaries of teachers and other staff. The remaining portion covers daily operating expenses such as utilities – water, natural gas and electricity – fuel, and supplies such as textbooks.
TRSP Review:
More bull crap, the state sets teachers pay and funds 100% of that pay. The school adds up to $4,000 more based on their education level. The budget is 81 million, with 61 million going to salaries. That leaves 20 million for the rest, and if they would allow kids to bring home their text books they could cut that cost in half. Oh a budget cut how dare I say that. And let's not forget we have a weight room and football field that 28 out 32 NFL teams would die for.
Will a “Yes” vote increase my property tax?
No. The penny sales tax spreads the responsibility of providing quality facilities for our children to all citizens (and visitors) of the community, not just homeowners. Anybody who spends money in Camden County is funding the ESPLOST whether or not they live in the county. Estimates suggest that approximately 35-40 percent of the funding may be provided by citizens who reside outside Camden County.
TRSP Review: I know I already covered this but look at the first line. They call it a penny tax. It will only cost you a penny more. Yeah if all you buy is a coke or a candy bar. But don't buy them together, because it will cost you 2 pennies more, but they don't want to say it that way. And heavens what if you were going to buy a house, so you could pay taxes, will it only cost you a penny more?
So here is my plan:
The top twenty paid employees could pay this tax. They could donate just $50,000 of their pay a year for the next ten years. This would give the school 40 million more than the ESPLOST (Everyone Should Pay Lousy Outrageous Sales Tax). This would ensure every school could have a green space park, not just St Marys. If these employees paid this tax it would still leave them with $50,000 plus a year in pay. That is more than half the people in the county make in a year. We live in a county were 33% of our citizens live below the poverty line. I know some of you are saying how can I ask these people to do this? Well it's simple they have no problem asking me for money. Every other week my kids bring home notes asking for money for this and that. Fundraising efforts for what?
So these twenty people below will receive a phone call from me in the next week or so. I will ask them to donate to the ESPLOST instead of taxing the poor in our county. As I talk to these people I will tell you what they have to say.
I am sure they are not going to like me asking them for money, but they sure never minded asking me.
Here is the list, I look forward to talking to all of you. Please don't avoid my call as not talking to me will not look good in defense of the ESPLOST.
1. HARDIN,WILLIAM C SUPERINTENDENT $156,139.46
2. JORDAN,LIZZIE DIRECTOR OF MEDIA SERVICES $123,656.32
3. TUCKER,JOHN H PRINCIPAL $121,807.96
4. BLOUNT,GARY W PLANT OPERATIONS DIR $117,875.12
5. STEWART,MARK V PLANT OPERATIONS DIR $114,856.32
6. GIBBS,JAMES L DIRECTOR OF CURRICUL $111,676.16
7. MILLER,JONATHAN C PERSONNEL/HUMAN RESO $110,329.24
8. LABELLE,JOSEPH PRINCIPAL $110,008.93
9. BIRD,JOBETH PRINCIPAL $109,852.38
10. SAPP,SHEILA E PRINCIPAL $107,208.93
11. GOBLE,JOSEPH M PRINCIPAL $107,010.06
12. HERRON,JEFF S ATHLETICS DIRECTOR $106,099.03
13. GILLETTE,REBECCA DIRECTOR OF CURRICUL $105,023.12
14. BRUCE,AMBER D PRINCIPAL $103,608.93
15. VAN BLARCUM,ARTHUR DIRECTOR OF STUDENT $103,275.12
16. STRICKLAND,BEVERLY TITLE I DIRECTOR $102,391.88
17. TUCKER,TAWANA N SPECIAL EDUCATION DI $101,991.88
18. MCMANIGAL,ANGELA A PRINCIPAL $101,542.89
19. TAYLOR,WALTER PRINCIPAL $100,809.42
20. CATO,DENISE A ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $100,753.34
It's a shame our football coach makes more that any teacher. Shows just were the priorities of our school is. It's not education it's state championships. Our schools are changing from teaching the basics to teaching careers. How many of our football students go on to have successful careers in the NFL. What more important to our school a high school championship or a successful career?
Some frequently told lies by the BOE:
Those who do not pay property tax and/or live outside the county, but work and travel in and through Camden, will pay a significant portion of the ESPLOST – estimates say 35 to 40 percent.
TRSP Review: Who does not pay property taxes? Those who rent!!! So if you rent your house to someone else you don't have to pay property taxes!!! A landlord still pays taxes on that property it does not matter if the person living there owns or rents, taxes are still paid on that piece of land. A renter does not just pay the landlords mortgage, he or she also has the taxes and repairs added in to the price of the rent.
Don't believe that 40% will come from our massive tourist industry. Just ask the local hotel owners if the hotels are booked fully every night!!!
Approximately 90 percent of the District’s operating budget pays salaries of teachers and other staff. The remaining portion covers daily operating expenses such as utilities – water, natural gas and electricity – fuel, and supplies such as textbooks.
TRSP Review:
More bull crap, the state sets teachers pay and funds 100% of that pay. The school adds up to $4,000 more based on their education level. The budget is 81 million, with 61 million going to salaries. That leaves 20 million for the rest, and if they would allow kids to bring home their text books they could cut that cost in half. Oh a budget cut how dare I say that. And let's not forget we have a weight room and football field that 28 out 32 NFL teams would die for.
Will a “Yes” vote increase my property tax?
No. The penny sales tax spreads the responsibility of providing quality facilities for our children to all citizens (and visitors) of the community, not just homeowners. Anybody who spends money in Camden County is funding the ESPLOST whether or not they live in the county. Estimates suggest that approximately 35-40 percent of the funding may be provided by citizens who reside outside Camden County.
TRSP Review: I know I already covered this but look at the first line. They call it a penny tax. It will only cost you a penny more. Yeah if all you buy is a coke or a candy bar. But don't buy them together, because it will cost you 2 pennies more, but they don't want to say it that way. And heavens what if you were going to buy a house, so you could pay taxes, will it only cost you a penny more?
So here is my plan:
The top twenty paid employees could pay this tax. They could donate just $50,000 of their pay a year for the next ten years. This would give the school 40 million more than the ESPLOST (Everyone Should Pay Lousy Outrageous Sales Tax). This would ensure every school could have a green space park, not just St Marys. If these employees paid this tax it would still leave them with $50,000 plus a year in pay. That is more than half the people in the county make in a year. We live in a county were 33% of our citizens live below the poverty line. I know some of you are saying how can I ask these people to do this? Well it's simple they have no problem asking me for money. Every other week my kids bring home notes asking for money for this and that. Fundraising efforts for what?
So these twenty people below will receive a phone call from me in the next week or so. I will ask them to donate to the ESPLOST instead of taxing the poor in our county. As I talk to these people I will tell you what they have to say.
I am sure they are not going to like me asking them for money, but they sure never minded asking me.
Here is the list, I look forward to talking to all of you. Please don't avoid my call as not talking to me will not look good in defense of the ESPLOST.
1. HARDIN,WILLIAM C SUPERINTENDENT $156,139.46
2. JORDAN,LIZZIE DIRECTOR OF MEDIA SERVICES $123,656.32
3. TUCKER,JOHN H PRINCIPAL $121,807.96
4. BLOUNT,GARY W PLANT OPERATIONS DIR $117,875.12
5. STEWART,MARK V PLANT OPERATIONS DIR $114,856.32
6. GIBBS,JAMES L DIRECTOR OF CURRICUL $111,676.16
7. MILLER,JONATHAN C PERSONNEL/HUMAN RESO $110,329.24
8. LABELLE,JOSEPH PRINCIPAL $110,008.93
9. BIRD,JOBETH PRINCIPAL $109,852.38
10. SAPP,SHEILA E PRINCIPAL $107,208.93
11. GOBLE,JOSEPH M PRINCIPAL $107,010.06
12. HERRON,JEFF S ATHLETICS DIRECTOR $106,099.03
13. GILLETTE,REBECCA DIRECTOR OF CURRICUL $105,023.12
14. BRUCE,AMBER D PRINCIPAL $103,608.93
15. VAN BLARCUM,ARTHUR DIRECTOR OF STUDENT $103,275.12
16. STRICKLAND,BEVERLY TITLE I DIRECTOR $102,391.88
17. TUCKER,TAWANA N SPECIAL EDUCATION DI $101,991.88
18. MCMANIGAL,ANGELA A PRINCIPAL $101,542.89
19. TAYLOR,WALTER PRINCIPAL $100,809.42
20. CATO,DENISE A ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL $100,753.34
It's a shame our football coach makes more that any teacher. Shows just were the priorities of our school is. It's not education it's state championships. Our schools are changing from teaching the basics to teaching careers. How many of our football students go on to have successful careers in the NFL. What more important to our school a high school championship or a successful career?
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The Parents Have Declared War
