Tarnished Deed 2: Class Fees, The Documentation

This one covers the gamut, The 5 Ws: WHO gets the fees (the teachers) WHAT are the fees? ($5 per child for K-2, $10 per child for grades 3-5); WHERE (Eastside); WHEN the fees are due (October 1); WHY the fees were established (Class fees help to purchase extra supplies for the classroom).

What's really interesting is that board member Jim McCourt was clearly at the meeting and present during the discussion. Yet, McCourt has gone on the record on numerous occasions stating that teachers do not need anything beyond what they are provided, and if they do, they should contact the board. Newsflash, Gumbo Jimbo. Put down the sea bass for a minute and LISTEN. Clearly, these teachers (and the ESCO) felt they needed more materials.

Here it is a week later, coming in the schoolwide newsletter. Clearly Principal Coulthart had to know about the fees. He was at the September 9, meeting AND he must review (or at least read) his school newsletter.

Yet another newsletter...this time the "SCO" newsletter. Again, the infamous five W's are very clearly present.

Class fee revenue projections based on DPI 3rd Friday counts:

Eastside Elementary
Grade K -96 kids -$ 480.00

Grade 1 - 73 kids - $ 365.00
Grade 2 -97 kids - $ 485.00
Grade 3 - 75 kids - $ 750.00
Grade 4 - 79 kids - $ 790.00
Grade 5 - 81 kids - $ 810.00
_______TOTAL $3,680.00

That has to be the top 1 or 2 source of SCO funds.

A "lengthy" discussion regarding how to collect EVEN MORE (higher percentage?) of class fees! Imagine that!

They like what they receive so much, they want to collect more.

Also troubling is the comment that the group operates without a formal budget. YIKES! How does one account for what they do with the money? Can you say "low hanging fruit"?

All this resulted in purchase of playground equipment as approved by the school board's FTT committee:

RECOMMENDATION: The Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds recommends accepting the proposal from Gerber Leisure to install wood chips and border in conjunction with the purchase and installation of playground equipment ($17,000) by the Eastside Parent Organization.