District Energy Manager Leaving the Nest? Or Feathering It?

We found this article in the STAR quite interesting.

Alders vote to draft a contract for energy manager position. Alders voted 4-1 to move forward with drafting a contract for an energy manager position, which will be brought back to the committee for approval at a later date. Freund was the only alder who voted against drafting a contract.

Gregory Klaas, energy manager for the Sun Prairie Area School District for four years, recently submitted a proposal for the energy manager position. Klaas asked for $12,000 plus 60 percent of cost savings over the initial $12,000. Klaas said he saved the district more than $2.6 million over those four years.

District 1 Alder Hariah Hutkowski said trying to save utility costs “has gone beyond turning off light switches and installing automatic turn-on devices.” Alders raised concerns about the lack of a cap on the amount of cost savings a energy manager could earn through savings.

“I can’t support anything that doesn’t have an upper limit in terms of payment on this,” Freund said. “I think we need to take a look at where is our utility bills.”  “The upper limit is pragmatics - the money is coming out of savings that we would have spent had we not done something,” Hutkowski responded. “There is no risk, we’re saving 40 percent over a certain amount.”

--- STAR 8-26-10 (middle of the article "other Action: Alders vote to draft a contract for energy manager position")

So many, many questions!
Would our energy manager leave the nest if his proposal is accepted?
  ...or would he plan on working both for the district and the city?
  ...and if so, would the level of service we get suffer?
Didn't we just spend time and money doing a follow-up review of his 
hourly rate?
Would we even replace the position if he left?
Would the city of Sun Prairie actually consider such a contract? (if SPASD had entered into a similar contract, we would have paid over $1.3M in "bonus" alone.  Not even the $100K club come close to that level of compensation!


...and these are just a few we have.  We're betting you, community members, have others.

Some Bad News: Equalized Values Lower Than Expected

On Friday August 13, the Department of Revenue released their annual Equalized Values report. This report is a major piece of the property tax puzzle.  Once we know what the tax levy will be, the mill rate is determined by dividing Tax Levy by the Equalized Value of all real property in a district or community.

The equalized values are based on data from January 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010, when the national economy and housing market dipped to its lowest point. In Wisconsin residential property values fell by 3.5 percent, or $12.9 billion, over that time period.
Equalized values are calculated annually to ensure statewide fairness and equity in property tax distribution. An equalized value represents an estimate of a taxation district's total taxable value, and provides for the fair apportionment of taxation district levies (including school districts and counties) to each municipality. Changes in equalized value do not necessarily translate into a change in property taxes.

8-yr Trend (City of Sun Prairie)
A quick glance of the 8 yr track record of equalized values for the city of Sun Prairie show the phenomenal growth, including a maximum of 25% increase in equalized value in 2004.  However, things have changes since the recession took hold in fall 2008.  For 2009, the net change in equalized value was flat (0%).  For 2010, we saw a drop of 5%.  That is amazing given an average increase in equalized value of 13% for the 5yr period from 2003 to 2008.


Total Equalized Values for SPASD communities 2010
If one averages the change in equalized values for all the communities that make up the Sun Prairie Area School District, we see that the average reduction for all is  -4.04% .
But....that involves the TOTAL values.  And clearly, while Madison has a total equalized value of over $23 billion, only a small portion of Madison lies within the Sun Prairie Area School District.  So, we need to re-apportion these values to a more proper reflection of their contribution to the whole "pie".

While the town of Blooming Grove actually experienced a 1.6% increase in equalized value over 2009, less than 1% (0.83%) of Blooming Grove's property falls within the SPASD.   Therefore, that increase will not impact us much.

"Re-apportioned" Equalized Values for SPASD communities 2010
Clearly we don't have all the keys to the magic kingdom, but it is equally clear that we know, from  annual school tax levy reports, exactly how much tax levy from each of the 10 cities and towns that make up the Sun Prairie Area school district.

And once we know that, we can take the percentage share from THIS year's equalized values and project the new equalized value for the district.
For instance, last year, we know that only $623,820,761 of the City of Madison's  equalized value contributed to the Sun Prairie Area School district.  While this accounted for 15.84% of the total equalized value for SPASD, it only represented 2.7% of Madison's total equalized value.  Therefore, we can take 2.70% of Madison's 2010 Equalized value ($22,212,095,800, a 3.97% LOSS), and apply that dollar amount to SPASD's total for 2010.  We can use this same approach for the other 9 municipalities that comprise SPASD.)

We may be off by a small degree, but it would take some major corrections to turn -4.4% into 0%.  Not gonna happen, folks.
Fall 2009 School District Certification of Full Equalized Value - Tax Apportionment

Why do you even care?
You should care, because the equalized value is the "denominator" in the mill rate equation.  For the less math-minded, as the denominator shrinks, the mill rate INCREASES by the same amount.
Projected mill rate as of 8-27-2010 was $11.90.  This is based on a 0% growth in the Equalized Value ($3,937,400,000).  If we know the result (mill rate) and the denominator (Equalized Value), then the numerator (tax levy) has to be $46,850,000, give or take a few thousand $.
If the equalized value drops 4.4% to $3,760,000,000, then the mill rate increases 4.4% to $12.46.  That's a net increase of $0.56, which translates to an extra $112 on a $200,000 home.
Looking at it another way, assuming our equalized value projections are accurate, in order to retain the mill rate of $11.90, the tax levy must be reduced by another 4.4%, or about $2.1M.


What is "Equalized Value"?
The estimated value of all taxable real and personal property in each taxation district, by class, as of January 1 and certified by the Department of Revenue on August 15 of each year. The value represents market value (most probable selling price), except for agricultural property, which is based on its use (ability to generate agricultural income) and agricultural forest and undeveloped lands, which are based on 50% of their full (fair market) value.
--2010 Guide for Property Owners ( http://www.revenue.wi.gov/pubs/slf/pb060.pdf )

Budget Approval Put On Hold - Money Comes Swirling In

The big ticket item on the Finance Committee agenda this week, as typically occurs, was the "approval" (and forwarding of the budget to the full school board.

Holy Cartloads of Cash, Batman!
Stop the presses.  Before the agenda item even came up, Finance chair and seabass connoisseur Jim McCourt, announced that the committee would table the item because of the $1.75M the district is about to receive via the Education Jobs Fund.  Yeah...$1.75 M could change the budget a tad.

In our last episode, the budget called for a 5% increase in the tax levy.  $1.75M could change that pretty dramatically.

Stay tuned...

Weekend To-Do List: Taj Ma-High School and CHUMS Ceremonies

Saturday, August 28, 2010
Re-dedication of Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School and Community Tours, 220 Kroncke Drive
10 a.m. ‐ 12 p.m. Community Tours of the Renovated Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School
12 ‐ 12:30 p.m. Re-dedication Ceremony for Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School

Community Parade from Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School to Sun Prairie High School
12:45 p.m. Parade will be led by Sun Prairie High School Musicians. (Parade route will begin
behind Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School and travel down Linnerud Drive
to Sun Prairie High School via Marshview Drive.)

Grand Opening Celebration and Community Tours of Sun Prairie High School, 888 Grove Street
1:30 p.m. Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony for Sun Prairie High School
2:30 ‐ 4:30 p.m. Community Tours of the New Sun Prairie High School following the ceremony


http://www.sunprairie.k12.wi.us/District/web_version_postcard_4.pdf

Tall Tale Terry

On Monday August 9, school board member--and acting president-- Terry Shimek professed that he was "offended" by remarks made by community resident Rick Mealy.

Tall tales
During his tongue-lashing, Mr. Shimek told --for the TV cameras and the general public-- the very tall tale that he had "taken Mr. Mealy out to lunch and had several phone conversations with him regarding the Finance Committee".  That didn't happen, Mr. Shimek...and (unless senility is rushing in) YOU KNOW IT!  Without a doubt Mr. Mealy told us that you told him that you PLANNED to take him out to lunch, as you had the other citizen representative.  But...and perhaps because you were a tad miffed that the SP-EYE blog exposed another tall tale...said lunch meeting never was scheduled.  Can you tell the public WHEN and WHERE you and Mr. Mealy had this alleged lunch?  Of course not...because it did not happen.

Those phone calls
Now tell the truth, Mr. Shimek...isn't it also true that the only time you spoke with Mr. Mealy on the phone was in returning HIS call to YOU last September regarding the board meeting of 9/14/09? Is it all coming back to you now?  Remember the subject: how you voted on the issue of whether or not to use $183,060 of fund balance to pay the issuance cost of the Qualified School Construction Bond dated 9/28/09.

Allow us refresh your memory:
http://sp-eye.blogspot.com/2009/09/meeting-minutes-should-help-jog-shimeks.html

Mr. Shimek KNOWs that was the only time he spoke with Mealy by phone.  Actually, after Mr. Mealy had had enough of Shimek, his wife spoke with Shimek for about 45 minutes.  It's a wonder Shimek has any backside at all left after the butt-chewing he received that night.

We understand how easy it must be to forget that you never took someone to lunch when you can't even recall how you voted on a $183.000 issue!

The thing about tall tales is that the devil is in the details.  Once you started providing details to the fairy tale (all the phone calls, the lunch, the orientation you provided during these "events"), you were trapped.

Do NOT tell us fairy tales, Mr. Shimek.  Save those for bedtime stories for your grandkids.
Would you prefer "Shimekkio"?

_______________________________________

The text of Mr. Mealy's statement to the board is provided below.  Mr. Mealy emphasized three main points:

1. Board Policy () requires that citizen representatives be nominated by the board president for approval by the full board.  How can the latter occur if the appointments are presented on the agenda as "Information Only" (no action) items as was done for the 8-9-10 agenda.?

2. Mr. Mealy also pointed out that board committee chairs SHALL provide citizen representatives with orientation.  Mealy stated that in terms on both the FTT and Finance Committees, no orientation (or discussion whatsoever regarding duties) was provided.

3. If the board doesn't follow it's own "rules" (policies) why should staff or students?

" The Board shall appoint the citizen members of each committee upon nomination of the Board President. If one or more Board members need to discuss substantive issues related to the appointment of committee members and such discussion might reasonably be construed to have an adverse impact on the reputation of specific persons, the Board may convene in closed session as permitted by law to consider such information. The closed session will be held prior to the nomination(s) being considered by the Board in open session. " 

--Board Policy BCE (clearly showing intent that board members discuss and vote on nominations)

______________

Statement from Rick Mealy 8/9/2010

First, I wish to thank the board for allowing me the honor of serving as a citizen representative on the Finance committee for the past 2 years.  Appointment of citizen representatives to committees is offered as an "Informational Item" tonight instead of "New Business" or "Consent Items".  A fine slate of individuals is being nominated from a very qualified pack.  Unfortunately, you do these people a disservice by failing to follow your policies, just as you did last year.  One would have hoped that you would have learned from your past mistakes.

These appointments have historically been --as required by your policy BCE-- voted on by the full board under New Business.

In fact, policy BCE states, "The Board shall appoint the citizen members of each committee upon nomination of the Board President".

How can the Board "appoint" without a vote???  Or was their a closed session that wasn't noticed? 

Imagine the position you would put one of these citizen representatives in if they had already participated fully in a committee meeting prior to being formally appointed by the board!.  One cannot expect new citizen representatives to be familiar with the details of board policies. But we do expect it of you.

Policy also dictates that citizen representatives are provided with an orientation to their new role.  And if it doesn’t happen before they start…what’s the point really?  So I hope you’ll schedule orientation for new committee members before they participate in a committee meeting.  I served on two board committees without ever receiving a moment of orientation, so that has been another weak area for you. 

Perhaps your excuse is that you simply ran out of time; terms begin August 1 and you were still interviewing candidates after the last board meeting.   But that Hail Mary would land out of bounds. Like the old adage goes, "Poor planning on your part does not allow you to break the rules to meet deadlines."

Some of you may be inclined to think, "What's the big deal?  These are just committee appointments."  But it's not that simple. 

Serving as a Citizen Representative is often a proving ground of sorts for future school board members...as many of you board members know.  This IS important....if not to you, then certainly to the citizen representatives.  They want it done right.  So should you.

It's one thing to write policy, but it's a horse of completely different color to actually follow them.

And if you have such a hard time following your policies, what is the use of even having them?

If the board does not follow it's own "rules", how can it expect staff members to follow district policies?

How can anyone expect students to follow rules in the Student Handbooks?

Or is it just a case of "this one we have to follow....that one...not so much?"

You rightfully take pride in the district's bond rating, but that rating is in part related to perceived strength in fiscal management policies. 

How do you think that perception may change if you continue to ignore your policies? 

What if an underwriter concludes that while you have nice policies, they're worthless because you don't follow them?

One of the underlying allegations in the district's upcoming arbitration hearing regarding the removal of girls basketball coaches is that the district did not follow its policies.  Is there really any surprise to that?   I wonder how much these continued incidents of failure to follow policy may further erode the district's position in the arbitration hearing?  And that decision could cost the taxpayers a lot of money.

The bottom line is that failure to adhere to board policy is just another symptom of the real illness:  lack of accountability.

And it starts at the top.  If you want people to be accountable, you must lead by example.

Corrections!

At every budget hearing, district administration likes to make a point of noting how much UNDER the allowable Revenue Limit cap the district spends.

Recently Phil; Frei indicated that Sun Prairie was "one of only four districts to set a tax levy this much under the limit".

Au contraire, mon frere!  [That's French for "We Don't Think so, Phil"]

Counterpoint #1:  First of all, you're close, but not quite accurate.  The DPI data show that FOUR districts levied further under the limit.  That would make us one of FIVE levying "that much under the limit"
see for yourselves with this link to DPI data in an Excel spreadsheet

Counterpoint #2: You can't have it both ways!  You can't slam the taxpayers for cutting the tax levy by $2M and then pat yourself on the back for levying 2.8M under the limit!  If the community didn't cut the levy FOR YOU, Sun Prairie would have been in a distant 24th place for amount under the revenue limit.

Face the facts, district administration members:  Last year was very unique year, but it was not a fluke.  Many school districts levied by large amounts under the revenue limit.  Some had it done for them by residents during their annual meetings, some did it all on their own, and some had a school board that forced their hand.

Some fun facts for you:

• If you look at the underlevy amount as a percentage of the revenue limit, we ranked only 22nd of 425 districts last year.
• Last year 7 districts levied $2M or more Under the revenue cap (2 in '07-08; 1 in '08-09).
• Last year 18 districts levied $1M or more Under the revenue cap (7 in '07-08; 8 in '08-09).
• Last year 31 districts levied $500K or more Under the revenue cap (10 in '07-08; 12 in '08-09).
• Last year 142 of 425 districts levied SOME amount Under the revenue cap (111 in '07-08; 85 in '08-09).

Those are unadulterated, unspun facts.  Make of them what you will.  But we sense change.

Consider this:  Negative Tertiary Aid
It's boring and detailed, but the state aid calculations include 3 tiers.  The "richer" the district in terms of property value per student, the more likely that tertiary aid will be negative, actually reducing the amount of aid a district receives.

Sun Prairie is a "negative tertiary aid district".  BUT....and it's a big but....the more a district subject to negative tertiary aid levies UNDER the revenue limit, the LESS negative it's tertiary aid will be...meaning MORE money coming into the district.

http://dpi.wi.gov/sfs/tier.html
 If a district's value per member exceeds the state guarantee at the secondary or tertiary tiers, negative aid is generated. Negative aid at any tier can reduce, or in some cases, eliminate a district's positive aid from another tier. A hold-harmless provision in state statutes entitles a district to receive at least the positive aid generated at its primary tier, regardless if the sum of all three tiers is a negative number. Districts not generating positive aid at the primary tier do not get any Equalization Aid from the state

School Supplies Issue: Snowballing

Readers write...and the questions continue to mount!

Dear SP-EYE...

PVMS 7^th grade supply list requires that Math students must provide a calculator- I get that, but why do they need AAA batteries?????

Between Math, Science and Social Studies [our child] is required to bring 5 rolls/boxes of scotch tape?????

Very frustrating especially in these economic times – not to mention when we get some of them back at the end of the school year UNUSED!!!!!!!

As Harrison Ford's character (6 Days, 7 Nights) stated, " All good questions..." 

Most of the calculators used in school today are either solar powered, or run off of Lithium ion batteries.  So what ARE the AAA batteries for?  That's a LOT of batteries.  We feel like there's a really, really good joke somewhere in here :)

And that is a LOT of Scotch tape.  Of course, it does take a whole lot more scotch tape to restrain an unruly student than it does Duct tape.  But that's a little inside joke.  And it would raise a tad more eyebrows to require duct tape from students.

On the last issue, we're not sure whether you're supposed to be eternally grateful that extras were returned...or more frustrated that you spent money on something that wasn't used in school and you may not have a use for it. 

Perhaps Dr. Tim could address these issues in his "State of the District" address.  Or his blog...if he ever writes in it again.  In all seriousness, we agree that it's LONG time that this issue gets moved off the back burner.

___________________________________________________________________

Anne Heche:  I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I’m having a bit of a problem.

Harrison Ford: What's the problem? 

Anne Heche:  Some sort of creature has just swum up my pants. I’m guessing--I’m guessing a snake. 

Harrison Ford: Oh. That’s bad. 

Anne Heche: So uhh---what do I do? I mean, I could--reach down--and, and grab it. 

Harrison Ford: That could be risky. It might be poisonous. 

Anne Heche: Well right, but on the other hand, if it bites me, do I want to allow it to continue to swim around in my shorts? 

Harrison Ford: All good questions. 

---Six Days Seven Nights (1998)

Another Pot of Money With Which to Play!

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out, sports fans.  We learned late last week....after the board working session on the budget, that Sun Prairie would be receiving  a little more than $1.75 MILLION dollars via the federal Education Jobs Act funding,  This is "new money", not accounted for in the budget that will be approved at the Finance Committee table this Monday night (8/23/10).

WISCONSIN APPLIES FOR $180 MILLION FROM EDUCATION JOBS FUND
On Thursday, Aug. 19, Gov. Doyle signed Wisconsin’s application to receive its nearly $180 million share of the $10 billion Education Jobs Fund. The dollars will be distributed to local school districts using the state’s general equalization aid formula in order to distribute dollars to as many districts as possible.

According to the Department of Administration, districts may begin utilizing these funds to cover salary and benefit expenditures as of August 10, 2010.
\The state must distribute the dollars to schools during the 2010-11 school year.
The money will be sent to districts as federal aid and will be outside revenue controls.
Local school districts will have until Sept. 1, 2012, to “obligate” the funds.
While the intent of the law is for the funds to be used immediately, the law allows local school districts to carry over some or all of the funds for staffing needs in the 2011-12 school year.


The money must be used in local school districts for “salaries, benefits, and support services” for school-level district employees—teachers, principals, counselors, custodians, nurses, etc. Funds may not be used for district-level employees or contracted employees. Funds may not be used for “general administrative expenses” or for “other support services expenditures.”


School districts can opt to use the dollars to call back staff members who were laid off, hire new staff, or use the funds for current employees and free up local dollars for other uses.


The funds can be used to extend the school day and/or school year, provide summer school, or offer incentives to recruit or retain staff.


As with the stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), there will be reporting requirements on how many jobs were created or saved.
As with the ARRA stimulus funds, it is important for the public to understand that these dollars are needed by local school districts and will be used as Congress intended —to save teaching jobs. Although individual districts may no longer be in a position to call back teachers who were laid off for the 2010-11 school year, communications to the media and/or public should indicate that: 1) these funds will be used; and 2) they will be used to keep teachers in the classroom.

$1.75M!  That would pay for quite a few positions....which would free up that money for ...dry erase markers!  or reams of copy paper! or glue sticks!
We're sure the hamster wheels inside the district braintrust are spinning mightily!  But we need a school board to counsel them how to BEST use this money to help the community that just gifted them with $100M in new/renovated schools.


This money could fund:

• any new teachers needed based on increased enrollment.
• fund summer school teachers for next summer (we actually make a profit from summer school!)
• Teachers aides (you know...local 60 members, the one place in the budget where Caren Diedrich wants to slash and burn)
• Early retirement incentives so we can replace $80K kindergarten teachers and elementary school librarians for HALF THE COST OR LESS with energized kids coming out of school 

The bottom line, of course, is that if used to support EXISTING positions/programs for the 2010-11 school year, that means that the budget can be REDUCED by as much as $1.75M.  And THAT is a way to help struggling community members.  Yes, it may be a one-year fix....but we may have stumble through a few of these one-year fixes before the Powers That Be figure out that something needs to change permanently.  

Budget Session: Which School Board Members Tried to Lower Your Taxes

Referendum Surplus:  (~ $80,000)
John Welke: Other than the money reserved for the greenhouse, we have about $80,000...couldn't that be applied against the debt levy?
Jim "Seabass" McCourt:  I say none [be applied to the debt levy].
John Whalen:  The feedback I got was, "we approved it so spend it all".
John Welke: I wouldn't restrict yourself to a figure of $80,000.  I'd say whatever the surplus is we apply it against the debt levy.  Suggested the board needed to decide whether or not to commit to the greenhouse.

School Board Salaries (Budget calls to re-instate the 5% cut made at the annual meeting last October)
John Welke:  We need to do some more whittling.  I think restoring board stipends would be a mistake; the community was clear.  We should freeze board salaries at 2008-09 levels.

Contracts vs. Budget (Board recently settled with Administrators for a 1% increase; 1% increase in health insurance premium co-pay; 2% increase in dental premium co-pay.  Amount budgeted has not been shared, but word is that the budget planned for a 2.5% increase and NO increases to health/dental premium co-pay.
John Welke: Some contracts have been settled at a savings over what was budgeted; where is that savings?
[Phil Frei:  We haven't made that adjustment yet]

Enrollment (Budget called for 133 new students).  We get about $6,000 in state aid for each new student.  But the accounting is based on a 3-year average, so "new" students count only 1/3.    
John Welke:  asked where we are at with enrollments and how that factors into the budget.
Phil Frei:  As of today the count is at +291 students, but we don't know yet how many won't show up.
Welke: Are there any proactive efforts we can take to identify those that might be leaving the district?

SP-EYE note:  if the number stands at 291, that means the state aid revenue increases by approximately $300-$325,000.  IF the new students do not require hiring any additional positions, the tax levy COULD be reduced by that amount.

$1.3M Surplus from 2009-10
John Welke:  When are we going to see where we saved the money?  Can we apply some of the surplus against the tax levy?
Jim McCourt:  Proposed using $500K of the surplus to apply against the tax levy and $200K for property tax chargebacks.
John Whalen:  "My thought as well...the message was loud and clear that people want something from fund balance".

Attendance at State School Board Conference (Budgeted amount ~ $4500)
Jim McCourt:  I would suggest we not attend the conference; cut $4500.
David Stackhouse: I disagree with taking the school board budget for the state conference out.
John Whalen:  I agree [with Stackhouse]

SP-EYE note:  Hmmm...maybe Stackhouse just liked the looks of those sea bass dinners that McCourt had.

Chamber of Commerce Membership (~$1300)
John Welke:  Any thoughts on that Tim [Culver]?
Culver:  The chamber is a little disappointed.  It's an opportunity to work with the business community.
Welke:  We can still work with them...we don't have to be a member...right?
Decision: Postpone for input from Terry Shimek, the Chamber liaison.

SP-EYE note:  What's the point?  Shimek will probably find a reason to abstain from any vote.

Early estimate of the 2011-12 budget picture
Caren Diedrich:  Phil, do you have an inkling of what the tax levy for 2011-12 might be?
Phil Frei: "It can't be good given the state budget picture".

Legal Representation at Expulsion Hearings
Caren Diedrich:  If we're still looking at reductions, we've had about 30 expulsion hearings in the past 2 years.  Do we really need to involve an attorney at those hearings?

National Travel Budget ($15,000)
John Welke:  $15K for national travel...what would that be for?
Phil Frei: 2 board members used to go to the national school board conference; the national Math conference.
Welke:  If we don't attend the state school board conference, is there really value in attending at the national level?  I'd be in favor of at least reducing the budget by the amount for board members.
John Whalen:  I'd rather set some $$ than no $$.
Jim McCourt: I don't want to see us fall beyond by not attending [and catching on to the latest information].

Substitute Teachers
Caren Diedrich:  Administration should give a little more scrutiny to when we need substitute teachers.  At the high school level...send them to study hall.

Staff Development [Budgeted $20,000]  Curriculum Development [Budgeted $10,000]
John Welke:  Is there any opportunity there [to reduce those budget items] without directly impacting students?

Building and Department budgets [restored 5% budget cut, costing ~ $200K]
John Welke:  How much of that $200K would go directly to teachers and their classrooms? [about 50%]
Welke:  Instead of restoring the full 5%, could we restore 2-3% [of non-school budgets]
Welke:  I'm nervous about restoring too much too fast.  What if property values [equalized value] drops by 1% instead of being flat as budgeted?

Purchasing
Jill Camber-Davidson:  Is there anything we can do with purchasing, for example buying at Office Depot [where we have a purchase contract discount] rather than Walmart?
....................................................
So...when push comes to shove...how did your duly elected representatives try to help you out? The tally:
John Welke: Identified 9 budget line items ripe for reduction (didn't get much support).
Caren Diedrich: Raised 3 budget areas that could be targeted for cuts...but most were pretty out there.
Jill Camber-Davidson: Not very vocal.  Only spoke about one area to make reductions.
Jim McCourt: Net Zero.  Wanted to make 2 cuts, but voiced opposition to 2 others.
Terry Shimek:  Net Zero...because he wasn't there.
David Stackhouse:  Minus 1. Not very vocal.  Did not support cutting school board budget to attend state conference....which we find intersting since, based on "policy", he wouldn't be eligible to attend.
John Whalen:  Net Minus 1.5.  Supported 1 reduction, opposed 2 others.  On a 3rd we gave him only half (negative credit) for wanting to spend "some".

All in all, not much was accomplished because no votes were taken.  It's really not clear what impact this session had on the budget.  The two things that were clear: (1) the tax levy will be reduced by $500K out of the $1.3M surplus, and (2) John Welke was the only board member targeting areas for budget reductions.  And all he spoke about were administrative areas that do not affect the education of our kids.

You Can Buy a Lot of Dry Erase Markers and Glue Sticks for $9,000

An astute reader writes...

" We are paying an extra $9K so that the lab table tops will match the ones bought years ago. When I toured [Washington] DC, a big deal was made about the Washington Monument having 2 different shades of granite since the Civil War interrupted construction and the original quarry closed in the interim. If slightly different shades of stone are good enough for our nation's most treasured obelisk, why is it not good enough for the Taj Mahighschool?

You can buy a lot of dry erase markers and glue sticks for 9 grand..."


What we wonder is: 
Which is more important:  spending every last dollar of referendum money matching the countertops?  Or helping the struggling community members who approved this project to begin with?

Even MORE School Supply Shenanigans

We received this from a concerned parent:

"I’ve heard over the years that a teacher at PMMS requires each kid to bring a ream of copy paper that he collects and squirrels away, and makes grades dependent on it. When I pushed for a name, the parent clammed up and stated that they feared retaliation if I raised a stink."

...so we zoomed out from the elementary school supply lists view and focused on the middle schools

There indeed was the ream of copy paper..."required" of each PMMS 6th grader.

We checked...And it's not just one teacher....it's the WHOLE SCHOOL! 7th graders at PMMs are also "required" to bring in a ream of copy paper.

WTF?!!!

But not PVMS (Prairie View Middle School) students. No "ream of copy paper" on their supply lists. It's something different at PVMS. At PVMS, 6th grade students in the "A" house are each "required" to bring in "3 packages of looseleaf paper", while the "B" house students only have to bring in " 2 packages of looseleaf paper". Hmmm....is that because the "A" kids are more studious than the "B" kids? Do they therefore use more paper? WTF!

And what exactly do they mean by a "package" of looseleaf paper? A package consists of anywhere from 100 to 500 individual sheets. Let's just go the small route...100 sheets. So...each PVMS 6A house kid is "required" to bring in 3 packages? 300 sheets? That's 300 pages times about 250 kids per house. That's 75,000 sheets of paper! And if they mean the 250 sheet packs, that number jumps to 187,500 sheets. Let's see....180 days of school. That comes to over ONE THOUSAND sheets of looseleaf paper consumed per school day. Honey...get the Department of the Interior on the phone...we have a stage 5 forestry threat.

The least of several issues?

And let's not focus too heavily on the de-forested area resulting from the copy paper and looseleaf paper. What about the scotch tape? 4 BOXES of clear "refill Scotch tape" for the classroom dispenser? Hey...McFly! If it's for the classroom dispenser...then why do the KIDS have to provide it? And let's get back to the "boxes" issue. How many rolls of refill tape are we "requiring" per kid? And who uses tape these days?

And...what about the TWO hand-held pencil sharpeners required per child? Um...we know we have talented kids in Sun Prairie, but unless their toes act like opposable thumbs, there's not one in the lot of them that can use two pencil sharpeners at the same time. And...don't most kids opt for those mechanical pencils nowadays...that don't need sharpening because the lead is always fine? Oh...and perhaps a silly question....but didn't every classroom used to come equipped with a serious pencil sharpener? Of wait...those used to be attached to the blackboards...and we've traded all those in for (Smart) whiteboards.

It's not the cost that's the issue here

Yeah...Yeah...we know...a ream of paper costs about $3.50. Big hairy deal...right?

WRONG.

It's the principle here.

Parents should NOT be required to provide basic school classroom supplies.

Yes...Johnny needs a backpack....and writing utensils of sorts. And some folders.

But copy paper? Please. THAT, mes amis...is something that the teachers need to do their job and thus should be purchased and paid for by the school district as part of the general budget. Oh, some might disagree. Some LOVE the fact that ill-informed community residents will blindly open their wallets and fund the school district, because it keeps property taxes down. And that is a good thing...right?

We beg to disagree. SP-EYE is and always will be quick to address the school board when the district is spending frivolously and unnecessarily. But we will just as staunchly support the need for the school district to provide the necessary supplies for the education of our kids. You need copy paper for your lesson plans. Fine...that's a school expense that should be paid for out of the general fund.

Hidden Agenda

Parents...why do you suppose they want YOU to provide classroom supplies, huh?

For those of you that haven't followed the scent trail...

If the district buys all these school supplies out of the general budget, then

(A) the budget grows, which makes the taxpayers grumpy, and

(B) there's less room in the budget for things like RAISES...and Kit Kat bars, and restroom newspaper subscriptions, and bottled water, and pizza lunches.

Parents...you need to speak up. We haven't even addressed the initial concern about not wanting to speak up for fear of retaliation against your children That is simply unconscionable. But your silence is being viewed as tacit approval of what the district is doing. And that's a wrong you must correct.

It's time for you to speak up....tell the school board at a meeting. Or..if you still fear retaliation, create an anonymous e-mail account (ask your child how) and send an e-mail to all school board members.

Gifts for the Teacher?

Got your school supply lists?

Pencils-sharpened...96? Check. Wait...does Junior really need 96?

Glue sticks...20? Check...wait...TWENTY freakin' glue sticks????

Dry erase markers? Check...

Wait...What?

Does Junior really use dry erase markers?

Parent: "Junior...do you use these dry erase markers in class?"

Junior: "Oh...those are gifts for teacher."

30 years ago, kids brought apples as gifts for teacher. Now..they shower them with dry erase markers for those spanky new white boards.

We get providing Junior with the supplies that Junior will use during the school year.

But supplies for the teacher to use...not so much.

Class supply lists are out of control.

Suddenly class supply lists have become extensions of the school district budget heaped onto the shoulders of parents. It's a nice way for the district to get supplies it needs outside of the budget, so they can spend budget dollars on more important things...like raises...and KitKats...and bottled water...and newspaper subscriptions to read in the john.

It's not right...but nothing will change until people take a stand and speak out. We hear the grumbling, but the school board needs to hear it.

Board Switches From "What Can We Cut?" to "How Can We Sell This Budget?"

The special school board working session to review the budget last night began with another 30 minute slide show. Just in case the school board doesn't recall what the mission is, or how the budget has progressed.

Then, for about 30 minutes, board members kicked around possible areas where the budget could be trimmed.

That done, the tone suddenly changed. All five school board followers in attendance felt the change very clearly in the air. The discussion at the table changed. Only newest board member John Welke (showing clearly that he hasn't sipped from the KoolAid ) wanted to discuss budget reductions. For the rest of the board, the discussion for the last 90 minutes focused intently on "How Can We Sell This Budget to the Community?".

We should mention of course, to be fair, that Caren Diedrich did propose one cost cutting measure: not having an attorney present during expulsion hearings. Shee...YAH! McFly!!! Isn't that like the ONE venue in which you absolutely positively WANT legal representation? We may not LIKE paying those expensive legal beagles...but...we're talking about going off the road at a serious mile marker on a student's life highway. Just maybe we want an attorney present to make sure we don't...you know...fail to follow policy or something. Ya know?

The undertone of the evening was essentially, "Bring it on, community. This is the best it's going to get...and it's better than what we told you it would be during the referendum planning (more on that to come)!". We wonder if these board members are poker players. Not big gamblers, here, but that would be a game we'd want in on.

Oh...the evening wasn't without SOME reductions. There WAS consensus to use $500K of fund balance (interesting figure, about exactly equal to the projected increase from where it started last year) to lower the tax levy.  Gee...the prodigal saviors of fund balance might finally be getting it.  But $500 K?  When you had a $1.3 MILLION surplus?  Good luck with that.  Beware the Ides of October.

The bottom line is that with some minuscule snipping, it is expected that the proposed tax levy will be just about 5% over last year.

The good news....that's less than the 8% we heard back in March.

The not-so-good news...it's still 5%.  Anyone ...wait...anyone who does NOT work for the school district get a 5% raise this year?  Anyone get a raise, period?

Stay tuned for more info from last night's meeting....

TARFU - School Supply List Frustrations Continue Unabated to the Pocket

Last year we initially raised the concern about disparity both within and between schools with respect to supply lists.

Apparently, no one in the district office seemed to care. Because nothing changed.

In these rough economic times, the highly paid district administration staff--to whom the community so generously gave $100M for new and upgraded schools---need to start paying it forward to the community at large.

We need a better plan, people.

Parents fork over between $40 and $80 per child for school supplies. Many are provided in such numbers that the parent is clearly providing for more than their own child. Some supplies are really for the teachers....who shouldn't have to purchase them with their own money. Parents of one school should not have to pay for supplies for impoverished children...that's the responsibility of the entire community. Just because every school district does it this way, doesn't make it acceptable.

What are we? Lemmings??

It's time Sun Prairie forged a path of its own.

The purchasing power of the school district--not to mention tax exempt status and discounting-- far exceeds anything that parents can achieve. And if these are necessary supplies for every child to learn, shouldn't these be part of the budget?

SP-EYE has NEVER been opposed to budget expenses that directly impact a child's learning. What we oppose is wasteful spending or luxuries for those that feel they are entitled. Let's do a little quick math here. We have about 3500 elementary school kids. Let's say parents spend about $50 per kid to obtain these "necessary school supplies". That comes to about $175K. Now...what do you suppose the district could get these same supplies for with its contract purchasing power, discounts, and tax exempt status? Maybe $100K?

We just came VERY close to spending an additional $90K per year to bus less than 150 kids who now must walk to school. But we won't even consider buying necessary school supplies for $100K?

The football people want the district to pony up over $400K to build new locker rooms and put turf on Ashley Field. Shouldn't we spend money FIRST on making sure kids have what they need to learn?

$100,000 for necessary supplies is a drop in the bucket for a $72 MILLION dollar budget. 0.14% to be exact.

Oh...and why is it that these supply costs get pushed off onto the shoulders of struggling parents while we include very cozy travel costs, staff "development" training costs (which many staff members feel are a waste of time anyway)? Why is it that Kit Kat bars, pizza, bottled water,office renovations, and multiple newspaper subscriptions for the district office folks for their reading pleasure are included in the budget, but basic classroom supplies are not?

If the school district won't do something...we will.

We looked at a number of common school supply items across grades within school and across whole schools. The picture is not pretty.

Clearly schools are not talking to other schools in the district and setting DISTRICT standards for what they need for kids in their classrooms. We don't expect absolute clones....but come on...look at the wide array of numbers below and tell us there isn't a problem!

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#2 Pencils (Sharpened)

GRADE
School	K	1	2	3	4	5
Bird	12	30	48	40-50	48	48
Creekside	6	12	24	36	60	48
Eastside	6	24	48	36	48	36
Horizon	12	24	60	48	24	72
Northside	12	24	24	48	24	96
Royal Oaks	12	24	24	24	8	12
Westside	0	24	>15	12	12	36
range	0-12	12-30	15-60	12-50	8-60	12-96

There are only 180 school days and we require 96 pencils per kid (NS grade 5)?

Isn't that just a teensy bit ridiculous? That's more than one new pencil every other day!

5th grade between schools ranges from 12 to 96 pencils required?

4th grade between schools ranges from 8 to 60 pencils required?

The required number of pencils per child for all 6 grades ranges from 99 (Westside) to 240 (Horizon).

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CRAYONS

GRADE
School	K	1	2	3	4	5
Bird	(2) 24 ct box	(1) 16 ct box	(1) 16 ct box	(1) 16 ct box	xxxxx	xxxxx
Creekside	(3) 24 ct box	(2) 24 ct box	(1) 48 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	xxxxx	xxxxx
Eastside	(4) 24 ct box	(3) 24 ct box	(1) 48 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	xxxxx	xxxxx
Horizon	(1) 24 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	xxxxx	xxxxx
Northside	(2) 16 ct box	(2) 24 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	xxxxx	24+	(1) 24 ct box
Royal Oaks	(3) 16 ct or 24 ct box	(1) 24 ct box	(2) 24 ct box	(1) 8 ct "Twistable"	xxxxx	xxxxx
Westside	(1) 8ct lg + (1) 24 ct box	(3) 24 ct box	(1) 16ct box	xxxxx	xxxxx	xxxxx
range	24-96	16-72	16-48	0-24	0-24	0-24

Are Northside kids just slow and still use crayons (we're kidding!!)...while others have moved on to colored pencils?

...and just so we're not picking on Northside...we don't even have space here, but if you look at "required" ant--septic supplies, Eastside 2nd graders would be considered the most infectious...as they are EACH "required" to supply (1) Baby wipes, 80ct PLUS (2) containers antibacterial wipes.

The range for 1st graders is 16 to 72 crayons? Is Bird just not so into art? Is Westside the home for budding artists?

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GLUE STICKS

GRADE
School	K	1	2	3	4	5
Bird	15 Elmers	10 sm	2 Lg	3 sm	3	1
Creekside	4 Lg or 8-10 sm	8 sm	3	4- 0.35 oz	2 Elmers	1 Elmers
Eastside	10 sm (Elmer/Avery)	8 Lg 0.77 oz	6 Lg (Elmers)	4	3 Elmers	2 sm Elmers
Horizon	15 sm	4 sm	2 Jumbo	2 Lg	2 Lg	2 Lg
Northside	20	16	6	3	3	2
Royal Oaks	10 Lg (1.27-1.4 oz, Elmers or Office Depot)	12 sm (0.26 oz, Avery)	6 sm (0.21 oz, Elmers)	2 sm (0.21 oz, Elmers)	1 sm (0.21 oz, Elmers)	1 sm (0.21 oz, Elmers)
Westside	5 Lg + 5 sm	8 Jumbo	4 Jumbo	2 Jumbo	2	? "Glue Sticks"
range	4 to 20	4 to 16	2 to 6	2 to 4	1 to 3	1 to 2

TWENTY glue sticks per kindergartner? What are we doing, sticking the kids to the walls?

The ranges for K-1 are just crazy!

And the specifications! Down to the net weight of the product???

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DRY ERASE MARKERS

GRADE
School	K	1	2	3	4	5
Bird	4 Expo	2 black	4 black Expo	2 black Expo	4 black skinny Expo	8 black skinny
Creekside	4 black Expo	2 black Expo	3 Expo	1 Expo	2 black/blue	4 asst colors
Eastside	4 black Expo	1	4 Ultra Fine tip	xxxxxxxxxxx	2 black/blue	2 black/blue
Horizon	2 black	4 asst -colors	4 black	4 asst colors	2 black	2 black
Northside	1 "pkg"	2	2 black	2 black	xxxxxxxxxxx	2 black fine tip
Royal Oaks	Multi-colored Expo	(1) 4pk Expo	2 black Expo	* N/A *	1 blue, 1 red	2 black Expo2
Westside	2 black	2 black Expo	xxxxxxxxxxx	2	2	xxxxxxxxxxx
range	2 to 4	1 to 4	2 to 4	0 to 4	0 to 4	2 to 8

Aren't "dry erase" markers for teachers to write on those wonderful Smartboards?

Seriously....has anyone considered what kind of shenanigans these kids can get into with dry erase markers?

Are we just fortifying some black market dry erase marker operation?

Why do some classes apparently not need any?

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