Muscatine

So our district is 4.5 million in the red, and the first solution we hear is to close a school and lay off nurses, counselors, and other staff who actually have an impact on students' lives.  This reminds me vaguely of a few years ago, when our teachers were told that a raise of more than 2 per cent was out of the question for economic reasons, and yet the Superintendent Williams gladly accepted a 22 percent pay increase.

Tell you what....how about if the board office makes a small gesture of good will this time around?  First, we reduce by two the number of "directors" at the Mulberry Avenue office.   We used to get by with a Superintendent and an Assistant, and now we have highly paid directors of transportation, food, special education, etc, that seem to do the work that we used to pay a Superintendent for.  Nobody can quite figure out what the Superintendent does anymore to earn that huge salary, other than be a figurehead for the schools at board meetings.  Savings...150000-200000$

Second....we reduce the number of elementary principals.  Again, we are top-heavy at the admininstator end.  For many years, one principal was able to handle two buildings.  It worked.  Savings...Another 125000-175000$.

Eliminate the food service.  Yeah I know....a terrible inconvenience to parents who don't have the time or ambition to pick up a box of cereal or pack a sandwich.  Maybe it's time for.....dare I say...parents to pick up some of the responsibility? Savings....huge.

There's a start.  Savings....anywhere from 500000$ to 1,000,000$. 

I often heard it said that if school staff were paid according to how they impact the lives of kids in a positive way, Kindergarten teachers, bus drivers, and school secretaries would be the top of the pay chart.

How about it?  Anybody got any suggestions?  Does the football team need new uniforms every year?  Do we need to send administrators to warm climate conferences?  Could we get by without early dismissals on Mondays?  Is there a need to bring in a speaker for the beginning teacher in-service and pay him or her 5,000$?

Seriously, I nominate Nigel for the school board.  It is exactly that clear concise out of the box thinking we need.  If more regular people would get involved with things, it could make a difference.  I am just as guilty as anyone.  Go Nigel, keep the suggestions coming.

Second the nomination.

My suggestion is that we never again allow three former administrators sit on the school board again.  The Jerry, Clyde and Paul show was a golden oppurtunity for their fellow administrators, but a horrible insult to taxpayers and teachers. 

Thanks boys.  I really believe alot of the problems could be solved with fewer state and federal mandates, reduction in our "top heavy" staff, and a little common sense. 

A try for the school board is certainly not out of the question.  Sort of need to see where I'm at health-wise when elections roll around again.  I'm sure I could screw up the job as well as the next guy, but would sure like to give it a go.