BV Announces less cuts........but how?

Turnout will be miserable because there really isn't that much to motivate the average voter in Johnson County.

So today....according to the Blue Valley School District 2+2=5?

The fact that many positions are uncontested some might suggest means that nobody cares but does the whole anti incumbent attitude extend to local.....almost micro politics?

School Boards and City Council positions are generally non-paid, or so minimally paid it doesn't even matter, and so to consider that type of service you really do have to care about your community or have a serious ax to grind. I'd say most are devoted community servants.

This whole budget problem with Blue Valley gave me a new respect for those people serving and I've paid more attention to JOCO city hall issues since I've started the blog and I can tell you those people serve without much reward either.

The Blue Valley School board didn't cut music and sports for now but somehow only cut $6 million of $9 million they said they needed to cut. They did increase revenue by raising fees which seemed logical. I wish they would take more seriously the idea brought forward by the KCK school district and cut non teacher's making over $67,000. Pay levels could be agreed to be reinstated over time over a few years when things turn around. It makes me think possibly the board and staff are too close if this hasn't even been discussed. Of course it is possible that it has already. I'd be interested in knowing what that number would look like. They were pretty good at showing us what cutting other things meant in terms of savings.

Nobody likes to have their pay cut. For many of us our pay is directly determined by how we perform and a slow economy almost certainly means less cash. Many of their constituents have already taken pay cuts...........if not lost their job altogether. I'm not suggesting their performance was bad. I'm just suggesting everyone do their part.

In today's KC Star board member Tony Thill said, "Everyone is willing to step forward and take a piece of this". Really?

How can the figure needed to cut move by over $3 million? How can we go from a $9 million shortfall to only needing to cut $6 million? When does the other shoe fall?

I can't figure out if coming up short of the needed cuts represented courage or non-feasance on the board's part.

At any rate.....I'm left with more questions than answers this morning. I'm going to have to look into this a little bit more. Maybe it is just that the KC Star didn't give all the facts.

Does 2+2=5 or at least $6 million equal $9 million?

KCK Trumps Blue Valley in Ideas

Who would have thunk it?

While everyone was waiting around for brilliant Blue Valley to tip their hand on how to handle the budget shortfall the KCK district trumped them with one of the best ideas.

Blue Valley proposes cutting elementary music and middle school sports while adding 1 to 2 kids to each class while KCK proposes that any non teacher, para, aide making over $67,000 take a pay cut of 3% to 5% reports Dawn Bormann in the KC Star today.

Well done Cynthia Lane...incoming Superintendent of KCK Schools.

While nobody wants to take a pay cut many of us have suffered reduced income through lower sales, commissions, bonuses, etc. Asking administrators to give a little during this tough time seems like a great approach...........if not symbolically but also practically.

KCK says their move will save almost a half a million bucks. I wonder if Blue Valley making the same move would be enough to save music and French? Or maybe just add one kiddo per class instead of two?

KCK is also looking at a one day furlough option. I personally like this idea as well. If you told me I could take an extra Friday--just without pay..........I'd be all over it. Especially if it meant others not losing their jobs and that we could keep important programs. Also it is one of the easiest things to undo once things in the budget improve. It sends a strong message. Obama would love it.

I guess when you are used to living without you get used to it and learn to be not only creative but thoughtful. In Blue Valley we freak out when we hear there isn't enough to go through the line twice let alone once.

Okay Dr. Trigg...........the ball is smacked back into your court. Forehand or back hand?

Check back later in the day for the Good Friday Best Wine of the Week.

"Save the Music" dominated Blue Valley School Board Forum

Yes, I went to the Budget Forum last night for Blue Valley.

Why do I get the idea that the rest of the area districts are just waiting to see what Blue Valley does then follow?

I will say the event was pretty well organized and the people were on balance very cordial. In fact it almost had the feel of a social event.

In fact, the business was serious.

They did a good job of educating the room on the facts which saved a lot of time.

The bottom line is classroom size will be affected. The question is how much. The proposal is basically adding on average 1 or 2 kiddos per classroom.

Programs like elementary music, middle school sports, and french are also likely to get cut.

One guy I heard said he would prefer adding 5 kids per class if it meant saving music. Ouch. He clearly hasn't been inside a classroom for some time. That won't work. Idiot.

It is a hard deal. I don't envy the School Board members. They listened to everyone regardless of how uninformed and stupid.

Music advocates were there in force with yellow "Save the Music" t-shirts. They were easily 80% of the 500 some people there. I'd hate to see music not apart of the school but truthfully.......I would probably just get my kids private lessons and I'd rather see that than crammed classrooms.

I had the chance to talk with Sue Matson as well as Tom Trigg. They were both patient and helpful.

All the TV stations were there.

We need a funding with better local control.

Blue Valley School displaces little kids

You would think that by building a big shiny new school Blue Valley people who lived around it would be happy. Not in JOCO. We have the whole country....uh the whole world....convinced that Blue Valley Schools are among the best available anywhere but parents still can't be happy.

I've been following this new school boundary issue and it was resolved last night at the School Board meeting. Parents are upset that their kids will have to leave Cedar Hills Elementary and go to the new and yet un-named school. In addition, the kids will have to go 1.8 miles further to get to the new Southwest High school.......oh the unjustice of it all. One father citing safety commented that their child would have to drive an additional 650 miles to high school each year. I'm guessing they will be safe enough driving that Mercedes you bought her for her 16th birthday.

So let me get this right......parents from Cedar Hills Elementary feel wronged because their kids will have to go another new Blue Valley Elementary school that is just as beautiful and just as loaded with stuff and about the same distance away as the one they left. It is like some people have nothing better to do with their time.

Just for the record, I'm speaking with some experience on the issue so before you write me and tell me I don't understand or wait until it happens to your kid....blah, blah....it did already. Our neighbors threw a fit as well. The old school according to them was just so incredible, the principal so incredible, the school community so nurturing that they just couldn't stand the idea of being sent to the new school. It was so unfair. So they fought and fought for exceptions, for being being grandfathered in if they had an older sibling that went there......on an on and on. We were excited to go to the new school. The old one was pretty crowded....isn't that why they build new schools anyway?

Long story shorter......we love the new school. It is such a great place. It is such a great place and now it is the envy of those who didn't go. Sucks to be them.

I can't see myself bitching and moaning over which rich, has everything school my kid goes to these days. Can you imagine how this looks to some poor mom living over in KCMO at about 40th and Troost? Seriously. Her kids still might not have books. It is pathetic and sad.

Laura Butler commented that they were told 5 years ago the last boundary change was "pretty much permanent" and is upset they are moving it again. Uh, Laura....how many years are your kids in elementary school? Is it a right that all your kids should get to go to the same school? She admitted it was an emotional issue for her......really?

Other parents said......make the kids from Liberty View and Morse go to the new school....why their kids and not yours? You make no sense. Spoiled JOCO parents create spoiled JOCO kids who think nothing really applies to them.

The parents ask for so many exceptions that what they really want amounts to open enrollment...pick your school.

Why are Blue Valley Parents so lame when it comes to this stuff?