Ogden - it is unclear whether the modular units will be dismantled at Davis Thayer as planned due to the current financial situation. We are looking to get a final answer because if they are going to be there, we'd like to use them.
We did jump the gun to publish the pay-to-ride letter to the parent to ensure sufficient time.
Apparently the letter did go out without some language to indicate a possible change in the amount due to the budget.
Showing posts with label pay-to-ride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pay-to-ride. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
FM #11 - School Committee 8/26/08
Another in a series of podcasts on what matters in Franklin, MA. This one focusing on the School Committee meeting of 8/26/08 and then the news of Supt Wayne Ogden's resignation.
Time: 40 minutes, 6 seconds
MP3 File
Session Notes
Music intro
My intro
FM #11
From the School Committee meeting on Tuesday 8/26/08, there were a few items of real interest. There are a number of items on the agenda and respectfully while all of them are important these are the most important. The most significant item of all for the week occurred after the public portion of the meeting but we’ll get to that in due course.
Pay-to-Ride
Miriam Goodman and Maureen Sabolinski provided an update on the pay-to-ride program. Miriam also had an analysis (copy of the one pager provided) of pay-to-ride for the past four years and an outlook for this school year 2008-2009.
Late bus
Based upon the decline in enrollment Supt Wayne Ogden recommended keeping with the failed override plan of cutting the late bus. It was not included in the budget unless the override had passed so no additional action was required of the School Committee on the recommendation. There was additional discussion primarily from Ed Cafasso to find the “short money” and keep the bus running. There was not additional support for this idea across the committee. The override failed hence no late bus.
FHS Scheduling problem
The High School encountered a scheduling problem. After cutting the teachers and the classes associated with the override failure, the schedule came up with a hole were approx. 200 students had an empty period. As state last forbids study halls, they played with a couple of options. One additional teacher (in English) resigned in early August and backfilling that position with another English teacher did not provide coverage for the schedule. Backfilling the English teacher with a music teacher did cover the hole so they did hire a music teacher.
The major news of the week occurred after the public portion of the School Committee meeting ended. As you have no doubt heard by now, Supt Wayne Ogden submitted his resignation effective June 30, 2009. To those who call him a quitter, he is hardly that. A quitter would have provided two weeks or less notice and gone out the door. Wayne took the far more courageous option of providing significant notice to the School Committee in order for them to start to look for a replacement, while he continued in his role running the school department.
Yes, it is a disappointment but Franklin voters have no one to blame but themselves. The majority of those who came out to vote on the override defeated the increase to provide a level service budget to the schools. The real issue lies with the many, many voters who did not come out to vote at all. As I have mentioned previously, the quick numbers on the override showed that 500 voters changed their vote from 2007 to 2008 and voted NO. An additional 1000 voters who came out in 2007 to vote Yes, simply did not show up.
We do have tough time ahead of us. We need to work together. We need to make our presence felt at each and every school committee meeting and town council meeting.
Don’t just sit there.
Please get up and do something.
If you need inspiration, view the Do You Believe video posted from YouTube on Franklin Matters on 8/30/08.
The Ben Franklin quote comes from the following website:http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Benjamin_Franklin/31
-----------------
This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music
Time: 40 minutes, 6 seconds
MP3 File
Session Notes
Music intro
My intro
FM #11
From the School Committee meeting on Tuesday 8/26/08, there were a few items of real interest. There are a number of items on the agenda and respectfully while all of them are important these are the most important. The most significant item of all for the week occurred after the public portion of the meeting but we’ll get to that in due course.
If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write something worth reading or do things worth the writing. Benjamin Franklin
Pay-to-Ride
Miriam Goodman and Maureen Sabolinski provided an update on the pay-to-ride program. Miriam also had an analysis (copy of the one pager provided) of pay-to-ride for the past four years and an outlook for this school year 2008-2009.
Late bus
Based upon the decline in enrollment Supt Wayne Ogden recommended keeping with the failed override plan of cutting the late bus. It was not included in the budget unless the override had passed so no additional action was required of the School Committee on the recommendation. There was additional discussion primarily from Ed Cafasso to find the “short money” and keep the bus running. There was not additional support for this idea across the committee. The override failed hence no late bus.
FHS Scheduling problem
The High School encountered a scheduling problem. After cutting the teachers and the classes associated with the override failure, the schedule came up with a hole were approx. 200 students had an empty period. As state last forbids study halls, they played with a couple of options. One additional teacher (in English) resigned in early August and backfilling that position with another English teacher did not provide coverage for the schedule. Backfilling the English teacher with a music teacher did cover the hole so they did hire a music teacher.
The major news of the week occurred after the public portion of the School Committee meeting ended. As you have no doubt heard by now, Supt Wayne Ogden submitted his resignation effective June 30, 2009. To those who call him a quitter, he is hardly that. A quitter would have provided two weeks or less notice and gone out the door. Wayne took the far more courageous option of providing significant notice to the School Committee in order for them to start to look for a replacement, while he continued in his role running the school department.
Yes, it is a disappointment but Franklin voters have no one to blame but themselves. The majority of those who came out to vote on the override defeated the increase to provide a level service budget to the schools. The real issue lies with the many, many voters who did not come out to vote at all. As I have mentioned previously, the quick numbers on the override showed that 500 voters changed their vote from 2007 to 2008 and voted NO. An additional 1000 voters who came out in 2007 to vote Yes, simply did not show up.
We do have tough time ahead of us. We need to work together. We need to make our presence felt at each and every school committee meeting and town council meeting.
Don’t just sit there.
Please get up and do something.
If you need inspiration, view the Do You Believe video posted from YouTube on Franklin Matters on 8/30/08.
The Ben Franklin quote comes from the following website:http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Benjamin_Franklin/31
-----------------
This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock
For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
live update - pay to ride/late bus
Supt Ogden reviewing what has been done in these areas.
Pay to ride currently at 1754, just about the same amount as this time last year. There had been a forecast of a ridership loss with the increase. With the current and projected enrollment in ridership with the increase in fee, we could cover the late bus with this additional fee revenue.
Last year 'pay to ride' was 1801 for the year. We might very well be able to break even and cover the late bus.
Cafasso - hard to fathom given the circumstances with the increase, that the ridership is holding strong. This is a good thing though. The recommendation makes sense.
Horace Mann and Remington were the most subscribed for the late bus schedule.
School Dept working with GATRA to see what options they can provide by way of additional route.
Amount of manpower and effort to recover the $1 for the late bus riders who are not on pay-to-ride or reduced lunch. If the funding continues to run as expected (increased ridership and increased fee, totals an overall increase in revenue).
Pay to ride currently at 1754, just about the same amount as this time last year. There had been a forecast of a ridership loss with the increase. With the current and projected enrollment in ridership with the increase in fee, we could cover the late bus with this additional fee revenue.
Last year 'pay to ride' was 1801 for the year. We might very well be able to break even and cover the late bus.
Cafasso - hard to fathom given the circumstances with the increase, that the ridership is holding strong. This is a good thing though. The recommendation makes sense.
Horace Mann and Remington were the most subscribed for the late bus schedule.
School Dept working with GATRA to see what options they can provide by way of additional route.
Amount of manpower and effort to recover the $1 for the late bus riders who are not on pay-to-ride or reduced lunch. If the funding continues to run as expected (increased ridership and increased fee, totals an overall increase in revenue).
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Pay to Ride - discussion only item
The Pay-to-Ride letters need to get out to parents for next year. The pricing in the letter is dependent upon the status of the override coming June 10th.
$39,600 cost of late bus for FY 2009
If the family pays-to-ride and goes home late, they don't pay the extra dollar for the late bus
If the family qualifies for the reduced lunch program, they don't pay for the late bus
Pay-to-Ride sign ups are required in June for next September
provides time for the bus company to prepare the number of buses required
If the override passes, no change in pricing
If the override fails, there is a proposal for a $100 increase in the fee
Ogden recommends issuing the letter with pricing based upon the successful override
with a way for families to opt out if the override fails and they choose not to pay the increase required from the failed override.
updated 8:00 PM
-----------------
Cafasso:
layman's attempt at fuel escalation clause
bus company commits to provide a set amount of services for the year in advance
with fuel costs above and below a certain price, with in a range they absorb the difference
above the range, the cost is passed on to Franklin
Are all the students using the late bus, paying when they are supposed?
Probably not, probably a small amount
Kelly:
concern over time line for notification to bus company and override results
major negotiation point is in July, other opportunities before school opens and just after school opens
GATRA is an alternative, assuming their ridership builds
It would be a slower, longer ride given the nature of their route
Rohrbach:
admits the school committee hasn't voted on a total budget
Ogden:
if you don't sign up, there is no guarantee that there will be a seat for the children if you wait
it would be better to sign up, and if necessary, withdraw
Sabolinski:
There was a significant wait list last year and some of those on the list ended up taking part of the two added buses but the families had to wait until the buses come online.
Armenio:
How late can we wait?
Ogden:
July.
Sabolinski:
Schools share the late bus
Roy:
Pure energy and bio-diesel fuel?
Ogden:
we did investigate it, does not know if it was applied for
will follow up with Mike D'Angelo
Roy:
supports recommendation to go with this years rate and appropriate language to opt out as required
$39,600 cost of late bus for FY 2009
If the family pays-to-ride and goes home late, they don't pay the extra dollar for the late bus
If the family qualifies for the reduced lunch program, they don't pay for the late bus
Pay-to-Ride sign ups are required in June for next September
provides time for the bus company to prepare the number of buses required
If the override passes, no change in pricing
If the override fails, there is a proposal for a $100 increase in the fee
Ogden recommends issuing the letter with pricing based upon the successful override
with a way for families to opt out if the override fails and they choose not to pay the increase required from the failed override.
updated 8:00 PM
-----------------
Cafasso:
layman's attempt at fuel escalation clause
bus company commits to provide a set amount of services for the year in advance
with fuel costs above and below a certain price, with in a range they absorb the difference
above the range, the cost is passed on to Franklin
Are all the students using the late bus, paying when they are supposed?
Probably not, probably a small amount
Kelly:
concern over time line for notification to bus company and override results
major negotiation point is in July, other opportunities before school opens and just after school opens
GATRA is an alternative, assuming their ridership builds
It would be a slower, longer ride given the nature of their route
Rohrbach:
admits the school committee hasn't voted on a total budget
Ogden:
if you don't sign up, there is no guarantee that there will be a seat for the children if you wait
it would be better to sign up, and if necessary, withdraw
Sabolinski:
There was a significant wait list last year and some of those on the list ended up taking part of the two added buses but the families had to wait until the buses come online.
Armenio:
How late can we wait?
Ogden:
July.
Sabolinski:
Schools share the late bus
Roy:
Pure energy and bio-diesel fuel?
Ogden:
we did investigate it, does not know if it was applied for
will follow up with Mike D'Angelo
Roy:
supports recommendation to go with this years rate and appropriate language to opt out as required
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Pay to Ride or 20 Teachers? (audio)
A segment from the Franklin School Committee FY09 budget discussion during the 2/26/08 meeting, one option to save some teachers (instead of cutting 45 positions) would be cutting instead the entire pay-to-ride program. Supt Wayne Ogden explains.
Time: 2 minutes, 4 seconds
MP3 File
The full segment from which this piece was taken can be found here.
The full meeting summary can be found here.
Time: 2 minutes, 4 seconds
MP3 File
The full segment from which this piece was taken can be found here.
The full meeting summary can be found here.
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