The Board Continues Its Liberalism
The April 19,2006 board meeting resembled previous board meetings, the spending of more tax dollars, the inability or refusal to answer questions from the public, and an elitist attitude.
Dr. Jeffrey Zackon, the district superintendent, had his usual list of trips he wanted the board to approve. One of these trips will cost the taxpayers $4,000.
The board also voted to approve twenty-one subjects whose class sizes have fifteen students or less. One class has only three students.
Board members, Robert A. Heckman, Ralph C. Richard, Mary Anne McCarthy, Barbara M. Bieber, Robert J. Cappa, Scarlette Z. Gotwals, Kerry Madeira, David M. Maloney voted for the trips and the small class sizes.
Mary Anne McCarthy gave the board's latest spin on the funding for the potential $1,319,000 new, athletic facility. They are no longer saying the track will not affect taxes. Instead, they are saying the funds will not come from the General Fund.
She said the money could be drawn from the Capital Reserve Fund or the Capital Project Fund.
Ms. McCarthy neglects to say that these funds are initially created with tax dollars. The Capital Reserve Fund would be replenished with new tax dollars once the balance is reduced.
The board would go to great lengths and take money from the various funds to pay for an extravagant, non-educational undertaking, yet do nothing for property tax relief.
Several people from the audience asked additional questions.
One was directed to Dr. Jeffery Zackon . He and a number of students took a trip to Spain. The questioner asked him whether he paid for his trip. He responded that the tour company paid for his and the six chaperones. The students paid for their vacation. The private sector realizes nothing is free. We wonder why a tour company would be in business to lose money.
Other questions received half answers, but most received silence from the board.
They appear annoyed they are required to be answerable to the public.
61 Comments:
Your comments about having classes with a minimum amountsof students is a great observation. The school's mission is not to offer everything to everyone. It is to build a sound curriculm to the students, to educate them so they can go out into the world, pay taxes, and hopefully have enough left to survive.
I have not been overly critical of the board for spending $ to make educational improvements, but I am critical of inefficiencies, such as offering classes w/ less than 15 students. I would bet the underlying issue is what else can we do w/ that teacher if we discontinue the class. The only thing worse than hearing about offering classes with so few students, would be hearing that new textbooks are being ordered for those classes.
I appreciate this posting. It re-solidifies me in the fact that the school taxes are way too high, because of excessive spending in inefficient manners. These facts are painful to digest. I can't imagine why mature adults would open allow these classes to continue in the school. I am afraid to ask what these classes are, because that will probably put me over the edge.
Thank You
What is a shame is that not enough kids are taking the college prep or A/P classes. That is why the numbers are low. It would be nice if the school advised the kids that in order to get through college they have to take these classes. They are the classes that will prepare them to be future good hard working citizens. But of course nobody in this district actually cares if and what happens to the kids. Another reason we need a change. What the teacher would do if she had more spare time is a great question. Ask the board about that. They keep giving the 6th grade teachers students from Kutztown University to teach the classes we are paying them to teach!! Enough is enough! The 6th grade teachers should only be allowed 1 student teacher a year not one a quarter. Times are changing. The board is going to be sorry for what they have done to this district. A new track is not going to get these kids past high school they need good education and teachers and administrators that really care. A clean sweep is coming!!
Our children graduated from Oley, but it was not the school that taught them to make enough money to pay their taxes and survive. We taught that to our children ourselves. Oley School is good at presenting a handful of shining stars each year, and the balance of the kids float on through. Ask any student that graduated in the 90s. As long as they showed up on time, were dressed nicely, and didn't mouth off to the staff, they got the graduation certificate. This certificate is not worth much in the real world. When these kids get to college, they meet up with students that went to real schools, and there is a darned big difference between those scholars and our cattle. That is why you hear of so many students dropping out of college by the end of the first year, if they even make it that far. Or, why you hear of college students attending 5,6, and 7 years for a 4 year degree. It's as if they take high school all over again. For what the taxpayers are sending by way of hard earned cash, we are certainly not getting our money's worth. If you feel we're just moaning about the out of pocket expense, try this on for size:
King's can only use a handful of stockboys and cashiers. Where do you think the rest of the sub-standard student population will end up, camping out with "Uncle Jeff?"
I would not want to be a teacher at Oley School. All I ever hear is how dissatisfied everyone is with our teachers and their lack of progress with the students.As much criticism as there is going around about this, one might be inclined to think that the teachers would want to give 110% and do their very best, AS IF THEIR JOB DEPENDED ON IT!!! If the students are getting low grades, somebody dropped the ball.
There is no incentive for the teachers to forth 110%. Unfortunately, the inverse philosophy exists. The board and admin has fostered an environment where average is expected. At OVES, there is staff tripping over each other try to teach reading. The board and Admin. has, for some reason, accepted the fact that the teachers in each of the classrooms should not be responsible for teaching fundamental skills, such as reading, but a high percentage of students should attend specialists, for additional reading. However, they appear to have ample time for silly things like Anti-Bullying excercises and excessive assemblies, etc.
The ball has been dropped. It has been dropped by the teachers, the administration, the school board, and yes, by the community as a whole. Over the past year or two I have attended several school functions, as was truly disappointed with the community's lack of support. Does No one care about the school kids. Only go to the school if it is your kid/grand kid!
Re. General community attending school functions ...
Unfortunately, most of us are working at our jobs at least 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. We have to do this to pay our county, local and school taxes, federal, state and local income taxes, medical insurance premiums and co-pays. Many of also help to support our churches and worthy causes. Could you leave us a little money and time to buy our food and necessities, and rest a little bit?
Some of us have never even had children in this District and have been paying school taxes for all of our adult lives. How's that for supporting our school and other peoples' children? Now you want us to go to their activities too?! Let their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins attend their events. After taking care of everyone else, don't you think we deserve a little free time? Many of us are also assisting our elderly parents and neighbors, caring for our homes and lawns, cooking, doing laundry and cleaning. You people just want to sqeeze every last drop of life out of us -- financially and personally. How selfish can you get??!!
Whoever thinks we need to do more for the school and other people's children is probably someone, who like Hillary Clinton, thinks it takes a village to raise a child. NO, it takes caring, involved PARENTS and extended FAMILIES who don't expect the government schools, daycare centers, strangers and taxpayers to assume their responsibilities.
As to NO INCENTIVES FOR TEACHERS....Ha! That had to be written by a teacher, an administrator or someone who's married or related to one.
NO INCENTIVE!!!!!! to teach??? -- forget 110%... how about good measurable RESULTS Today's teachers don't understand the concept. The facts are: teachers work 9 months of the year and the majority have class helpers and teaching assistants for classes half the size of those of other generations. They have time off for every holiday, extended major holiday breaks and spring breaks, sick days, personal days, family leave days, the best health programs and benefits, and retirement funds GUARANTEED and paid for by everyone else who works YEAR-ROUND with few benefits and holidays. Today, teachers are paid the highest average salaries compared to FULL TIME workers.
THEN, when they FAIL at their jobs, they make excuses and want us to pity them. What a crock!! There's an old addage: Those who "can't, teach." (For the uninformed --- this means: those who can't make it in the real work resort to teaching). Every career teacher should have to work in the REAL WORLD for awhile before they're allowed to pursue a teaching career. Then we might actually conduct something in our schools even remotely recognizable as 'real education.'
As to NO INCENTIVES FOR TEACHERS....Ha! That had to be written by a teacher, an administrator or someone who's married or related to one.
NO INCENTIVE!!!!!! to teach??? -- forget 110%... how about good measurable RESULTS Today's teachers don't understand the concept. The facts are: teachers work 9 months of the year and the majority have class helpers and teaching assistants for classes half the size of those of other generations. They have time off for every holiday, extended major holiday breaks and spring breaks, sick days, personal days, family leave days, the best health programs and benefits, and retirement funds GUARANTEED and paid for by everyone else who works YEAR-ROUND with few benefits and holidays. Today, teachers are paid the highest average salaries compared to FULL TIME workers.
THEN, when they FAIL at their jobs, they make excuses and want us to pity them. What a crock!! There's an old addage: Those who "can't, teach." (For the uninformed --- this means: those who can't make it in the real work resort to teaching). Every career teacher should have to work in the REAL WORLD for awhile before they're allowed to pursue a teaching career. Then we might actually conduct something in our schools even remotely recognizable as 'real education.'
As to NO INCENTIVES FOR TEACHERS....Ha! That had to be written by a teacher, an administrator or someone who's married or related to one.
NO INCENTIVE!!!!!! to teach??? -- forget 110%... how about good measurable RESULTS Today's teachers don't understand the concept. The facts are: teachers work 9 months of the year and the majority have class helpers and teaching assistants for classes half the size of those of other generations. They have time off for every holiday, extended major holiday breaks and spring breaks, sick days, personal days, family leave days, the best health programs and benefits, and retirement funds GUARANTEED and paid for by everyone else who works YEAR-ROUND with few benefits and holidays. Today, teachers are paid the highest average salaries compared to FULL TIME workers.
THEN, when they FAIL at their jobs, they make excuses and want us to pity them. What a crock!! There's an old addage: Those who "can't, teach." (For the uninformed --- this means: those who can't make it in the real work resort to teaching). Every career teacher should have to work in the REAL WORLD for awhile before they're allowed to pursue a teaching career. Then we might actually conduct something in our schools even remotely recognizable as 'real education.'
Is this too good to be true? Cappa is resigning from the school board? WOW!
If he is resigning it might only be because his Oley teacher wife is going to retire at the end of this year and they may be moving out of the district. He wouldn't leave otherwise. He enjoys being the nut on the school board.
iT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS IN APRIL! HOPE HE GOES FAR FAR AWAY
It should be easy for him to leave the district, he's already left his mind...
so much less to pack!
The teachers in PA are all making too much money and the benefits are out of control.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
With all the fancy equipment the board has approved and purchased for our schools, have they obtained a lie detector yet? Now THERE would be money well spent!
HAVE DALE BIETZEL CHECK OUT THE LIE DETECTOR IDEA, I THINK HE'S A SHOE IN. HOW 'BOUT IT DALE, WHAT WITH ALL THE EXTRA TIME YOU'VE FOUND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS TO STICK YOUR NOSE WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG. . . .OR WOULD THAT BE A "FLAWED LEGISLATION," TOO?
hey cappa hope you quit the board now, that would be great. You could tell them you're pregnant.(again) And they'd probably believe you. Stupid is as stupid does.
Did the seniors take their trip to Gomora yet? Oh, I mean New York City, sorry.
Since Cappa is 60 and wifey is only 53, they should have plenty of energy to do something rewarding...like open up a toyota dealership.
Sly County Toyota?
They can even paint their own signs!
DON'T DRIVE A CRAPPA
COME SEE ROB CAPPA
HAS HE GOT A DEAL FOR YOU?
THE OLEY SCHOOL BOARD HAS CONSIDERED CONTRACTING A REPLACEMENT TEAM OF LAWYERS FOR THEIR OWN PEACE OF MIND. THEIR TOP CONSIDERATION IS THE WELL ESTABLISHED:
DEWEY CHEATEM & HOWELL
Wow. Looks like a lot of folks out there in blogland are not impressed by certain board members.
Duh! No kidding Cappa. You have too much time if you are reading this on a daily basis. Go out and get a job or do some community service, or what about this: due the job the taxpayers gave you and do it the right way! Stop being an idiot, or can you not help yourself.
Someone said "You have too much time if you are reading this on a daily basis"... Well it looks like you have the same problem of too much free time. It appears that the same 2 or three people post 95% of these comments. Talk about too much free time, or do you do this at work while stealing your employers time?
No, Rob, we do it on our own time.
There is alot more than 2-3 people reading these blogs and responding.
Cappa the elem. cafe needs volunteers to help open the milk cartons and give out straws and napkins. How about working there? You are at the same level as the children.
..."OR DO YOU DO THIS AT WORK WHILE STEALING YOUR EMPLOYER'S TIME....?"
Who would know better about stealing, than the school board?
Does anyone know the recipe that Oley used to use for their Tuna Boats? Back in the olden days....when people were proud of their school, their students, and their teachers?
maybe we can pass around recipes at THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
Parents beware, male chaperones doing female room checks on Spain trip. Why did this happen? We had female chaperones on trip!
In this day and age how stupid is this school to let a male chaperone do room checks on the female students. There is no excuse for this! Zackon and the rest of the bunch should be watching that this never happens again. This is terrible. Wasn't Zackon on this trip? 4 female chaperones went to Spain, why couldn't they have done the female room checks? People want answers to this!
WOW! It has been a few days since this above comment was posted and still not one board member or administrator is answering the questions? This sure does show that this is not a made up story, that this is what happened on the Spain trip! This does not surprise me, like always hide everything under the rug, say this is not a fact! The children on this trip did not make this up!! Maybe one day you will learn your lesson. You play with fire way too often.
HEY ZACKON, WHY ARE YOU NOT ADDRESSING THE ABOVE. YOU WENT TO SPAIN WITH YOUR WIFE RIGHT?
TUNA BOAT recipe. I loved these too and phoned one of the former cooks many years ago, and she gave me the ingredients. I had to figure it out based on small quantities.
Tune (I use one can of chunk white in Spring water)
Mayonaisse
(I also add some relish and finely chopped onion)
chunks of velveeta cheese (about size of dice)
Mix and put in hot dog rolls
Bake for about 15 to 20 mins. at 325 or 350 deg. F.
Hope this helps.
Recipes now? Great. Anyone have one for shepherds pie or tater-tots? Or how about sloppy joe's from lunch lady land?
GOOD OLD CAPPA STRIKES AGAIN. WHAT RECIPE TO YOU WANT TO SHARE?
I am the one who left the recipe -- and it really is from an Oley school cook from the 40's through 60's. She's gone onto her reward by now so we can't get anymore of the old recipes. But, they didn't make tater-tots in the old days ... we had real mashed potatos and such, instead of a lot of junk food. Thought it would give us a moment of levity. Let's all just have a good laugh. I just did!
It is really nice to laugh and be happy every now and then. It is hard to stay that way too long with all the junk going on in this district on an on-going basis. I would even like to see a community cookbook made, it would maybe bring somebody a smile and we could even use the money to help out a family in financial hardship. Too bad there is most likely more than one family with hardship. Oley school board can give the taxpayers a no tax increase this year, if they have enough money for a new track then find a way to pay for everything else. 5 mil is sitting and we need to be able to use it.
The $5 mil in Oley's pocket is a real eye opener. Why the heck would these people even think of raising our taxes again when they have this kind of money sitting to be used on our children. We are sick of the way they handle our money and this district. One day God willing they will all vanish. Leave this beautiful valley to the real kind good moral people to run this district the way it should be.
You are a bunch of no-brains!!!
Instead of using our money for a new track why not fix the elem. and middle school mold problem. I have talked to alot of parents that are telling me when their child started at Oley they were told not long after being in our buildings that the child had developed Asthma, they will hear from me and others about the mold problem until you people decide to fix the problem. My daughter also suffers all year with mold allergies, and is always on medicine. You are making our schools very unhealthy for our children and teachers.
Stop working the little guy to death. If you can afford to give Zackon a raise you can afford to hire the right amount of staff for the grounds, health staff, etc. This is terrible that we do not have the right amount of staff. I see our grounds keeper working way to hard to keep the middle and elem. school looking nice. Why can't we get someone to help him? You people are cheep is the areas that you should not be. Start spending our money the right way or get the heck off the board.
Wow this sight is really an eye opener. You all sound like middle school kids with your nasty comments. Why don't you grow up and act like responsible adults. I am concerned about this community and the schools. I am very active in all the PTO's. Many of you have children here yet I never see you and PTO meetings. You just want to complain and not do anything to help. I also work full time and have 2 kids, I have a mother who is 70 and needs alot of help. Yet I find time to go to meetings for school board, PTO, and the parent discussion meetings. I volunteer as much as possible to make this a good school district.
You all need to wake up and see what other kids in other school districts are like. I work with kids from Reading and Phila and you want to complain about our district. These kids would love to be in a community like ours. WHY DON'T YOU WORK FOR A SOLUTION INSTEAD OF JUST COMPLAINING! And no I am not a board member or related to any of them. You all publish your comments under anonymous because you don't want anyone to know who you really are, that's brave.
I used to go to PTO meetings, and they are just feel good meetings. You do not have a clue what is going on in this district as it pertains to education and how this board spends our money. PTO meetings are just to organize fun activities, without talking about the real issues. My kids went to city schools not in PA and they learned alot more and had more caring teachers and administrators then this district combined. My biggest mistake was moving into the Oley district. Come to a board meeting and see for yourself. You need to show up every month not just once in a while. I even spoke at a principal meeting in the past regarding serious issues and I was told not to bring it up at those kinds of meetings. Everything in this district is swept under the rug. Even last night at the concert when the parents and kids starting taking the food and drinks before the end of the concert, no one with authority could or did anything. I was sure glad the children that performed got something to eat and drink, it was for them to begin with. Why do we even have all these administrators, they cannot even make an announcement telling the people not to take the food or drinks. A parent or a child cannot stop 100 people from taking the food and drink. We are in need of major changes.
The truth is the truth. We cannot make up this. The facts speak for themselves. Wake up and smell the coffee. Stop living in lala land.
I never in my life felt so strongly about issues and problems within a school district then I do with this district. My children have lived in many states and attended all kinds of schools with all kinds of children and never did we have these many problems. This is a small district and if we had the right people running it, this could be even a blue-ribbon school. We did not even make the top 1000 schools in the country. Only one school in Berks made it. We need a county wide system. We have too many SUPERS and administrators in Berks Cty. and the test scores are showing that we are not making the grade. In the Carolina's there is only one administration in a whole county and 2 of there high schools was top 100 in the country. Why is that????
After reading your lecture about signing anonymously I see you did not sign your name either. That is called hypocrisy.
A 1/2 day of school for a prom and approx. $1.3 million track this is what education is all about? With test scores so low in this district you really should think twice before giving kids more time off and using our money on non-educational items. The above should not be happening. We are not giving our kids 180 days of education. NO-WAY!!
To the person who attends all the PTO meetings and the school board meetings. I beg to differ, as there are usually only 2-3 people at most of the school board meetings, and I am the only female, so where exactly are you sitting; and perhaps if I did not have to work 2 jobs and reteach my children when they come home from school, I might be able to attend the PTO meetings.
And speaking of our wonderful PTO parents. At one of the last school board meetings that I was at,the meeting where they had the students attend to get the track passed, one of your PTO do-gooders was absolutely rude and verbally attacked my children. What a wonderful role model. She asked me why I didn't aky my 13-year-old son what he wanted in the way of the track. That's such an intelligent comment to make, and this is why we have children with their wonderful, "I am better than everybody else attitude"! My children are taught to be nice and polite to everyone, regardless of who they are and what they wear and how they act!
And just for your information, my name is Cindy Smith!
Please come forward and introduce yourself at the next Budget Committee Meeting and Combined Committee Meeting, as this meeting will be a very important meeting for this district - or do you not attend the important meetings that really address the issues that this district has?
Hey good time PTO lady, come to a board meeting and see the real action, and how this board spends our money. This year they say they need approx. $23 million dollars to run this district. Come and see what they will not spend the money on. Education keeps being taken out and put in the low priority list. And they say the children are what they care about.
The PTO lady that was nasty to you also is nasty to children. I have heard alot of negative remarks about her. The school district likes her, she is like them. I see her as an aide in the elem. school all the time. We need one that acts like the rest like a hole in the head.
The PTO lady that was nasty to you also is nasty to children. I have heard alot of negative remarks about her. The school district likes her, she is like them. I see her as an aide in the elem. school all the time. We need one that acts like the rest like a hole in the head.
The PTO lady that was nasty to you also is nasty to children. I have heard alot of negative remarks about her. The school district likes her, she is like them. I see her as an aide in the elem. school all the time. We need one that acts like the rest like a hole in the head.
Had a typo in my last post - should have been ask instead of aky.
Cindy Smith
It is amazing how you all twist things. At the last school board meeting at least 3 women spoke, and more were sitting in the audience, yet Cindy says she is the only woman there. As for the PTO lady(me) I do not work as an aide at the elementary school so you do not know who I am even though you pretend that you know me and can pass judgement on me. This is typical of your groups behavior. I did not sign my name because as just happen when someone disagrees with your opinion you are out to discredit them within the community. The difference between us is that I can respect your opposite opinion without getting nasty about it. I also have a copy of the PA. code for schools and our school districts code, yet you all want to say that I am uninformed just because my opinion differs. I don't know why you can't have a rationale debate about a topic without trying to get all personal about it. If you can defend your point logically and within the code, mean remarks should not have to be said. That is what I meant about the middle school comments because that is what children do when trying to defend their opinion.
I have been attending school board meetings and I do know what is going on in the district, once again because my opinion differs you all want to say that I don't attend meetings and have no clue as to what goes on.
Perhaps you should reread what I wrote. I did not say that I was the only woman at the last school board meeting. My comment was that at most of the school board meetings, I am the only woman there (meaning in the audience). Please do not put words into my mouth and reread what I wrote. The PTO lady whom I was speaking about was not you, and I did not say that it was you.
The other posts on this particular blog heading are not from me. Until this post, I have not said anything under this heading. I responded to your post, and am not responsible for the other posts, so please do not confuse me with those people.
The PTO lady I am speaking about knows who she is, and incidentally, she did apologize to me, and yes I do not know who you are and did not post the things you are referring to. I am specifically posting to your one comment on the blog. You are correct, I do not know you, and never said I did. In fact, I asked you to come up and introduce yourself to me at the next meeting.
So pretty much everything you just posted does not have to do with me. I did not twist anything. You twisted my words. And just for your further information, I have not verbally attacked anyone on this blog. People who know me, know my writing and I have dealt just with facts and have not badmouthed anyone, except for stating fact about Dr. Zackon. I also do respect other people's opinions and perhaps that is why I have parents calling me and asking me to advocate for their children.
Please reread what I posted.
Thank you for your attention.
Cindy Smith
It look likes the PTO lady is stating the wrong facts. If she really knew what was happening in this district she would be on our side if you could call it sides. We are just average citizens stating facts, facts that need to be changed for the good of all in this district and for sure the children. We welcome you to start getting involved at Board meetings, and maybe you could even run next year as the board will have 5 openings. Change is what we need.
Cindy Smith knows the facts. She has compassion and with 5 children she gets involved in the real issues of this district. She does not have time to go to feel good meetings. She cares deeply about this school district. We all want this district to be run the way it should be. The children and homeowners are at risk with the current board. We cannot keep spending the peoples money on non-educational items. We need to put the children and the education of them back to priority 1. I would have Cindy help my children with anything if I needed her and she would always find the time for what is in the best interest of the children.
Please feel free to check my blog.
Just google search Keith Stamm and click on Keith stamm school director site / you will see i deal with the liberals all the time
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