I am starting to receive a lot of emails on the staggered/later High School start time proposal. Obviously this proposal will save a substantial amount of money, but I can tell by the emails that this is going to be extremely unpopular, particularly for the High School students and parents. Other districts are dealing with this same issue. Orange CountyFlorida schools already voted to start their High Schools at a later time in order to achieve savings in their transportation department. They are feeling a lot of heat for their decision.See the following:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_education_edblog/2008/05/a-few-final-tho.html
I think the Escambia County School Board will be hearing the same complaints if we move forward with this.But we have to do what we can to save money on overhead, and to keep the cuts from directly affecting the school classrooms. That means we can't back away from making tough decisions on extremely unpopular ideas like the later start times proposal. We have to make sure everything is on the table, and that we do the right things for the right reasons.
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Anything that does not include elimination of a ninety thousand dollar secretarial position is an absolute waste, fraud, and abuse of state funds. The superintendent can drag in reports from any district all over Florida and it would not justify the “top heavy” positions in our District of people in duplicated positions, and with salaries in access of one hundred thousand dollars. Every cut the superintendent has proposed has direct impact to our children. That is unacceptable. Stop looking at the person and look at the position. You’re not eliminating the person. You’re eliminating the position. The superintendent’s secretary is making more than the secretary to the president. Mr. Bergosh you work for the Federal Government and you should know that nobody’s secretary makes that kind of money. His secretary makes almost as much as your attorney. She certainly makes more than most principals.
Don't back down from making the District cut from the top. The superintendent is standing his ground and the board must do the same. The board is doing all of the compromising while Paul stands firm about not cutting his staff.
Enough,
In all fairness to some of our employees (particularly some of the more senior secretarial positions)--The salaries recently listed in the PNJ were incorrect-- way high, and included all benefits and retirement contributions, etc., rolled into the total.
I do still have a lingering sense that some additional cuts could be made from the admin./professional positions, but I do not have support on trying to push that issue, so I put my list of proposed positions for elimination away.
I'm the first one who will chime in and say so If I don't agree with the staff, however, without 3 votes one board member can only do so much. But I guarantee you I will always do what is best for the students first, taxpayers second, and the district staff a close third. And sometimes if that means ruffling some feathers than so be it.
Thanks for the entry and lending your opinion to the discussion.
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