Prior Lake American - School Board to hear results of referendum survey - Comments

Right on!

Tom Schardin — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:37:10 -0500

Right on!

I'm at a loss for words. I

SavageResident — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:04:16 -0500

I'm at a loss for words. I have a fundamental disagreement with most posts on this site. It seems to me no matter how much the school district strips programs, reduces the budget, when will it be enough? You can always be anti-something because there will always be something to be anti.. But, when you are in a district where there is a brand new school built that sits idle, don't red flags start to rise? There is less offered in this district than when I was in school 20 years ago! I never thought I'd have less to offer my children than what I received... arn't we supposed to offer our children as good or better lives/learning than what we had, isn't that what this country has been built on?

You're right DB, the budget

gdubya — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:37:10 -0500

You're right DB, the budget process can be simplified to the point where it doesn't seem like rocket science. And in your simplified world it works, but I strongly suspect that what you would have during the last ten years is a diminishing district because the state contribution, (per pupil $) has not kept pace with inflation. So as costs to operate schools and pay staff increases, a gap has been widening. Consider how the cost of gasoline increase is going to affect budgets for the district this year. In your world, teachers don't get raises that even come close to keeping pace with the cost of living increase, class sizes would be larger than they are today and program cuts would have happened much sooner.

Teachers would leave, and to replace them, what really qualified kick-butt teacher is going to want to come work for that district? How many quality families that factor in schools as part of their decision for relocating will come here?

I think the trickle down effect would be noticable given enough time.

Because those are going to

gdubya — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:21:42 -0500

Because those are going to be the obvious responses, and you can Monday morning quarterback those decisions to death. In addition, that is "Bond" money and I was more interested in examples of massive waste that is "Levy" (classroom) money.

How can you ignore the High

noconfidence — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:09:43 -0500

How can you ignore the High School and Red Tail aka Westerhause's folly.

Ignoring the highschool and

gdubya — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:05:17 -0500

Ignoring the highschool and redtail ridge, can you provide me (us) a list of "massive waste of the past"?

Actually, I don't disagree

dbmasters — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:36:36 -0500

Actually, I don't disagree with you in a perfect world. Environment affects creativity and learning, I'll buy that, and if money was flowing like water, well, it would matter, but it's not.

I DO get the picture, but your picture is from fiction...the bottom line is, there is a money limit, and the school, just like me, you and everybody else, was budgets to live within, if I don't live within my budget I can't go ask my coworkers to pass a referrendum to give me more...nor should the school be able to... They have a fixed amount per pupil to work with, if the district grows, the headcount grows and that figure should increase from the increased tax base of the parents that moved in with the kid(s)...it's really not rocket science.

They have what they have, and have to learn to use it wisely on what matters...and right now the cutting gets deep...and it's because of massive waste of the past.

Q:.....Why dont you answer

gdubya — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:11:21 -0500

Q:.....Why dont you answer the question? What does making a statement on " who we are this is Prior Lake " have to do with education?

A:....In reality the brand is not directly connected to education ( I assume you mean the ability to teach kids and have them learn). I didn't say there was. I'm simply trying to get you to a point where you understand that every building is making an architectural statement and why thought is put into the design process. I'll stop trying now.

DBMasters:...... Samething. Just trying to help you understand how and why things happen. I'll stop.

..."it's not even visible from atop that high horse of yours." Give me a break DB. If trying to rationally explain how and why "I" think we got the building we got puts me on a high horse, you must find yourself stuck on the pony ride alot.

While I can't quote anything right now, there are correlations between peoples ability to think creatively vs. their state of mind. Environment can certainly affect a persons state of mind. Architecture is part of the environment, you get the picture; oh wait... you don't.

Noconfidence:
....I think gdubya is Westerhaus.

I bet you say that to everyone you disagree with.

I think gdubya is just

dbmasters — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:43:56 -0500

I think gdubya is just playing devils advocate to make trouble, there really can't be anyone that feels the way s/he seems to...besides, Westerhaus is too arrogant to give enough of a crap what anyone but him thinks or feels like.

I think gdubya is

noconfidence — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:29:26 -0500

I think gdubya is Westerhaus.

Really, gdubya, I am

dbmasters — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:25:48 -0500

Really, gdubya, I am absolutely floored that somebody actually thinks with record oil prices, massive increases in foreclosures, massive spending on never ending military action, taxing increases, people loosing work, repeated failing referendums because people can't/don't want to pay it, you actually are concerned with the branding of a school...I mean...wow...

I hope for the sake of everybody you are not, and will not ever, be an office holder of any sort...

That said, I would lay odds you'd be stellar in the role of a marketing department in any company...

Why dont you answer the

noconfidence — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:20:40 -0500

Why dont you answer the question? What does making a statement on " who we are this is Prior Lake " have to do with education?

What? Branding? A school

dbmasters — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:16:41 -0500

What? Branding? A school district that has a monopoly and virtually zero competition? That's one of the most ignorant things I have ever read...school need to teach our kids in a safe, healthy environment, that is their job, and due to the fact it's a gov't run monopoly is the primary reason that the public school system is producing undereducated children while spending record amounts of money on stupid crap like "branding".

OMG...branding...wow...

I'd rather produce a better product in a lesser building...but more superficial, image-concerned, one up on the Jones' people probably feel otherwise. Branding and outward appearance are so far down on my list of what is important to my kids education it's not even visible from atop that high horse of yours.

Well put Savage Guy.

gdubya — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:18:35 -0500

Well put Savage Guy.

I'll try to take the

Savage Guy — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:42:30 -0500

I'll try to take the conversation another direction.

Think of the money the district paid for the survey from their perspective. They see it as an investment. If the referendum passes, it will have been money very well spent. Why? The district will have to make draconian budget cuts of $7,000,000 or $8,000,000 if the referendum does not pass this fall because an existing levy is expiring. The $1,000,000 or so they have cut per year the last three years will seem like pocket change compared with what they will have to cut if the referendum doesn't pass this fall.

With the stakes that high, it is easier (for me) to understand why the district would spend $14,000 on a survey.

School Board to hear results of referendum survey

Lori Carlson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:59:23 -0500

Results of a survey gauging public views on a school referendum will go to the Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board for review on Monday, May 19.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. at the District Services Center, 4540 Tower St., Prior Lake, to discuss the results of the survey conducted by Springsted Inc.