The Lady Bulldogs Basketball Team's magical season. Huge.
What else is on your minds? (not that you can't post more about HT or the Lady Bulldogs too).
31 comments:
wanda
said...
cOME OUT TO WEDNESDAYS BOARD MEETING TO HEAR UPDATES FROM BOTH MORRISVILLE HOME SCHOOL STUDENT REP AND OUR NEWEST ADDITION, THE MORRISVILLE TECH SCHOOL STUDENT REP AS WELL AS OUR STUDENT SPOTLIGHT FOR FEBRUARY...There will also be a prelim budget review given by the Business Manager
District Event Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Board Meeting in the LGI ... Site: DIST Start Time: 7:30 PM End Time: 9:30 PM
Speaking of the Tech School, below is an article from the 6/30/2011 BucksLocalNews. I'm posting it below because in earlier discussions on the 2012-13 budget, Business Manager Paul DeAngelo said that Morrisville’s share of Tech School funding may drop significantly this year.
We’re supposed to get a budget update at the Wed. Feb. 22 Board Business meeting, but in January, Mr. DeAngelo said that the preliminary estimate from Tech showed MSD’s share at about the 2008-09 level, which was $626,000, versus $939,000 last year. That’s $313,000 lower.
It’s hard to sort through all the demagoguery about Tech School funding, but when you do, you see that it’s quite possible for a district’s share of Tech School funding to drop under the funding formula. I’m too lazy to dig it up, but I think I even posted a while back that we might see a drop in 2012-13.
OK. Now I’ve said all that to say all this:
If we follow the “Hellmann Plan” again this year (i.e. pay based on your own creation of the average actual cost per student over the past 5 years – well, after withholding payment for many months, getting entangled in legal action, and still ending up underpaying by about $100,000, if memory serves me), we are very likely to SIGNIFICANTLY overpay this year. Maybe, probably, by even more than we short-paid last year.
Raise your hands if you’re up for that.
Or is there a corollary to the Hellmann Plan that says you withhold then underpay when MSD’s share is up, but slam that Funding Formula amount down lickety-split when MSD’s share is down? If I had to guess, I’d say that's a yes. Which points out how that’s an even more arbitrary folly than the Tech School Funding Formula.
By John Williams BucksLocalNews.com
MORRISVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT – School Board President Bill Hellmann made a motion last night (Wednesday, June 30) to administer a sizable payment of $522,000 to the Bucks County Technical School.
Hellmann said the board is willing to pay the “average of all area school districts” and said that they’re continuing to dispute “the excessive amount of money that Morrisville is being charged.” He said the district has also asked for an audit of the technical school.
The motion passed unanimously, 8-0, with no dissenting opinions.
Board member John DeWilde noted that the technical school has agreed to keep the budget conversation open between itself and Morrisville in an attempt to explain how the budget is interpreted, however futile that might be.
Jack Buckman, a school board member and technical school liaison, said the intent is to “cut back on costs.”
Hellmann told the Yardley News that litigation with the technical school is pending and that the Pennsylvania Department of Education is fully aware of the budget battle.
“We made a good faith payment based on the average actual cost per student over the past five years,” he said. “That includes all students and all six school districts. We ask to be treated fairly and we do not believe we should be charged more per student than the other school districts,” he said, referring to larger districts such as neighboring Pennsbury.
After the motion was approved, the board voted unanimously, 0-8, to not approve the technical school budget for the 2011-12 school year.
One more soap box moment, and then I’ll give it a rest.
I watched the video of the 2/15 Board Agenda meeting. At about the 33:45 mark, Steve Worob goes into a “hey, let’s just save everybody a lot of time and money and not even bother to look at other providers of legal services to the District” spiel. He pitched the idea of stopping the process of sending out a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking information, rates, experience, etc. from law firms for Solicitor services. He’s taking up the cause at the board table that Marlys Mihok has been taking up from the audience podium.
I find it interesting that Worob and Mihok, who supported "Hellmann Board" efforts to look into other providers of prescription drug plans, sanitation and clerical workers, teachers, High Schools, bus services, etc. in the name of competition and efficiency and cost savings don’t want to do the same when it comes to legal services. I don’t recall hearing that it was too costly or time-consuming to do those other things.
I hope cooler, more reasonable heads prevail and that the process plays out. Current Solicitor Thomas Profy’s firm (Begley, Carlin, & Mandio) is certainly welcome to respond to the RFP just like any other law firm. I commend Bill Ferrara and John DeWilde for their reasonable responses to Mr. Worob’s remarks. I’m paraphrasing, but Mr. Ferrara noted that most other Districts typically put out RFP’s for legal services when there is significant electoral turnover on School Boards, John DeWilde asked that the Board let the process play out and try to be fair.
I note that Simon Campbell and his board allies in Pennsbury, for whom Worob and Mihok and Hellmann probably feel a strong kinship, is pushing for a new Solicitor in that District, even though Pennsbury’s in the middle of a major ($10 million) lawsuit over the student who tragically lost a leg in a bus accident.
I have no personal stake in this. I just don’t see the harm in getting competitive info on various firms that provide similar services, and making a reasonable decision after carefully weighing all the factors. If it ends up that Mr. Profy’s firm is still a good choice, fine. I recognize that you tend to get what you pay for, so the firm with the lowest rates isn’t necessarily the best choice. Just ask the MSD/Tech students (and their parents) who got stood up by school buses in the last year.
I recommend taking the words of Mr. Worob and Mrs. Mihok (and anybody else who has been on the Morrisville political scene for many year/decades and is as political as they come) with a big grain of salt when they complain about something being “political”.
Get the info, evaluate it carefully, make a good choice. No favors, no B.S. We’ve had way too much of that already.
State budget proposal could slow school district construction By Christian Menno Staff writer | Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 3:30 pm
Construction projects planned by Pennsylvania school districts could soon hit a financial snag if alterations to the state's reimbursement plan included in Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed budget are approved.
According to the proposal, the state would put a freeze on accepting applications to PlanCon — the program that districts follow to request reimbursement funds from the state.
Corbett's plan for the 2012-13 spending plan was unveiled Feb. 7 and features a total operating budget of $63.3 billion, with $27.1 billion in general fund expenditures — a decrease of more than $20 million from last year. It also includes no tax increase.
But it is the moratorium on state funding applications for capital projects that has some Bucks school district officials worried.
"If the state reduces their reimbursement, then districts will be required to make up the difference with local tax dollars in order to pay their debt service," Neshaminy school board President Ritchie Webb said. "If that happens, the district may not have the financial resources to build or renovate under Act One limitations. At the present time, Neshaminy's buildings require updates and the loss of reimbursement will cause additional hardships."
Neshaminy officials have reported in the past that long-term projections indicate the district's facilities will require about $40 million in improvements and repairs.
David Baugh, superintendent of Bensalem schools, said Corbett's plan would slow down plans to renovate Bensalem High School.
"(It) is not helpful," he added, "and it is shortsighted on the governor's part. Every dollar spent on school construction is a dollar spent in the Pennsylvania economy. This will result in fewer (Pennsylvania) jobs. ... We won't have a time when it's better to do the construction than right now. Rates are down and construction companies are hungry for business."
While the Bristol Township School District will not be immediately affected if Corbett's proposal goes through, Superintendent Samuel Lee said it "appears to compromise Pennsylvania's commitment to school districts engaging or planning to engage in capital projects."
"(The plan is) not economically sound either, as there has never been a better time for districts to attend to aging facilities, whether by building, renovation or consolidation," Lee said.
Although Bristol Township schools have not had a PlanCon project since 1993, Lee said that most of the district buildings range from 40 to 60 years of age and could need work in the future.
"This budget proposal and subsequent policy would be very discouraging to our district and our community," he added.
Reimbursement for current projects in the Centennial School District could be slowed, but officials expect to still receive what they've anticipated.
"The proposed budget does not provide additional funds but maintains the reimbursement levels of the past," said William Gretton, assistant superintendent of operations in Centennial. "The state has a limited amount of funds designed for this line item, and will only be taking on new projects as older projects are completely paid out."
Centennial is building two new elementary schools — the new McDonald Elementary in Warminster and the new Davis Elementary in Upper Southampton. Each school would replace existing facilities.
So, Trinity stays open, but St. Johns is closing. Should we be glad the diocese guillotine is avoiding the ville and falling elsewhere? Or should we be sympathetic to those families suddenly in the crosshairs? It does seem odd that after the joint appeal, they switched the plan to close from one to the other and gave no avenue for St. Johns to appeal.
Meanwhile, the flip-floppery of certain high public officials is simply parroting their national role models.
There is no reason to resist reviewing all business practices on an ongoing basis, even more so with the change in board make-up. I don't know on what grounds anyone could object to this with any credence to their arguments, but as we see every day with the national races, it doesn't matter what you said or did before.
I am very sympathetic to St. Johns families left in the lurch due to its closing. I'm on the outside looking in, but does anyone think the Archdiocese did a good job handling this?
I don't know much of anything about St Johns. Or other private schools like PennRyn, Montessori, Newtown Friends.I'm not saying this to be rudeor disrespectful, but what can members of the General Public do when private institutions close? We don't go to polls and vote for their leaders.
No, they handled this poorly, as they usually do. Poor communications about the criteria for selecting schools for closing, a closed door "blue ribbon" commission making the decisions, then backtracking on these decisions with little explanation. If the commission was so blue ribbon, how did so many of these appeals get granted? It's as if they pulled names out of a hat, and when challenged, they had no argument to support their decisions. I hope that St. Johns stays open as well, but I suspect that unless the church does something to improve their financial management, even the "saved" schools will find them selves staring down the barrel of closures again in a few short years.
St. John parents upset school will close By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer
After being “blindsided” with the news that their parish elementary school will close in June, St. John the Evangelist parents and supporters have united in an effort to keep it open.
As of Monday afternoon, 627 people had signed an online petition — “Archdiocese of Philadelphia: Keep St. John the Evangelist School open” — launched on change.org.
And about 80 posts were up, some displaying discontent and disappointment toward the leadership of the school and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s blue ribbon commission, which had recommended a number of school closings. Other posts plead for St. John to remain open, even if officials have said the school is not in a position to remain viable.
In January, the elementary school was initially slated to regionalize with Holy Trinity School in Morrisville, using St. John’s Lower Makefield building. But that plan was twisted late last week when Holy Trinity successfully appealed to remain open.
Instead, the diocese decided to close St. John.
Now, St. John students will have to pack up and enroll in surrounding schools, such as St. Andrew in Newtown Township and St. Ignatius in Yardley, the two closest Catholic elementary schools to Lower Makefield.
Parent Bob Nawalinski on Monday said parents are looking into their options and hope to be able to meet with archdiocese officials.
Parents argue that it’s unfair that the archdiocese and/or school decided to shut down St. John without giving the school a chance to appeal that decision, considering that initially the school wasn’t on the recommended closure list.
“So at the end of all this we are the only school closing (in Lower Bucks County) and this pastor won’t say a word about it on our behalf? This is absolute cowardice,” Patrick Larr wrote on the website.
Parent Renae Kulak wrote: “My family and I searched and searched all local schools to see who would provide our children with the best education. We are very happy with St. John School. The principal is top notch as well as all of the teachers. Please keep this school open. I personally drive my kids 20 minutes a day to St. John for the outstanding education they provide to my third- and first-grader.”
Ben Shaginaw wrote that the school has gone through recent upgrades and renovations, including a new science lab and state-of-the-art computer lab, so he’s baffled that the school is closing after so much money has been invested.
Nick Spadea would like the opportunity for a community meeting with archdiocesan officials who were part of the decision.
Mary Rochford, superintendent of Catholic schools, told the paper on Friday that St. John was “not in a position to remain viable” and to keep the school open “we could have been looking at tuition in the range of $7,000.”
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching archdiocese officials Monday, which was Presidents Day.
A disappointed school community held a candlelight vigil Sunday “to show our support for the school and the injustice that has been done in the miscommunication and misinformation that has come from the archdiocese regarding this dilemma,” said Cindy Pfender, a school parent.
Under the initial blue ribbon commission recommendation in early January, 10 Bucks County elementary schools were to close, restructure and open as five regional schools for the 2012-13 school year. Conwell-Egan Catholic High School was to close permanently. It and three other high schools should learn their fate this week.
In total, in the five-county archdiocese, 44 elementary schools and the four high schools were recommended to close.
Of the 11 Bucks schools on the list, at least eight went through the appeal process, including Holy Trinity and St. John, which under the process had to appeal jointly with Holy Trinity. The two schools went before a blue ribbon appeal committee Jan. 17, at which time the schools had the opportunity to share an hour to make their case as to why their perspective school should remain open.
The only two schools that didn’t go through the process were Assumption BVM in Lower Southampton and St. Bede the Venerable in Northampton. Starting the new school year, BVM students will attend the Northampton school, which will reopen with a new name.
On Friday, the commission released the elementary school appeal results; leaving 75 percent of the appealing elementary schools open in the archdiocese.
In Bucks, that includes St. Mark in Bristol, St. Michael the Archangel in Tullytown, St. John the Baptist in Nockamixon, Holy Trinity in Morrisville, St. Ephrem in Bensalem and Our Lady of Grace in Penndel.
St. Isidore School in Quakertown will merge with St. Philip Neri in East Greenville in Montgomery County. John the Baptist was supposed to merge with them. John the Baptist school officials have said that St. Isidore and St. Philip Neri did not appeal their closings.
Repost from mv-org ANY questions regarding below please contact main office at 215-736-2681
Location: DIST Position Title: Driver
Salary/Pay Scale: 11.17 an hour
Description:
The School District of the Borough of Morrisville is looking for a van driver to transport students.
Salary: 11.17 an hour
Requirements: A valid driver’s license and good driving record.
Position available: The position is available immediately and will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is selected.
Submit cover letter, Resume, three recent letters of recommendation, Act 34, 151, and FBI clearances to Mr. William Ferrara, Superintendent of Schools, Morrisville Borough School District, 550 W. Palmer St., Morrisville, PA 19067
Feb 20, 2012. Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer As he went over the “highlights” of Gov. Tom Corbett’s first year in office to members of the Pennridge Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of Revenue Dan Meuser didn’t say much about higher education. A year ago, Corbett proposed a 50 percent cut to the State System of Higher Education, which the General Assembly later limited to 19 percent. In his 2012-13 spending plan of $27.14 billion, Corbett has proposed another 25 percent cut — about $230 million. Community colleges would take a 4 percent hit.
Det Ansinn, who introduced himself to Meuser as a high-tech employer, told the secretary that he was fearful of the shrinking funding. Ansinn, owner of software firm BrickSimple in Doylestown, said his company needs well-educated graduates to move forward. “I need those types of resources,” he said. “Where is that view for the long term in higher ed in Pennsylvania?” Meuser said that while “the governor loves Penn State,” the university has received $3.4 billion in state funding in the last decade. And in that time tuition doubled. “The idea that these dollars keep tuition low is not accurate,” he said. The governor is looking to do things differently. Frankly, over time, the governor would like to see these dollars go directly to students.” Meuser’s response was “wandering,’’ Ansinn said. “It is a real issue,” he said. “If we don’t take care of education we’ll have some long-term issues. We have to have that as a resource.” State Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-10, who also spoke at Friday’s breakfast event, attended by about 60 chamber members, addressed Ansinn’s fear. McIlhinney said Corbett’s $27.14 billion “spend number” won’t increase “but how we get there” will, meaning higher education won’t be hit with 25 percent less money. Smack in the middle of Meuser’s 20-page presentation, was “Challenges for the 2012-13 Budget.” It included pension cost growth of $403 million, $320 million for school employees and $83 million for state employees. David Morgan of West Rockhill, chief financial officer of Hydro Instruments, asked Meuser, “How can you accept that? Public pensions is what are bankrupting schools and crippling the economy.” Meuser called it “the proverbial 800-pound gorilla.” He said it’s a huge issue for Corbett and said the governor is “dealing with the unions behind closed doors.” State Rep. Paul Clymer, R-145, said Corbett’s budget put $330 million “over and above the state’s normal contribution” into the pension fund. He said he has a bill that would allow casinos to charge a $2 fee to anyone who goes into a casino. The money would go to teacher pensions. Clymer said the House is also working on HB 1329, to increase the size of projects from $25,000 to $185,000 where the prevailing wage would have to be paid. The only Bucks or Montgomery county representative to sign onto the legislation, Clymer said it “would help taxpayers immeasurably without costing you a dime. ... We’re struggling to get the votes.” McIlhinney, the target of environmental protesters in Doylestown on Thursday, brought up HB 1950, the General Assembly’s plans to limit local zoning control in exchange for an impact fee on Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling. He said the legislation “was a revenue bill meant to distribute and help deal with the impact of drilling. ... It was about a pot of money and who gets that money.” Environmentalists claim it was a sellout to the industry. Jordan Yeager, an environmental attorney, on Thursday said the bill takes away local zoning control. “Does it require municipalities in the state to allow gas drilling in every zoning district? Yes it does. That’s what it says. So if people who support it claim to be protective of local control, then shame on them. But don’t pretend it doesn’t say what it says.”
Bucks County Commissioners Charley Martin and Diane Marseglia also spoke to the chamber. With all the talk about budget cuts, Marseglia asked Meuser to tread carefully. “Water always runs downhill,” she said. “Remember us as you’re thinking about all these cuts.” As Bucks County is faced with a $37 million bill for communication upgrades, Martin complained about unfunded mandates. “That’s the kind of thing we deal with every day.”
St. John community makes plans to save school By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer It’s a long shot, but St. John the Evangelist School parents are going to try to convince the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to reconsider closing the elementary school in June.
The first step: Parents have to come up with a five-year sustainability plan that includes enrollment and finances. Then, they will present the plan to school and church officials, parent Bob Nawalinski said Tuesday.
If the administration believes the plan is “realistic” and obtainable, then it will approach the archdiocese for consideration.
That’s what a small group of parents were told during a Tuesday night meeting with church and school officials at the school.
“They made it very clear that it’s a long shot to have the archdiocese reconsider,” Nawalinski said. “At least we have the backing of the school and church leadership.”
In January, the elementary school was initially recommended to regionalize with Holy Trinity School in Morrisville, using St. John’s Lower Makefield building. But that plan was upended late last week when Holy Trinity successfully appealed to remain open.
So now, St. John is slated to close at the end of the school year.
The archdiocese is encouraging St. John parents to enroll their children in nearby Catholic schools. Holy Trinity is the closest at 2.3 miles away. St. Ignatius in Yardley is 3.3 miles away and St. Andrew in Newtown Township is 9.9 miles away.
The St. John community is surprised by the outcome and disappointed about how it happened. Families argue that they didn’t even have a chance to challenge the archdiocese’s final decision.
A blue ribbon commission recommended a restructuring of 44 elementary schools and four high schools in the five-county archdiocese. Affected schools were given the opportunity to appeal. The final word was released Friday that 75 percent of the appealing elementary schools would remain open. The fate of the four high schools hasn’t been announced yet.
Kenneth Gavin, spokesman for the archdiocese, said Tuesday that “at this point in time, the appeals process has concluded. It’s important to note that the goal of the blue ribbon commission was to make Catholic education affordable, accessible, sustainable and continually excellent far into the future.”
While he can’t address the particulars of any specific appeals, he said that “any alterations that came out of the process would have been deemed the most appropriate solutions to meet the goals of the blue ribbon commission.”
St. John’s enrollment capacity is at 56 percent. The parish subsidy to the school in the 2009-10 school year was $367,992. The 2009-10 parish deficit was $244,481.
The school can raise funds and get donors to help with the finances, but it goes beyond that, officials said.
“Finances are only one part of the picture,” Gavin said. “The biggest issue is being able to show a plan for sustainability — not just in the immediate future or for the next two years but for the long term. Enrollment is crucially linked to that sustainability. Schools need to show that they can increase their enrollments to the levels needed to make the school viable. When enrollments are drastically reduced, faculty and staff must be reduced and the quality of the overall program is impacted.
He continued: “Even if funds were raised in the short term to offset existing deficits or to support the operational budgets, those funds would be quickly depleted and the problem would never be effectively solved. We need our schools to be affordable, accessible, sustainable, and continually excellent. Any plan would need to meet those goals for the long term.”
With the final decisions made on the elementary school appeals, the archdiocese is focusing on the implementation phase.
PW - don't have an answer to the question, however $25K could be budgeted on something more educationally important in these tough economic times, or just flat out saved.Even if as PW has said she doesn't charge that much actually it still must be budgeted. Nothing personal against PW, just fiscal prudence to rethink this budget-wise.
February 24, 2012 By GEMA MARIA DUARTE A private Catholic academy based in Lower Makefield would consider moving across town into St. John the Evangelist School if the school closes. Grey Nun Academy, which is sponsored by the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, is hunting for a new property to call home, after the order sold its 90-acre campus on Quarry Road to Holy Redeemer Health System last year. If the archdiocese goes through with St. John’s closure, Grey Nun will pursue the possibility of purchasing the 21.4-acre Lower Makefield campus, Grey Nun Principal Marianne Finnegan said Thursday. Although the K-8 academy can stay at its site until June 2017, the administration is seeking a new property to call home in Bucks County. The archdiocese recently slated St. John for closure at the end of the school year. A group of parents has rallied to keep the school open, but if the St. John community isn’t successful in getting the archdiocese to reconsider keeping the elementary school open, then the parish will have a vacant school property. Parents will have to come up with a five-year sustainability plan by next week and present it to St. John administration. That plan has to address the facts: The parish subsidy to the school in the 2009-10 school year was $367,992. The 2009-10 parish deficit was $244,481. The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching the church’s pastor, Monsignor Joseph Prior for comment on Thursday. Academy administration or facility committee members have not toured the Big Oak Road facility, Finnegan said. Grey Nun Academy is a private Catholic school, not run under the archdiocese. Finnegan said the two schools have the same mission to provide Catholic education, and she respects the efforts being made by St. John’s parents. Finnegan and members of parent and facility committees are considering all options, and have visited a few locations in the area, including some that are not educational institutions, Finnegan said. Grey Nun administrators would like to stay in the Newtown-Yardley-Lower Makefield area because most of its nearly 200 students are from those areas, she said. Though the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart order have sold the property, the school and personal care facility didn’t close. The sale, effective this past Jan. 1, includes: D’Youville Manor, the personal-care facility; Grey Nun Academy; and the Grey Nuns Motherhouse. The order sold the property to help sustain its mission and care for its aging population of nuns, officials have said. The Abington-based health care system took over the manor’s operations in January and the religious order leases the school and Motherhouse back from the health care system. The school’s lease is for five years, to give the academy’s board of trustees time to work out an extended lease agreement with Holy Redeemer or to move the Blue Ribbon school to another site, academy officials have said. Tuitions run in excess of $11,000 a year for full-time students at Grey Nun. In January, an archdiocese blue ribbon commission recommended that 44 elementary school in the five-county archdioceses restructure and four high schools close. Within that recommendation, St. John and Holy Trinity in Morrisville were supposed to regionalize. This school year, Holy Trinity has 197 enrolled students, and St. John has 195. The two schools went through the appeals process offered by the archdiocese. St. John’s website states that “Holy Trinity Parish opted to appeal the decision preferring to remain on their own ... During the appeal both parishes were asked to present their position with regard to the proposed plan. Our position was that we were in favor of the new school and welcomed the opportunity to continue having a Catholic School on this campus and to share in the responsibility of sponsoring that school.”
Come out and support the Lady Bulldogs Basketball team as they begin their quest for the P.I.A.A. District #1 Championship. The Girls start their run Saturday February 25th, Game time is 1:30 PM at Morrisville High School. The cost of admission is $5.00 for both students and adults (no passes will be honored). Come out and cheer the girls on to Victory.
The curtain goes up on “This Old Gingerbread House” at the Morrisville High School auditorium Tues., Feb. 28, 7 p.m. The play features Grandview Elementary School students, pre-K through 2nd grade.
Music teacher Nellie Plummer and 2nd grade teacher Cheri Tabit are enthusiastic about their young performers and encourage parents and friends to join them for this entertaining play that is free and open to the public.
Reminder----Go see the Pre-K through 2nd graders at the high school tonight perform their Gingerbread play on the big stage at 7pm. These kids have worked so hard after schook practicing to show their community how great the Morrisville kids are so please stop in and support them. You remember how fun it was to see a young child up on a stage right? This is a FREE event, you cannot get any better than FREE and supporting your local kids.
This Friday, 3/2 is Gym Night at the High School for grades 9-12...starts 6pm...If you went to MHS you remember how fun Gym Night was and how much work the kids put into the event to win for their Blue or Gold...Another FREE event at the school that you can come out and have a good time.
Posted: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 6:00 am | Updated: 3:45 pm, Mon Feb 27, 2012.
Sex is not a medical problem. It should not be covered by health insurance.
If one wants to use birth control, there are many methods available. Condoms are given freely at some high schools, colleges and Planned Parenthood. Why should the taxpayer be forced to pay for people to use them? You play, you pay.
Cancer, heart attack, strokes, broken bones, etc. are covered by heath insurance. These are real medical problems.
If a couple has sex and a pregnancy is the result, that's their problem. If they decide to have an abortion, it's their decision. It's on their conscience. They play, they pay.
Bill Minder Morrisville
2 comments: LowerBucks16 posted at 9:11 am on Tue, Feb 28, 2012. Posts: 6 In that case, Bill, Viagra/Cialis/etc. shouldn't be covered either since impotence isn't 'a real medical problem.' Men should need to pay to play too.
Also, maybe you should consider the cost of rearing a child for 18 years vs. subsidizing birth control. One of these is substantially less expensive...
Sillydog posted at 9:04 am on Tue, Feb 28, 2012. Posts: 130 Most of the diseases that people suffer in this country are due to poor health habits. I don't think health insurance should pay for people who are lazy and fat and as a result suffer heart attacks and diabetes. You eat and sit on your butt, you pay. How's that?
MY APOLOGIES THE PLAY TONIGHT IS FREE BUT THERE IS A CHARGE OF $5.00 FOR ADULTS AT FRIDAYS GYM NIGHT, STUDENTS GET IN FREE WITH THIS YEARS CURRENT GYM NIGHT SHIRT ON AND KIDS ARE $3.00. PART OF THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO BE DONATED TO THE FIRE VICTIMS OF MORRISVILLE. PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE KIDS AND THOSE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR HOMES
IF ANYONE HAS A 9TH OR 10TH GRADER AT MHS PLEASE NOTE...
THERE IS A SEMI- FORMAL DINNER DANCE PLANNED for March 23, rd 7-11pm at the Yardley country club, $45. Tickets have been on sale, we are trying to assist with getting the word out to everyone who may be considering or may not know about it yet. These types of events are so important to the kids as they create great high school memories . If anyone is considering going but is having a problem with obtaining a dress, I can assist with that by getting the Cinderellas closet at Tech opened again, Dresses are $20.00 each and they are beautiful. Tickets on sale this week. Contact Jim Gober at MHS to purchase or anyone at the main office can assist you. If you need help with a dress, email wANDA kARTAL AT wandakartal@yahoo.com
Fan bus to Lady Bulldogs District #1 Semi-Final Game
Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs Basketball team on Saturday's 66-26 Victory over Calvary Christian. The team now faces Sacred Heart on Wed., Feb. 29th, 7:30 p.m. at Wissahickon High School, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. A student and adult fan bus will be going to the game. The cost is $10 which covers the bus ticket and game admission and will leave from the gym entrance at 5:00. Students must have a completed permission slip to ride the bus. For more fan-bus information, see Mr. Hubiak in room B-14 or call 267-246-9068. For those wishing to drive, directions to the game are available in the high school front office. The cost for admission only to the game is $5 (Same cost, student or adult).
31 comments:
cOME OUT TO WEDNESDAYS BOARD MEETING TO HEAR UPDATES FROM BOTH MORRISVILLE HOME SCHOOL STUDENT REP AND OUR NEWEST ADDITION, THE MORRISVILLE TECH SCHOOL STUDENT REP AS WELL AS OUR STUDENT SPOTLIGHT FOR FEBRUARY...There will also be a prelim budget review given by the Business Manager
District Event
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Board Meeting in the LGI
...
Site: DIST
Start Time: 7:30 PM
End Time: 9:30 PM
District Event
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Elementary Play in the High School Aud.
Site: DIST
Start Time: 7:00 PM
End Time: 9:00 PM
Good stuff, Wanda. Thanks!
A Tech School rep is a nice, thoughtful idea.
Speaking of the Tech School, below is an article from the 6/30/2011 BucksLocalNews. I'm posting it below because in earlier discussions on the 2012-13 budget, Business Manager Paul DeAngelo said that Morrisville’s share of Tech School funding may drop significantly this year.
We’re supposed to get a budget update at the Wed. Feb. 22 Board Business meeting, but in January, Mr. DeAngelo said that the preliminary estimate from Tech showed MSD’s share at about the 2008-09 level, which was $626,000, versus $939,000 last year. That’s $313,000 lower.
It’s hard to sort through all the demagoguery about Tech School funding, but when you do, you see that it’s quite possible for a district’s share of Tech School funding to drop under the funding formula. I’m too lazy to dig it up, but I think I even posted a while back that we might see a drop in 2012-13.
OK. Now I’ve said all that to say all this:
If we follow the “Hellmann Plan” again this year (i.e. pay based on your own creation of the average actual cost per student over the past 5 years – well, after withholding payment for many months, getting entangled in legal action, and still ending up underpaying by about $100,000, if memory serves me), we are very likely to SIGNIFICANTLY overpay this year. Maybe, probably, by even more than we short-paid last year.
Raise your hands if you’re up for that.
Or is there a corollary to the Hellmann Plan that says you withhold then underpay when MSD’s share is up, but slam that Funding Formula amount down lickety-split when MSD’s share is down? If I had to guess, I’d say that's a yes. Which points out how that’s an even more arbitrary folly than the Tech School Funding Formula.
By John Williams
BucksLocalNews.com
MORRISVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT – School Board President Bill Hellmann made a motion last night (Wednesday, June 30) to administer a sizable payment of $522,000 to the Bucks County Technical School.
Hellmann said the board is willing to pay the “average of all area school districts” and said that they’re continuing to dispute “the excessive amount of money that Morrisville is being charged.” He said the district has also asked for an audit of the technical school.
The motion passed unanimously, 8-0, with no dissenting opinions.
Board member John DeWilde noted that the technical school has agreed to keep the budget conversation open between itself and Morrisville in an attempt to explain how the budget is interpreted, however futile that might be.
Jack Buckman, a school board member and technical school liaison, said the intent is to “cut back on costs.”
Hellmann told the Yardley News that litigation with the technical school is pending and that the Pennsylvania Department of Education is fully aware of the budget battle.
“We made a good faith payment based on the average actual cost per student over the past five years,” he said. “That includes all students and all six school districts. We ask to be treated fairly and we do not believe we should be charged more per student than the other school districts,” he said, referring to larger districts such as neighboring Pennsbury.
After the motion was approved, the board voted unanimously, 0-8, to not approve the technical school budget for the 2011-12 school year.
Originally published Thursday, June 30.
One more soap box moment, and then I’ll give it a rest.
I watched the video of the 2/15 Board Agenda meeting. At about the 33:45 mark, Steve Worob goes into a “hey, let’s just save everybody a lot of time and money and not even bother to look at other providers of legal services to the District” spiel. He pitched the idea of stopping the process of sending out a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking information, rates, experience, etc. from law firms for Solicitor services. He’s taking up the cause at the board table that Marlys Mihok has been taking up from the audience podium.
I find it interesting that Worob and Mihok, who supported "Hellmann Board" efforts to look into other providers of prescription drug plans, sanitation and clerical workers, teachers, High Schools, bus services, etc. in the name of competition and efficiency and cost savings don’t want to do the same when it comes to legal services. I don’t recall hearing that it was too costly or time-consuming to do those other things.
I hope cooler, more reasonable heads prevail and that the process plays out. Current Solicitor Thomas Profy’s firm (Begley, Carlin, & Mandio) is certainly welcome to respond to the RFP just like any other law firm. I commend Bill Ferrara and John DeWilde for their reasonable responses to Mr. Worob’s remarks. I’m paraphrasing, but Mr. Ferrara noted that most other Districts typically put out RFP’s for legal services when there is significant electoral turnover on School Boards, John DeWilde asked that the Board let the process play out and try to be fair.
I note that Simon Campbell and his board allies in Pennsbury, for whom Worob and Mihok and Hellmann probably feel a strong kinship, is pushing for a new Solicitor in that District, even though Pennsbury’s in the middle of a major ($10 million) lawsuit over the student who tragically lost a leg in a bus accident.
I have no personal stake in this. I just don’t see the harm in getting competitive info on various firms that provide similar services, and making a reasonable decision after carefully weighing all the factors. If it ends up that Mr. Profy’s firm is still a good choice, fine. I recognize that you tend to get what you pay for, so the firm with the lowest rates isn’t necessarily the best choice. Just ask the MSD/Tech students (and their parents) who got stood up by school buses in the last year.
I recommend taking the words of Mr. Worob and Mrs. Mihok (and anybody else who has been on the Morrisville political scene for many year/decades and is as political as they come) with a big grain of salt when they complain about something being “political”.
Get the info, evaluate it carefully, make a good choice. No favors, no B.S. We’ve had way too much of that already.
Speaking of non political hirings, is PR Director Pat Wandling still on the payroll???
State budget proposal could slow school district construction
By Christian Menno Staff writer | Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 3:30 pm
Construction projects planned by Pennsylvania school districts could soon hit a financial snag if alterations to the state's reimbursement plan included in Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed budget are approved.
According to the proposal, the state would put a freeze on accepting applications to PlanCon — the program that districts follow to request reimbursement funds from the state.
Corbett's plan for the 2012-13 spending plan was unveiled Feb. 7 and features a total operating budget of $63.3 billion, with $27.1 billion in general fund expenditures — a decrease of more than $20 million from last year. It also includes no tax increase.
But it is the moratorium on state funding applications for capital projects that has some Bucks school district officials worried.
"If the state reduces their reimbursement, then districts will be required to make up the difference with local tax dollars in order to pay their debt service," Neshaminy school board President Ritchie Webb said. "If that happens, the district may not have the financial resources to build or renovate under Act One limitations. At the present time, Neshaminy's buildings require updates and the loss of reimbursement will cause additional hardships."
Neshaminy officials have reported in the past that long-term projections indicate the district's facilities will require about $40 million in improvements and repairs.
David Baugh, superintendent of Bensalem schools, said Corbett's plan would slow down plans to renovate Bensalem High School.
"(It) is not helpful," he added, "and it is shortsighted on the governor's part. Every dollar spent on school construction is a dollar spent in the Pennsylvania economy. This will result in fewer (Pennsylvania) jobs. ... We won't have a time when it's better to do the construction than right now. Rates are down and construction companies are hungry for business."
While the Bristol Township School District will not be immediately affected if Corbett's proposal goes through, Superintendent Samuel Lee said it "appears to compromise Pennsylvania's commitment to school districts engaging or planning to engage in capital projects."
"(The plan is) not economically sound either, as there has never been a better time for districts to attend to aging facilities, whether by building, renovation or consolidation," Lee said.
Although Bristol Township schools have not had a PlanCon project since 1993, Lee said that most of the district buildings range from 40 to 60 years of age and could need work in the future.
"This budget proposal and subsequent policy would be very discouraging to our district and our community," he added.
Reimbursement for current projects in the Centennial School District could be slowed, but officials expect to still receive what they've anticipated.
"The proposed budget does not provide additional funds but maintains the reimbursement levels of the past," said William Gretton, assistant superintendent of operations in Centennial. "The state has a limited amount of funds designed for this line item, and will only be taking on new projects as older projects are completely paid out."
Centennial is building two new elementary schools — the new McDonald Elementary in Warminster and the new Davis Elementary in Upper Southampton. Each school would replace existing facilities.
So, Trinity stays open, but St. Johns is closing. Should we be glad the diocese guillotine is avoiding the ville and falling elsewhere? Or should we be sympathetic to those families suddenly in the crosshairs? It does seem odd that after the joint appeal, they switched the plan to close from one to the other and gave no avenue for St. Johns to appeal.
Meanwhile, the flip-floppery of certain high public officials is simply parroting their national role models.
There is no reason to resist reviewing all business practices on an ongoing basis, even more so with the change in board make-up. I don't know on what grounds anyone could object to this with any credence to their arguments, but as we see every day with the national races, it doesn't matter what you said or did before.
I am very sympathetic to St. Johns families left in the lurch due to its closing.
I'm on the outside looking in, but does anyone think the Archdiocese did a good job handling this?
I don't know much of anything about St Johns. Or other private schools like PennRyn, Montessori, Newtown Friends.I'm not saying this to be rudeor disrespectful, but what can members of the General Public do when private institutions close? We don't go to polls and vote for their leaders.
No, they handled this poorly, as they usually do. Poor communications about the criteria for selecting schools for closing, a closed door "blue ribbon" commission making the decisions, then backtracking on these decisions with little explanation. If the commission was so blue ribbon, how did so many of these appeals get granted? It's as if they pulled names out of a hat, and when challenged, they had no argument to support their decisions. I hope that St. Johns stays open as well, but I suspect that unless the church does something to improve their financial management, even the "saved" schools will find them selves staring down the barrel of closures again in a few short years.
St. John parents upset school will close By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer
After being “blindsided” with the news that their parish elementary school will close in June, St. John the Evangelist parents and supporters have united in an effort to keep it open.
As of Monday afternoon, 627 people had signed an online petition — “Archdiocese of Philadelphia: Keep St. John the Evangelist School open” — launched on change.org.
And about 80 posts were up, some displaying discontent and disappointment toward the leadership of the school and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s blue ribbon commission, which had recommended a number of school closings. Other posts plead for St. John to remain open, even if officials have said the school is not in a position to remain viable.
In January, the elementary school was initially slated to regionalize with Holy Trinity School in Morrisville, using St. John’s Lower Makefield building. But that plan was twisted late last week when Holy Trinity successfully appealed to remain open.
Instead, the diocese decided to close St. John.
Now, St. John students will have to pack up and enroll in surrounding schools, such as St. Andrew in Newtown Township and St. Ignatius in Yardley, the two closest Catholic elementary schools to Lower Makefield.
Parent Bob Nawalinski on Monday said parents are looking into their options and hope to be able to meet with archdiocese officials.
Parents argue that it’s unfair that the archdiocese and/or school decided to shut down St. John without giving the school a chance to appeal that decision, considering that initially the school wasn’t on the recommended closure list.
“So at the end of all this we are the only school closing (in Lower Bucks County) and this pastor won’t say a word about it on our behalf? This is absolute cowardice,” Patrick Larr wrote on the website.
Parent Renae Kulak wrote: “My family and I searched and searched all local schools to see who would provide our children with the best education. We are very happy with St. John School. The principal is top notch as well as all of the teachers. Please keep this school open. I personally drive my kids 20 minutes a day to St. John for the outstanding education they provide to my third- and first-grader.”
Ben Shaginaw wrote that the school has gone through recent upgrades and renovations, including a new science lab and state-of-the-art computer lab, so he’s baffled that the school is closing after so much money has been invested.
Nick Spadea would like the opportunity for a community meeting with archdiocesan officials who were part of the decision.
Mary Rochford, superintendent of Catholic schools, told the paper on Friday that St. John was “not in a position to remain viable” and to keep the school open “we could have been looking at tuition in the range of $7,000.”
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching archdiocese officials Monday, which was Presidents Day.
A disappointed school community held a candlelight vigil Sunday “to show our support for the school and the injustice that has been done in the miscommunication and misinformation that has come from the archdiocese regarding this dilemma,” said Cindy Pfender, a school parent.
Under the initial blue ribbon commission recommendation in early January, 10 Bucks County elementary schools were to close, restructure and open as five regional schools for the 2012-13 school year. Conwell-Egan Catholic High School was to close permanently. It and three other high schools should learn their fate this week.
In total, in the five-county archdiocese, 44 elementary schools and the four high schools were recommended to close.
************************
Of the 11 Bucks schools on the list, at least eight went through the appeal process, including Holy Trinity and St. John, which under the process had to appeal jointly with Holy Trinity. The two schools went before a blue ribbon appeal committee Jan. 17, at which time the schools had the opportunity to share an hour to make their case as to why their perspective school should remain open.
The only two schools that didn’t go through the process were Assumption BVM in Lower Southampton and St. Bede the Venerable in Northampton. Starting the new school year, BVM students will attend the Northampton school, which will reopen with a new name.
On Friday, the commission released the elementary school appeal results; leaving 75 percent of the appealing elementary schools open in the archdiocese.
In Bucks, that includes St. Mark in Bristol, St. Michael the Archangel in Tullytown, St. John the Baptist in Nockamixon, Holy Trinity in Morrisville, St. Ephrem in Bensalem and Our Lady of Grace in Penndel.
St. Isidore School in Quakertown will merge with St. Philip Neri in East Greenville in Montgomery County. John the Baptist was supposed to merge with them. John the Baptist school officials have said that St. Isidore and St. Philip Neri did not appeal their closings.
Repost from mv-org ANY questions regarding below please contact main office at 215-736-2681
Location: DIST
Position Title: Driver
Salary/Pay Scale: 11.17 an hour
Description:
The School District of the Borough of Morrisville is looking for a van driver to transport students.
Salary: 11.17 an hour
Requirements: A valid driver’s license and good driving record.
Position available: The position is available immediately and will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is selected.
Submit cover letter, Resume, three recent letters of recommendation, Act 34, 151, and FBI clearances to Mr. William Ferrara, Superintendent of Schools, Morrisville Borough School District, 550 W. Palmer St., Morrisville, PA 19067
A note of thanks to the new school board members. With you, the school board is way more open and responsive. It's much less hostile and oppressive.
Keep up the good work; lots of community members are so very glad you have seats and voices at the table!!!
Corbett budget explained to Pennridge chamber
Feb 20, 2012.
Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer
As he went over the “highlights” of Gov. Tom Corbett’s first year in office to members of the Pennridge Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of Revenue Dan Meuser didn’t say much about higher education.
A year ago, Corbett proposed a 50 percent cut to the State System of Higher Education, which the General Assembly later limited to 19 percent. In his 2012-13 spending plan of $27.14 billion, Corbett has proposed another 25 percent cut — about $230 million. Community colleges would take a 4 percent hit.
Det Ansinn, who introduced himself to Meuser as a high-tech employer, told the secretary that he was fearful of the shrinking funding. Ansinn, owner of software firm BrickSimple in Doylestown, said his company needs well-educated graduates to move forward.
“I need those types of resources,” he said. “Where is that view for the long term in higher ed in Pennsylvania?”
Meuser said that while “the governor loves Penn State,” the university has received $3.4 billion in state funding in the last decade. And in that time tuition doubled.
“The idea that these dollars keep tuition low is not accurate,” he said. The governor is looking to do things differently. Frankly, over time, the governor would like to see these dollars go directly to students.”
Meuser’s response was “wandering,’’ Ansinn said.
“It is a real issue,” he said. “If we don’t take care of education we’ll have some long-term issues. We have to have that as a resource.”
State Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-10, who also spoke at Friday’s breakfast event, attended by about 60 chamber members, addressed Ansinn’s fear.
McIlhinney said Corbett’s $27.14 billion “spend number” won’t increase “but how we get there” will, meaning higher education won’t be hit with 25 percent less money.
Smack in the middle of Meuser’s 20-page presentation, was “Challenges for the 2012-13 Budget.” It included pension cost growth of $403 million, $320 million for school employees and $83 million for state employees.
David Morgan of West Rockhill, chief financial officer of Hydro Instruments, asked Meuser, “How can you accept that? Public pensions is what are bankrupting schools and crippling the economy.”
Meuser called it “the proverbial 800-pound gorilla.” He said it’s a huge issue for Corbett and said the governor is “dealing with the unions behind closed doors.”
State Rep. Paul Clymer, R-145, said Corbett’s budget put $330 million “over and above the state’s normal contribution” into the pension fund. He said he has a bill that would allow casinos to charge a $2 fee to anyone who goes into a casino. The money would go to teacher pensions.
Clymer said the House is also working on HB 1329, to increase the size of projects from $25,000 to $185,000 where the prevailing wage would have to be paid. The only Bucks or Montgomery county representative to sign onto the legislation, Clymer said it “would help taxpayers immeasurably without costing you a dime. ... We’re struggling to get the votes.”
McIlhinney, the target of environmental protesters in Doylestown on Thursday, brought up HB 1950, the General Assembly’s plans to limit local zoning control in exchange for an impact fee on Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.
He said the legislation “was a revenue bill meant to distribute and help deal with the impact of drilling. ... It was about a pot of money and who gets that money.”
Environmentalists claim it was a sellout to the industry. Jordan Yeager, an environmental attorney, on Thursday said the bill takes away local zoning control. “Does it require municipalities in the state to allow gas drilling in every zoning district? Yes it does. That’s what it says. So if people who support it claim to be protective of local control, then shame on them. But don’t pretend it doesn’t say what it says.”
*********************************
Bucks County Commissioners Charley Martin and Diane Marseglia also spoke to the chamber.
With all the talk about budget cuts, Marseglia asked Meuser to tread carefully. “Water always runs downhill,” she said. “Remember us as you’re thinking about all these cuts.”
As Bucks County is faced with a $37 million bill for communication upgrades, Martin complained about unfunded mandates. “That’s the kind of thing we deal with every day.”
Speaking of non political hirings, is PR Director Pat Wandling still on the payroll???
Any answers to the above question?
Do we need her if she is?
St. John community makes plans to save school By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer
It’s a long shot, but St. John the Evangelist School parents are going to try to convince the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to reconsider closing the elementary school in June.
The first step: Parents have to come up with a five-year sustainability plan that includes enrollment and finances. Then, they will present the plan to school and church officials, parent Bob Nawalinski said Tuesday.
If the administration believes the plan is “realistic” and obtainable, then it will approach the archdiocese for consideration.
That’s what a small group of parents were told during a Tuesday night meeting with church and school officials at the school.
“They made it very clear that it’s a long shot to have the archdiocese reconsider,” Nawalinski said. “At least we have the backing of the school and church leadership.”
In January, the elementary school was initially recommended to regionalize with Holy Trinity School in Morrisville, using St. John’s Lower Makefield building. But that plan was upended late last week when Holy Trinity successfully appealed to remain open.
So now, St. John is slated to close at the end of the school year.
The archdiocese is encouraging St. John parents to enroll their children in nearby Catholic schools. Holy Trinity is the closest at 2.3 miles away. St. Ignatius in Yardley is 3.3 miles away and St. Andrew in Newtown Township is 9.9 miles away.
The St. John community is surprised by the outcome and disappointed about how it happened. Families argue that they didn’t even have a chance to challenge the archdiocese’s final decision.
A blue ribbon commission recommended a restructuring of 44 elementary schools and four high schools in the five-county archdiocese. Affected schools were given the opportunity to appeal. The final word was released Friday that 75 percent of the appealing elementary schools would remain open. The fate of the four high schools hasn’t been announced yet.
Kenneth Gavin, spokesman for the archdiocese, said Tuesday that “at this point in time, the appeals process has concluded. It’s important to note that the goal of the blue ribbon commission was to make Catholic education affordable, accessible, sustainable and continually excellent far into the future.”
While he can’t address the particulars of any specific appeals, he said that “any alterations that came out of the process would have been deemed the most appropriate solutions to meet the goals of the blue ribbon commission.”
St. John’s enrollment capacity is at 56 percent. The parish subsidy to the school in the 2009-10 school year was $367,992. The 2009-10 parish deficit was $244,481.
The school can raise funds and get donors to help with the finances, but it goes beyond that, officials said.
“Finances are only one part of the picture,” Gavin said. “The biggest issue is being able to show a plan for sustainability — not just in the immediate future or for the next two years but for the long term. Enrollment is crucially linked to that sustainability. Schools need to show that they can increase their enrollments to the levels needed to make the school viable. When enrollments are drastically reduced, faculty and staff must be reduced and the quality of the overall program is impacted.
He continued: “Even if funds were raised in the short term to offset existing deficits or to support the operational budgets, those funds would be quickly depleted and the problem would never be effectively solved. We need our schools to be affordable, accessible, sustainable, and continually excellent. Any plan would need to meet those goals for the long term.”
With the final decisions made on the elementary school appeals, the archdiocese is focusing on the implementation phase.
PW - don't have an answer to the question, however $25K could be budgeted on something more educationally important in these tough economic times, or just flat out saved.Even if as PW has said she doesn't charge that much actually it still must be budgeted. Nothing personal against PW, just fiscal prudence to rethink this budget-wise.
Dear prudence, won't you come out to play?
Grey Nun could buy soon-to-close St. John's
February 24, 2012
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE
A private Catholic academy based in Lower Makefield would consider moving across town into St. John the Evangelist School if the school closes.
Grey Nun Academy, which is sponsored by the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, is hunting for a new property to call home, after the order sold its 90-acre campus on Quarry Road to Holy Redeemer Health System last year.
If the archdiocese goes through with St. John’s closure, Grey Nun will pursue the possibility of purchasing the 21.4-acre Lower Makefield campus, Grey Nun Principal Marianne Finnegan said Thursday.
Although the K-8 academy can stay at its site until June 2017, the administration is seeking a new property to call home in Bucks County.
The archdiocese recently slated St. John for closure at the end of the school year. A group of parents has rallied to keep the school open, but if the St. John community isn’t successful in getting the archdiocese to reconsider keeping the elementary school open, then the parish will have a vacant school property.
Parents will have to come up with a five-year sustainability plan by next week and present it to St. John administration. That plan has to address the facts: The parish subsidy to the school in the 2009-10 school year was $367,992. The 2009-10 parish deficit was $244,481.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching the church’s pastor, Monsignor Joseph Prior for comment on Thursday.
Academy administration or facility committee members have not toured the Big Oak Road facility, Finnegan said. Grey Nun Academy is a private Catholic school, not run under the archdiocese.
Finnegan said the two schools have the same mission to provide Catholic education, and she respects the efforts being made by St. John’s parents.
Finnegan and members of parent and facility committees are considering all options, and have visited a few locations in the area, including some that are not educational institutions, Finnegan said. Grey Nun administrators would like to stay in the Newtown-Yardley-Lower Makefield area because most of its nearly 200 students are from those areas, she said.
Though the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart order have sold the property, the school and personal care facility didn’t close.
The sale, effective this past Jan. 1, includes: D’Youville Manor, the personal-care facility; Grey Nun Academy; and the Grey Nuns Motherhouse. The order sold the property to help sustain its mission and care for its aging population of nuns, officials have said.
The Abington-based health care system took over the manor’s operations in January and the religious order leases the school and Motherhouse back from the health care system.
The school’s lease is for five years, to give the academy’s board of trustees time to work out an extended lease agreement with Holy Redeemer or to move the Blue Ribbon school to another site, academy officials have said.
Tuitions run in excess of $11,000 a year for full-time students at Grey Nun.
In January, an archdiocese blue ribbon commission recommended that 44 elementary school in the five-county archdioceses restructure and four high schools close.
Within that recommendation, St. John and Holy Trinity in Morrisville were supposed to regionalize. This school year, Holy Trinity has 197 enrolled students, and St. John has 195.
The two schools went through the appeals process offered by the archdiocese.
St. John’s website states that “Holy Trinity Parish opted to appeal the decision preferring to remain on their own ... During the appeal both parishes were asked to present their position with regard to the proposed plan. Our position was that we were in favor of the new school and welcomed the opportunity to continue having a Catholic School on this campus and to share in the responsibility of sponsoring that school.”
Personally, I prefer Blue Nun ....or Manischewitz.
Reposted from Athletic Director...
Come out and support the Lady Bulldogs Basketball team as they begin their quest for the P.I.A.A. District #1 Championship. The Girls start their run Saturday February 25th, Game time is 1:30 PM at Morrisville High School. The cost of admission is $5.00 for both students and adults (no passes will be honored). Come out and cheer the girls on to Victory.
Morrisville Elementary School Play
The curtain goes up on “This Old Gingerbread House” at the Morrisville High School auditorium Tues., Feb. 28, 7 p.m. The play features Grandview Elementary School students, pre-K through 2nd grade.
Music teacher Nellie Plummer and 2nd grade teacher Cheri Tabit are enthusiastic about their young performers and encourage parents and friends to join them for this entertaining play that is free and open to the public.
Reminder----Go see the Pre-K through 2nd graders at the high school tonight perform their Gingerbread play on the big stage at 7pm. These kids have worked so hard after schook practicing to show their community how great the Morrisville kids are so please stop in and support them. You remember how fun it was to see a young child up on a stage right? This is a FREE event, you cannot get any better than FREE and supporting your local kids.
This Friday, 3/2 is Gym Night at the High School for grades 9-12...starts 6pm...If you went to MHS you remember how fun Gym Night was and how much work the kids put into the event to win for their Blue or Gold...Another FREE event at the school that you can come out and have a good time.
Pay to play
Posted: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 6:00 am | Updated: 3:45 pm, Mon Feb 27, 2012.
Sex is not a medical problem. It should not be covered by health insurance.
If one wants to use birth control, there are many methods available. Condoms are given freely at some high schools, colleges and Planned Parenthood. Why should the taxpayer be forced to pay for people to use them? You play, you pay.
Cancer, heart attack, strokes, broken bones, etc. are covered by heath insurance. These are real medical problems.
If a couple has sex and a pregnancy is the result, that's their problem. If they decide to have an abortion, it's their decision. It's on their conscience. They play, they pay.
Bill Minder
Morrisville
2 comments:
LowerBucks16 posted at 9:11 am on Tue, Feb 28, 2012.
Posts: 6
In that case, Bill, Viagra/Cialis/etc. shouldn't be covered either since impotence isn't 'a real medical problem.' Men should need to pay to play too.
Also, maybe you should consider the cost of rearing a child for 18 years vs. subsidizing birth control. One of these is substantially less expensive...
Sillydog posted at 9:04 am on Tue, Feb 28, 2012.
Posts: 130
Most of the diseases that people suffer in this country are due to poor health habits. I don't think health insurance should pay for people who are lazy and fat and as a result suffer heart attacks and diabetes. You eat and sit on your butt, you pay. How's that?
MY APOLOGIES THE PLAY TONIGHT IS FREE BUT THERE IS A CHARGE OF $5.00 FOR ADULTS AT FRIDAYS GYM NIGHT, STUDENTS GET IN FREE WITH THIS YEARS CURRENT GYM NIGHT SHIRT ON AND KIDS ARE $3.00. PART OF THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO BE DONATED TO THE FIRE VICTIMS OF MORRISVILLE. PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE KIDS AND THOSE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR HOMES
IF ANYONE HAS A 9TH OR 10TH GRADER AT MHS PLEASE NOTE...
THERE IS A SEMI- FORMAL DINNER DANCE PLANNED for March 23, rd 7-11pm at the Yardley country club, $45.
Tickets have been on sale, we are trying to assist with getting the word out to everyone who may be considering or may not know about it yet.
These types of events are so important to the kids as they create great high school memories .
If anyone is considering going but is having a problem with obtaining a dress, I can assist with that by getting the Cinderellas closet at Tech opened again, Dresses are $20.00 each and they are beautiful.
Tickets on sale this week. Contact Jim Gober at MHS to purchase or anyone at the main office can assist you.
If you need help with a dress, email wANDA kARTAL AT wandakartal@yahoo.com
Fan bus to Lady Bulldogs District #1 Semi-Final Game
Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs Basketball team on Saturday's 66-26 Victory over Calvary Christian. The team now faces Sacred Heart on Wed., Feb. 29th, 7:30 p.m. at Wissahickon High School, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. A student and adult fan bus will be going to the game. The cost is $10 which covers the bus ticket and game admission and will leave from the gym entrance at 5:00. Students must have a completed permission slip to ride the bus. For more fan-bus information, see Mr. Hubiak in room B-14 or call 267-246-9068. For those wishing to drive, directions to the game are available in the high school front office. The cost for admission only to the game is $5 (Same cost, student or adult).
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