Posted: Sunday, March 17, 2013 7:00 pm
Posted on March 17, 2013
The future of Morrisville schools might be in the hands of the bordering Pennsbury district.And it will stay that way, unless or until Pennsbury says differently.For now, Morrisville has two things to talk about with its neighboring district: the possibility of merging the two districts and/or tuitioning out Morrisville high school students to Pennsbury.
Those options will remain possibilities for the small district's future unless Pennsbury axes them, Morrisville officials said last week.
If the two districts meet, and it could be months from now, the merger option would remain on the table, unless “we hear a definite 'no' from them,” Damon Miller, Morrisville’s school board president, said at last week’s board meeting.
In the meantime, the district will continue studying options for the future, such as providing advanced placement cyber classes, Miller said. Currently the district offers no AP courses due to budgetary constraints.
Morrisville could follow in the footsteps of a national trend in which economically distressed smaller districts are going the cheaper cyber alternative to solve their financial woes.
A merger would dissolve the Morrisville district. To tuition out, Morrisville would close its high school and send the high school students to Pennsbury, but keep the lower grades and still have a school district.
Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-10, is working as the middle man by calling a meeting between Morrisville and Pennsbury to consider merger possibilities.
"I'm here to facilitate," McIlhinney said, adding that he's not advocating any specific option. "If Morrisville calls me and needs me to set up a meeting, and I can, I will. The same goes for Pennsbury, if they need me to help with a meeting, I will."
As of Friday, a meeting between the two had not been set up, he said. Pennsbury had not gotten back to his office about meeting dates, he said.
By state law, Morrisville can merge with an abutting school district only, the senator said. That would be Pennsbury. However, if Morrisville wants to tuition out the high school students, it can do so to any district, he said.
McIlhinney said that Morrisville's school board is mostly made up of new members, so they are doing their due diligence in researching their options. He also pointed out that Pennsbury's school board is also fairly new, so past talks about such moves did not include current school directors either.
When news of McIhinney's initiative broke recently, Pennsbury school director Simon Campbell called for the rest of the board to vote against meeting with Morrisville. He's against a merger. That vote was taken March 7 and failed 8-1, leaving school board President Allan Weisel free to meet with Morrisville. Weisel has said he agreed to a meeting, as a courtesy to McIlhinney, but he's personally not in favor of a merger.
Miller said he attended Pennsbury’s March 7 agenda meeting and and highlighted two points.
First, if the districts merged, Morrisville would contribute more than $9.3 million annually to Pennsbury's budget based on the borough's property assessments and the current Pennsbury millage rate, he said.
That's about half of Morrisville's current $18 million operating budget.
Pennsbury's operating budget this year is $174.9 million. The Pennsbury school board used about $2.8 million in reserve funds (savings) to balance the budget this year without raising taxes.
Miller argued that if the schools merge, Pennsbury could close Pennwood Middle School, which holds 1,000 kids, forgoing $20 million in repairs, and move all students to Grandview Elementary/Intermediate school building in Morrisville, which holds 1,500 children, has a new heating system and new windows.
“I put it out there, just so that the Pennsbury people understood what we have to at least offer on the surface to begin with, before even any talks happened,” Miller said. “I did mention that we are not in need of being rescued at this point in time…. We are not at the stage where we are sitting here saying, ‘Please take us, we have no place to turn.’ "
"We don’t know what’s going to happen down the road with state funding and cost, and budget wise," he added. "So part of the goal of this committee is to try to find a solution, a path that we feel can take us farther down the road. Merger is one of those options. Obviously that removes the district, but it’s something that we would be offering more to the students of Morrisville. We would be saving taxpayers some money.”
Miller understands that a merger would face resistance, noting that any plan the administration considers wouldn't have 100 percent support from the Morrisville community.
While, Morrisville waits to hear from Pennsbury, the district continues to explore its options.
Because Morrisville doesn’t offer any advance placement classes, Miller told the education committee that cyber classes could fill that void at an economical cost.
One parent at the meeting said she'd rather her child be taught by “real teachers” who can provide students with “life lessons" from their person experiences. "That’s what kids need, a real person right in front of them,” the parent said.
She suggested raising taxes rather than go the cyber class route.
Currently, the blue collar town pays one of the highest tax rates in the state, officials have noted.
Those options will remain possibilities for the small district's future unless Pennsbury axes them, Morrisville officials said last week.
If the two districts meet, and it could be months from now, the merger option would remain on the table, unless “we hear a definite 'no' from them,” Damon Miller, Morrisville’s school board president, said at last week’s board meeting.
In the meantime, the district will continue studying options for the future, such as providing advanced placement cyber classes, Miller said. Currently the district offers no AP courses due to budgetary constraints.
Morrisville could follow in the footsteps of a national trend in which economically distressed smaller districts are going the cheaper cyber alternative to solve their financial woes.
A merger would dissolve the Morrisville district. To tuition out, Morrisville would close its high school and send the high school students to Pennsbury, but keep the lower grades and still have a school district.
Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-10, is working as the middle man by calling a meeting between Morrisville and Pennsbury to consider merger possibilities.
"I'm here to facilitate," McIlhinney said, adding that he's not advocating any specific option. "If Morrisville calls me and needs me to set up a meeting, and I can, I will. The same goes for Pennsbury, if they need me to help with a meeting, I will."
As of Friday, a meeting between the two had not been set up, he said. Pennsbury had not gotten back to his office about meeting dates, he said.
By state law, Morrisville can merge with an abutting school district only, the senator said. That would be Pennsbury. However, if Morrisville wants to tuition out the high school students, it can do so to any district, he said.
McIlhinney said that Morrisville's school board is mostly made up of new members, so they are doing their due diligence in researching their options. He also pointed out that Pennsbury's school board is also fairly new, so past talks about such moves did not include current school directors either.
When news of McIhinney's initiative broke recently, Pennsbury school director Simon Campbell called for the rest of the board to vote against meeting with Morrisville. He's against a merger. That vote was taken March 7 and failed 8-1, leaving school board President Allan Weisel free to meet with Morrisville. Weisel has said he agreed to a meeting, as a courtesy to McIlhinney, but he's personally not in favor of a merger.
Miller said he attended Pennsbury’s March 7 agenda meeting and and highlighted two points.
First, if the districts merged, Morrisville would contribute more than $9.3 million annually to Pennsbury's budget based on the borough's property assessments and the current Pennsbury millage rate, he said.
That's about half of Morrisville's current $18 million operating budget.
Pennsbury's operating budget this year is $174.9 million. The Pennsbury school board used about $2.8 million in reserve funds (savings) to balance the budget this year without raising taxes.
Miller argued that if the schools merge, Pennsbury could close Pennwood Middle School, which holds 1,000 kids, forgoing $20 million in repairs, and move all students to Grandview Elementary/Intermediate school building in Morrisville, which holds 1,500 children, has a new heating system and new windows.
“I put it out there, just so that the Pennsbury people understood what we have to at least offer on the surface to begin with, before even any talks happened,” Miller said. “I did mention that we are not in need of being rescued at this point in time…. We are not at the stage where we are sitting here saying, ‘Please take us, we have no place to turn.’ "
"We don’t know what’s going to happen down the road with state funding and cost, and budget wise," he added. "So part of the goal of this committee is to try to find a solution, a path that we feel can take us farther down the road. Merger is one of those options. Obviously that removes the district, but it’s something that we would be offering more to the students of Morrisville. We would be saving taxpayers some money.”
Miller understands that a merger would face resistance, noting that any plan the administration considers wouldn't have 100 percent support from the Morrisville community.
While, Morrisville waits to hear from Pennsbury, the district continues to explore its options.
Because Morrisville doesn’t offer any advance placement classes, Miller told the education committee that cyber classes could fill that void at an economical cost.
One parent at the meeting said she'd rather her child be taught by “real teachers” who can provide students with “life lessons" from their person experiences. "That’s what kids need, a real person right in front of them,” the parent said.
She suggested raising taxes rather than go the cyber class route.
Currently, the blue collar town pays one of the highest tax rates in the state, officials have noted.
48 comments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQFxmAdyKcg
March 13 was the final day to file petitions. Does anyone know who filed from the Morrisville Matters side or from the Hellmann Mihock side?
Morrisville matters is not a side, it was a campaign
march 12 was deadline you can contact Doylestown for candidates
Maybe our Sen. can sweeten the pot enough to get P'bury to consider this, in spite of Simon and his antics.
Put some of that PSERS guilt to work, buddy!
What will come first? Hell Freezing over or a merger with Pennsbury? Do you think the people of Lower Makefield want their kids going to school with the kids fom Morrisville?
I'm a low information guy who denies science, so I'll go with the merger.
Simon sez he's running again
Pennsbury SchoolsCampbell to seek re-election on Pennsbury school board
Posted: Monday, March 18, 2013 3:45 pm
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer
Come December, at least three new faces will be on the Pennsbury school board, according to papers filed with the Bucks County Board of Elections.
Simon Campbell is the only incumbent board member seeking another term on the regional district’s governing body. He said many of his constituents have asked him to run for another term.
“I would be proud to serve them again,” Campbell said Monday.
Board President Allan Weisel and board members Kathleen Zawacki and Howard Goldberg have opted not to seek re-election. The other five seats on the board are not up for election this year.
Goldberg, who is in his second term, said he wants to devote more time to his family and career. Plus, he believes in term limits. “Though there are no such limits on board members, two terms feels appropriate to me,” Goldberg said Monday.
Zawacki is finishing her first term. She said she and her husband plan to retire out of state within the next two years and she didn't want the district to be forced to hold a special election to fill her vacated seat.
Attempts to reach Weisel for comment were unsuccessful.
Campbell and Zawacki’s seats are in Region 1, which represents most of Lower Makefield and all of Yardley. Weisel and Goldberg’s seats are in Region 3, which represents part of Falls and a portion of Lower Makefield.
Eight candidates have registered to run in the May 21 primary election, according to county election officials.
Campbell, Susan Simon, Debra Wachspress and Joshua L. Waldorf will vie for the two seats in Region 1.
Casey Lawrence, Skip Tenney, Debra E. DeBlasio and Alison Smith will square off for the two Region 3 seats, according to county election officials.
All eight candidates’ names will appear on both the Democratic and Republican ballots in May. State law allows candidates in school board races to cross-file on primary ballots to appear under both parties.
This is Me posted at 10:05 pm on Mon, Mar 18, 2013.
Posts: 371
Well maybe this time if he is elected he will actually show up for executive sessions and board meetings.
But that might interfere with his video productions.
sothere posted at 8:06 pm on Mon, Mar 18, 2013.
Posts: 34
Why is it about Simon Campbell? I think this story is more about the board as a whole. SMFH be sure to vote, we could all use a little change.
Talk is cheap......
How about some SERIOUS talk about tuitioning out?
How about setting some timelines and making some real decisions?
You must find somewhere to tuiton out the students. And don't you think that District would want to discuss their "new" Students. And what % of the students are special education students. There is more than just handing over the money to take the High School Students and educate them. What happens if a parent does not want to tuition out their child? Home School?
Even talk about SERIOUS talk is cheap.
Dear Morrisville: STOP playing the victim card and being the beggar looking for a bail out from Pennsbury, the state, or anywhere else. START rebuilding the district and make it the jewel it can and should be. GET OFF your whining @$$e$, take pride in your homes and your taxes and your children. A safe secure and stable school district keeps property values high for everyone.
Thanks for the pep talk.
Anonymous two above nobody is playing victim and we are certainly not begging. perhaps you should pay attention on exactly what is really happening here, it's called looking into options, ideas, and doing due diligence and keeping it legit. I don't recall that happening in the last years and I am glad our new board has the balls to have those frank discussions out front, in the open, and listen to others. What a great group that we elected and I can't wait to see what they come up with
Anyone seen Don Harm lately? Another Vacation? If this is what Pennsbury had as one of their leaders we do not need Pennsbury. Harm should have his own show on the Travel Channel called vacationing on Morissville taxpayers expense.
It's like a ghost job. Not good.
Rumor has it Ron Stout is running for school board reelection.
Ron "I don;t need no fancy booklearnin' to get my award" Stoudt?
That he was ever responsible for children's education is a testament to the fecklessness of the Morrisville electorate.
I say, Good!! Let him run. It can only help whoever is running against him. My suggestion for that person is to take every opportunity to engage him in public debate. It would be quite revealing to anyone who cared to observe, and the theater possibilities are endless.
@deb: Re-read this article. It's very clearly written from the point of view that Morrisville is holding a garage sale on the front lawn and the Pennsbury people are picking it over with a barely disguised sense of disgust.
The older board and this one has done their due diligence. It was only when Hellmann his group took things over that due diligence went out the window. That lack of due diligence has resulted in very few options other than sink or swim.
The only way Pennsbury will take Morrisville is if the state forces it or sweetens the deal. Tell us since you're paying attention and I'm apparently not. What exactly does Morrisville bring to the table? Not much. A dead school, a drained bank account, and an overtaxed population. When we give up control of our own future we can only sit there and take whatever is thrown at us.
What it comes down to is that to support the merger, you have to believe that whatever is thrown at us is on balance better than the best we can manage if we keeping swimming ourselves. It's as simple and as complex as that.
"What exactly does Morrisville bring to the table? Not much. A dead school, a drained bank account, and an overtaxed population. "
Instead of focusing on the negative why not try to come up with some positive points about Morrisville. If you can't or you won't then leave it up to those who can. According to the articles I've read our district has renovated buildings Pennsbury could use and over 9 million dollars yearly for Pennsbury from taxes. I'm sure if you think about it there are more. You just have to put your mind to it, otherwise don't complain when your taxes go up just to maintain a basic education in Morrisville.
I'll add one positive thing right now. I think saying Morrisville brings $9 million to the table is is selling us short.
In the last 5 budgets, our real estate tax revenues have ranged from $10.03 to $10.72 million. I would also think that the addition of our students would bring shares of state and federal revenues to the table too, however those formulas work.
Last 5 budgets:
State revenue = $4.82-$5.57 million
Federal revenue = $0.90-$1.27 million
Jon
Thanks for the state and federal revenue numbers. Don't know how they would relate or change if a merge would happen.
The 9 million is based on Pennsbury millage rate not Morrisvilles. Check the article. If I read it correctly it ooks like Damon Miller used the current assessed value of Morrisville properties and calculated what Morrisville would be sending to Pennsbury at their rate not the millage of Morrisville.
Good point. I stand corrected. That's why it's important to read the fine print.
On another positive note, maybe with a merger we wouldn't have the perennial "19067" zip code funding whackiness any more, since all of 19067 would be in the same school district? We can dream ...
..and just think, the children would have options they can only dream about in the small walking district some folks nostalgically cling to.
Just geographically, this merger makes sense. I understand the reluctance on Pbury's part, and I sincerely hope that the state can bring something to the table to goad this along, even if it is a big stick. Until then, it's just more hot air.
"Instead of focusing on the negative why not try to come up with some positive points about Morrisville."
I don't subscribe to the liberal *only speak the positive* crap. Coins have two sides, Heaven has Hell, and the U.S. Government always has to be fighting a war somewhere against *them*. Ignoring less happy facts because they don't blow sunshine into your day is no way to go through life.
There's a lot of positives about Morrisville. We have a family oriented school district where the teachers, students and the parents all know each other. This should be a premier school district with all the benefits of a public school system with a high quality private school education.
*Should* is the operative word. Until we get our act together as a boro and stop fighting each other, what you see is what you get.
This merger is going to happen. The state will cough up money, both districts will hold their noses and be forced to go for it and the Morrisville kids will always be from the wrong side of the tracks in Pennsbury speak.
Morrisville can't survive much longer under current conditions. The town voted for Hellman-Mihok and we got what we asked for.
God people can one day you all stop with negativity and live in a positive way. you wonder why morrisville gets its bad rap, stop being the person to talk bad about the place you live. if you dont like it here please move to the other side of the tracks im sure the grass is much greener, good luck with that
That wasn't particularly positive or helpful either. How's about posting up some positive things to pitch to Pennsbury for a merger? Whether you're for it or not, whether it happens or not, throw down some positive attributes to put under P'bury's noses. I challenge you to do it. I know you can. There are many.
Fight the negativity with negativity?
Does anyone else see the irony in these posts?
What courageous adults stepped up for Morrisville's students? Who is running for the open School Board seats? Is the positive momentum REAL or IMAGINED? Tell me. The answer to this question is VITAL to predicting what can and will happen next - more valuable than mere BANTER.
I just saw the names of the 5candidates a previous post. Two incumbents and three newbies. Very good gentlemen. Thank you for stepping up. Jon Perry, I'm very glad you are in the race. You have a wealth of knowledge and are a dedicated citizen. Bravo!
Banter?
Jones: Morning, Squadron Leader.
Idle: What-ho, Squiffy.
Jones: How was it?
Idle: Top-hole. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie.
Jones: Er, I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Squadron Leader.
Idle: It's perfectly ordinary banter, Squiffy. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie.
Jones: No, I'm just not understanding banter at all well today. Give us it slower.
Idle: Banter's not the same if you say it slower, Squiffy.
Jones: Hold on then... Wingco! Bend an ear to the Squadron Leader's banter for a sec, would you?
Chapman: Can do.
Jones: Jolly good. Fire away.
Idle: Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's-your-father; hairy blighter, dicky-birded, feathered back on his sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harpers and caught his can in the Bertie.
Chapman: No, I don't understand that banter at all.
Idle: Something up with my banter, chaps?
Palin: Bunch of monkeys on the ceiling, sir! Grab your egg-and-fours and let's get the bacon delivered!
Chapman (to Idle): Do *you* understand that?
Idle: No, I didn't get a word of it.
Chapman: Sorry, old man, we don't understand your banter.
Palin: You know, bally tenpenny ones dropping in the custard!
(no reaction)
Palin: Um... Charlie choppers chucking a handful!
Chapman: No no, sorry.
Jones: Say it slower, old chap.
Palin: Slower *banter*, sir?
Chapman: Ra-ther.
Palin: Um... sausage squad up the blue end?
Idle: No, still don't get it.
Palin: Um... cabbage crates coming over the briny?
The others: No, no.
(Film of air-raid)
Idle (voice-over): But by then it was too late. The first cabbage crates hit London on July the 7th. That was just the beginning.
(Chapman seen sitting at desk, on telephone)
Chapman: Five shillings a dozen? That's ordinary cabbages, is it? And what about the bombs? Good Lord, they _are_ expensive.
Thank you for the kind words, LTR TTP. I don't burn with political ambition, but 4 seats are up for election, and I've seen some of the alternatives in action for many years now. I wasn't sure how many of those alternatives would be running, but it looks like only Ron Stout filed the paperwork.
I would be right honored to serve on the school board and, if elected, I hope to serve the entire community well.
I'd vote for you, and did before. I like the idea of having a descendent of vikings on the board.
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
=
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords.
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins,
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.
Led Zep III. An underrated part of the Zep catalog.
Vikings? Is it the red hair (or formerly red hair that's getting brown and/or gray)?
I'm going to stake out a bold position and say I don't much care for "Hats Off to Roy Harper".
You're a red haired giant. Must be some viking in their somewhere.
As for Zep 3, yes, an underrated effort, but much appreciated work by zep-heads everywhere.
As for hats off.. Not my favorite either, but then again, I aint no monkey, can't climb no tree....
AS far as my fav Zep work, that would be Presence. They got back to some good heavy blues. Achilles last stand just rocks, and Tea for one is one of those quintessential blues pieces, where the music and lyrics just ooze the feeling.
Whoa - it's like you read my mind about Presence. Not the stuff you hear on the radio all the time. Unfortunately, my Presence CD skips badly in the car.
Dingle's vacating a 2-year seat for a run at a 4-year seat. Don't let that 2-year seat be overlooked...
There is no 2 year seat.
Dingle replaced Marone who had a two year seat because of Brenda Worobs death
All four seats are for four years
Vote Early and Vote often!!!
Ruthrauff filled B. Worob's vacant spot. The last ballot labeled it a 2-year seat. I guess that's why I thought there was one seat with a different term. Thanks for clarifying.
Ruthrauff filled Robin Reithmeyers seat. Steve Worob filled Brenda's seat till the election cycle. He ran for a four year seat and Marone ran for the two year seat to complete Brenda's term. When Marone resigned Dingle took her place still leaving the seat up for election this cycle.
Usually there is no two year seat. Only when someone leaves before their term and the remaining time is longer than two years does one occur.
Confusing ain't it?
Did Ruthrauff ever find her missing cow?
Break away
Just when it
Seems so clear
That it's
Over now
Drink your big black cow
And get out of here
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