tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post7931156864117106966..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: Budget to be approved at board meeting todayCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-6251785559104744182010-05-11T14:51:09.607-04:002010-05-11T14:51:09.607-04:00@ Dunwoody Mom
Not necessarily. That's what ...@ Dunwoody Mom<br /><br />Not necessarily. That's what Chesnut gets the ACTIVboards through DCSS for. Part of the deal is for schools to purchase ACTIVboards through DCSS bid agreement. <br /><br />It plainly states in Ms. Tyson's presentation the cost of projector bulbs. Most of DCSS units are Solution #2 - short throw. Short throw projector bulbs for Solution #2 are supposed to be $92.96 per the bid:<br /><br />"Unit Costs are as follows:<br /><br />Solution #1 (Ceiling Mounted) $ 3,692.97<br />Solution #2 (Short Throw) $ 4,286.89<br />Solution #3 (Mobile/Stand) $ 3,582.38<br />Student Response System (32 per set) $ 1,838.00<br /><br />Optional Items:<br />* Interactive LCD Panel $ 1,420.00<br />* Document Camera $ 596.99<br />* VGA/Splitter Amplifier $ 92.69<br />* Bulb replacement for solution #1 $ 92.96<br />* Bulb replacement for solution #2 $ 92.96<br />* Bulb replacement for solution #3 $ 275.00"<br /><br />Why are schools paying $500? That's an insurmountable cost for schools. that was supposed to be one of the benefits of the ACTIVboards over Smartboards, etc. - the bulb replacement cost. Does anyone in MIS monitor this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-90349886275386922502010-05-11T14:27:33.414-04:002010-05-11T14:27:33.414-04:00@ Anon 5/10 10:34PM
Not to nitpick, but I would ...@ Anon 5/10 10:34PM<br />Not to nitpick, but I would definitely consider Smokerise, Tucker, Midvale and Evansdale to be in the North side of the county. This just shows that the North/South issue is a matter of individual interpretation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-52363126532084677812010-05-11T14:10:26.359-04:002010-05-11T14:10:26.359-04:00My biggest complaint about the active boards is th...My biggest complaint about the active boards is that, at our school at least, we had no say on where the boards were placed. In most cases they bolted them right in the middle of our white board, making it useless. The best choice would have been to go with the either the mobile or ceiling units (and cheaper too), but once again no one asked the teachers.<br />We found out the replacement pens cost around $70.<br />In a lot of the high schools the boards are mounted so low that students in the back of the classroom cannot see them.<br />One last gripe... a friend teaches at a ES where the projectors were stolen off most of the active boards. They were sure that it was an inside job, but the DeKalb police were never called - instead it was "handled" by DCSS in-house security.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-31374215715826336522010-05-11T13:57:58.559-04:002010-05-11T13:57:58.559-04:00Yes, $4,000 is about what the boards cost. I know...Yes, $4,000 is about what the boards cost. I know that there is also a fund-raising effort at Chesnut Charter ES to equip each classroom with a Promethean Board. I can't help but think if the bulbs cost $500/each, that would be a little tough maintenance cost for the schools to handle.Paula Caldarellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05515215184962897541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-34623373325683824232010-05-11T13:50:34.457-04:002010-05-11T13:50:34.457-04:00$4,000 per ACTIVboard. Ouch. That's pretty h...$4,000 per ACTIVboard. Ouch. That's pretty high. Vanderlyn and Austin PTAs have been buying these boards. Vanderly and Austin parents involved with purchasing these boards - is this a good price for those boards?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-78701306080819595592010-05-11T13:43:24.116-04:002010-05-11T13:43:24.116-04:00@ Anonymous 10:24 pm
"Promethean Boards are o...@ Anonymous 10:24 pm<br />"Promethean Boards are only useful if you have the $550 replacement bulbs that they need to work when they go out. My school doesn't have any extra bulbs, so as the board lights go out the expensive boards are now worthless until we get bulbs."<br /><br />I surprised to hear that the Promethean Board light bulbs cost $550. Are you sure this is the correct figure. Here is the actual figures presented to the BOE copied from BOE meeting 4/14/2008:<br /><br />"Ms. Ramona Tyson, Associate Superintendent, Management Information System, 678.676.1134<br /><br />Supporting Documents<br />Executive Summary<br />RFP8-16 Bid Abstract IAB.xls<br />IAB Deployment Strategy<br /><br />Requested Action<br />It is recommended that the Board of Education award RFP 8-16 Interactive Board Solution (IAB) to Dell Marketing as the lowest responsible responsive bidder for the purchase of up to 1,500 interactive boards at a cost not to exceed $6,000,000.00.<br /><br />Unit Costs are as follows:<br /><br />Solution #1 (Ceiling Mounted) $ 3,692.97<br />Solution #2 (Short Throw) $ 4,286.89<br />Solution #3 (Mobile/Stand) $ 3,582.38<br />Student Response System (32 per set) $ 1,838.00<br /><br />Optional Items:<br />* Interactive LCD Panel $ 1,420.00<br />* Document Camera $ 596.99<br />* VGA/Splitter Amplifier $ 92.69<br />* Bulb replacement for solution #1 $ 92.96<br />* Bulb replacement for solution #2 $ 92.96<br />* Bulb replacement for solution #3 $ 275.00<br /><br />* These items were listed in the RFP as optional items and were not included in the evaluation criteria; although they may be purchased as needed at the costs listed above." <br /><br />Since each board was $4,000, it would be a shame for them not to work. Why don't you go back and check to see why you're not getting the price the BOE was presented.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-32712852938354652122010-05-11T06:35:21.095-04:002010-05-11T06:35:21.095-04:00Green Mountain (and everyone else)
The first thin...Green Mountain (and everyone else)<br /><br />The first thing to do, once this meeting is available in the archives to watch -- in the next week or so, please, please send the link to as many people in DeKalb that you know and don't know. <br /><br />Unless you have seen it yourself, it is hard to believe the level our Board has sunk to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-79258948278696226762010-05-10T23:25:11.378-04:002010-05-10T23:25:11.378-04:00Say what you want about eduKALB. Sarah Copelin-Woo...Say what you want about eduKALB. Sarah Copelin-Wood gave them a boost tonight when she blasted them for wanting to unseat them. They seen to worry her more than anyone else. <br /><br />What's up with a BOE meeting having to do with slamming your political opponents? Why weren't they concentrating on students?<br /><br />Is it my imagination, or were students the people "missing in action" tonight?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-7868486898811957922010-05-10T23:21:08.384-04:002010-05-10T23:21:08.384-04:00The other four should resign and save us the troub...The other four should resign and save us the trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-74441781058578114112010-05-10T23:15:09.198-04:002010-05-10T23:15:09.198-04:00FIRE THESE FIVE IN NOVEMBER:
Jim Redovian
Sarah C...FIRE THESE FIVE IN NOVEMBER:<br /><br />Jim Redovian<br />Sarah Copelin-Wood<br />Jay Cunningham<br />Zepora Roberts<br />Gene Walker<br /><br />Then fire the other four when they come up for re-electionHere's a thoughtnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-74656115039480071632010-05-10T23:03:34.391-04:002010-05-10T23:03:34.391-04:00yes, we are all frustrated and outraged by DCSS - ...yes, we are all frustrated and outraged by DCSS - it sickens me knowing my daughter goes to one of their schools everyday. However, how and what can we parents do to make a difference? We need to get this info out to everyone in our county. We need to come together, make a stand, and demand answers/changes. We need to do a protest/rally -something that will draw attention. Any thoughts?GreenMountainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-57293351063919282642010-05-10T22:35:19.837-04:002010-05-10T22:35:19.837-04:00@ Ella 10:12 pm
I agree that the Promethean board...@ Ella 10:12 pm<br /><br />I agree that the Promethean boards are great teaching tools. However, many of the boards were given to teachers who didn't want them - e.g. math in middle school and science in high school. The math and science teachers who did not want them still had to take them while other teaches were eager to get them and would have used them to the fullest. <br /><br />MIS contracted with Dell to install the Promethean boards. Our $19,000,000 a year MIS group doesn't do installs and maintenance of computers and interactive boards. Dell did a poor job in many instances and no one followed up. A lot of teachers just gave up in frustration. Forget any real training on them. Training is not a priority for MIS.<br /><br />MIS was warned that schools without wealthy PTAs would not have the money to replace the $500+ bulbs so they can't say they didn't know of this problem. MIS chose the short neck, short throw boards with the projectors attached so they wouldn't have to worry about rewiring classrooms. Their idea was that schools could worry about how to replace the $500+ bulbs. <br /><br />The installation, implementation and continuing maintenance of the Promethean ACTIVboards has been mismanaged in DCSS. This is a shame because they took up millions of hard earned SPLOST dollars and have in many instances become a waste of a great teaching tool.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-60671614822650289282010-05-10T22:34:13.512-04:002010-05-10T22:34:13.512-04:00I want to return to the statement JC made about &q...I want to return to the statement JC made about "they're" wanting to put everything on the North end of the county. Did he ever elaborate? I had to step away a couple of times.<br /><br />Help me here, everybody. Here's what I found that is <i>not</i> in the north part of the county: Wadsworth, Chapel Hill Middle and SW DeKalb High School, (all High Achievers magnet programs). Arabia Mountain, Avondale Elementary School IB program, Clifton Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education, Columbia Middle School Academy of Math, Science, and Technology, Columbia High School Academy of Math, Science, and Technology, DeKalb Early College Academy, DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts, Martin L. King Jr. High School IB, Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy, Smoke Rise Charter Elementary School, Tucker High School IB, Evansdale Mathematics, Science, and World Language, Midway Montessori Elementary School, and Midvale Elementary School IB.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-50146888635937884642010-05-10T22:31:46.009-04:002010-05-10T22:31:46.009-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05098465301194918370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-19457049188935267902010-05-10T22:24:58.915-04:002010-05-10T22:24:58.915-04:00Promethean Boards are only useful if you have the ...Promethean Boards are only useful if you have the $550 replacement bulbs that they need to work when they go out. My school doesn't have any extra bulbs, so as the board lights go out the expensive boards are now worthless until we get bulbs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-42969940788546394882010-05-10T22:20:38.166-04:002010-05-10T22:20:38.166-04:00I understand that transportation is a tough subjec...I understand that transportation is a tough subject to many. However, it is unfair to take away from the schoolhouse to transport students around the county. Think what we could do with the money we spent on transportation.<br /><br />Dekalb has spent way too much money too many years on transportation. Let's make sure all our local schools are quality schools. Lets put the time into our communities and make a difference. Lets use proven best practices. The state needs to give bonuses to its teachers in Title I schools for proven achievement and encourage the best and brighest teachers to teach in schools that are not achieving. Lets reward teachers who go into these schools who are not achieving and bring up test scores.Ella Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16485840445272819682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-68898737575920529142010-05-10T22:18:46.241-04:002010-05-10T22:18:46.241-04:00What a fiasco. Some of the board members like Cun...What a fiasco. Some of the board members like Cunninghand and SCW think they accomplished something by their insane motions to reduce a few proposals by half? Like reducing the number of satellite bus hubs to 9. Which 9 hubs do you want to close Jay? The ones that do not serve students in your district, I expect.<br /><br />This is what lawyers call trying to split the baby in the middle. It is a ridiculous result and will not achieve any savings.<br /><br />I am also a magnet parent and we have coped the last two years with a variety of car pools and private van services. Other parents have used MARTA successfully. I would rather save a couple of extra teachers in my child's school and deal with the transportation issue on my own terms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-41347968885080323062010-05-10T22:18:03.449-04:002010-05-10T22:18:03.449-04:00Whether you like Gene Walker or not, he is a man o...Whether you like Gene Walker or not, he is a man of principles and makes his decisions based on principles and beliefs, not on emotions and insanity like ZR and SCW. He is not disrespectful of his fellow board members. Same could be said for Pamela Speaks. Her remarks are thoughtful and her decisions deliberate. These other ladies (ZR and SCW) simply have to go. They have absolutely no business serving on a board of education.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-9999235672884941302010-05-10T22:17:38.612-04:002010-05-10T22:17:38.612-04:00This was a BOE running scared. All that blaming c...This was a BOE running scared. All that blaming companies (AT&T in particular who by the way probably employs a lot of DeKalb County taxpayer) and people (David Shutten), and wringing their hands about the budget while they are cutting every schoolhouse job they can.<br /><br />I'll tell you what I didn't hear. I didn't hear from Ms. Tyson or the BOE a single thing they are going to do to help students get an education. Nothing for students - everything to preserve the bloated programs and departments and thousands and thousands of employees that never teach a single child.<br /><br />What a worthless lot this BOE is - every one of them. The ones who aren't running for re-election this fall should have the decency to resign.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-23644330492601468032010-05-10T22:12:38.901-04:002010-05-10T22:12:38.901-04:00Promethean boards are excellent teaching tools. Al...Promethean boards are excellent teaching tools. All the science teachers at my school have them. <br />They are 20 times better than a regular board.Ella Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16485840445272819682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-27263909125717605112010-05-10T22:10:23.877-04:002010-05-10T22:10:23.877-04:00Oh my goodness, sounds like I missed a classic sho...Oh my goodness, sounds like I missed a classic showing of the DCSS BOE. Please please tell me I am incorrect in my understanding that these idiots preserved magnet transportation, and expect us regular folk to pay our teachers less, have them work less days to do the same amount or more work, accept more taxes to pay for things that the majority do not agree with and accept larger classroom sizes.<br />I am appalled.... What a joke these people are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-4713736410971252462010-05-10T22:09:46.714-04:002010-05-10T22:09:46.714-04:00Oh my goodness, sounds like I missed a classic sho...Oh my goodness, sounds like I missed a classic showing of the DCSS BOE. Please please tell me I am incorrect in my understanding that these idiots preserved magnet transportation, and expect us regular folk to pay our teachers less, have them work less days to do the same amount or more work, accept more taxes to pay for things that the majority do not agree with and accept larger classroom sizes.<br />I am appalled.... What a joke these people are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-63315427399002184662010-05-10T22:06:46.453-04:002010-05-10T22:06:46.453-04:00I went to the board meeting tonight and was turned...I went to the board meeting tonight and was turned away by three school police officers outside. They said their was not room for many and turned them away. They told me I would have to leave and I told them I was not leaving. I was staying until the news media came out and asked others to stay also. We stayed and made a line. Not long after that they started letting us in to hear.<br /><br />It was crowded and I stold up. It was horrible and hot. This meeting should have been moved to a more appropriate location. This was not an appropriate location for a meeting of this magnitude.<br /><br />I was floored at the racial and political comments made tonight. <br /><br />First of all school board positions are not party affiliated and for Sara Woods to indicate that they were is inappropriate. Right after that a republican voted with her and totally showed that what she said was false.<br /><br />I for one do not think raising taxes was the answer. We have people in this county about to lose their homes already. They cannot afford that extra money a month. All the tax money gets sent to the state anyway and we get a portion of it back based on the formula. Does this mean that they would actually take more from us if we raise taxes? I would be curious to know the answer to this.<br /><br />The North/South issue is embarassing. We are in the 21st century and the thing I love the most about the school my son goes to is the diversity. It has always been important to me that my children go to extremely diverse schools. Our society is a diverse society and I want my children to be exposed to a diversed society.<br /><br />I agree that schools need quality teachers throughout the school system and equal opportunities. However, in some situation I feel the north side of the county has come up short regarding new equipment and schools. However, this does not in itself make a good school.<br /><br />I do feel that we need to go to longer days, after-school programs, and even year-round schools in school that are not performing. We have got to try different strategies. The same strategies may not work at every school. <br /><br />I was shocked at the attitude toward ATT because they are a business partner in the new group to support quality school board members. To come out and vote against a company because of them being on a group and to take business away from them publically like this was interesting. However, I do think it will backfire. <br /><br />This may only give people reason to run against these candidates and also give AT&T reason to pour tons of money into the campaign that they might not have spent otherwise. These decisions were made for personal reasons and not for the children of Dekalb or what may be best for the school system. These decisions were made due to anger at AT&T. With all the important decisions to be made tonight. This apparently was weighing heavy on some school board members minds tonight.Ella Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16485840445272819682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-4583406404098427572010-05-10T22:02:13.158-04:002010-05-10T22:02:13.158-04:00This BOE knew from the Ernst and Young audit in 20...This BOE knew from the Ernst and Young audit in 2004 that 2,500 non-teaching employees are being overpaid by close to $15,00,000 a year while teachers were not being overpaid. They chose to ignore that fact - in particular the two BOe members who were BOE members at that time - Roberts and Wood. <br /><br />$15,000,000 a year for 6 years means overpaying DCSS non-teaching employees' has cost us $90,000,000. <br /><br />Non-teaching personnel are still being overpaid, and Lewis added even more of them while he cut teachers (and every member of this BOE supported and continues to support this). <br /><br />That's why we're cutting teachers and packing students into filthy conditions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-2798848881504093382010-05-10T21:41:30.759-04:002010-05-10T21:41:30.759-04:00Anon 9:37 pm, I am definitely not a Gene Walker fa...Anon 9:37 pm, I am definitely not a Gene Walker fan but I found that he truly seemed to dislike Dr. Lewis and often challenged him at a time when few board members were. He voted against the raise as well (though he is a nearly perfect politician, so that didn't surprise me.)<br /><br />He is as smooth as water.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com