D159 Turns to Outside Help in Search for New Superintendent

R.W.Voter December 7, 2012 at 10:36 pm

I would like to see a new face, one that could work without MIS, as that should be closed and with Mr. Stein leaving, the administration and some staff of that building could go also. We do not need three school buildings. The Board has balanced the budget, now we should reduce it. We don't need a maximum increase in our taxes just because some say if we don't ask for the max we will get shortchanged. If these so called professionals would do their job, they would be able to tell us what if any extra money they need, or can they do with what they have. But then that is asking a lot isn't it ? Thank you

Conserned Mokena resident December 8, 2012 at 12:47 pm

How do you go about getting rid of a building in the middle of nowhere. Do you really think that someone will buy it - put a factory or set up some stores? It is much easier said then done. Regarding a balanced budget - let's see what reality shows. Just because someone forces a budget to balance does not mean it will really be in balance

R.W.Voter December 8, 2012 at 01:14 pm

If necessary, you board it up and put it on the market. You don't have to staff it, you only have to heat it so the pipes won't freeze. You cut the grass, no doubt there are ample maintenance workers sitting around. As for the balanced budget, maybe cut staff, who needs all the teachers aides, isn't that what the teachers are paid to do. How about the building aides. You have a lot of waste in the system, it just has to be recognized. Not easy, but because the whole bill depends on the taxpayer, it has to be done. With the new healthcare system, do you see any of those big doctor's offices being built on 191st. How about the empty strip malls. With the foreclosure rate going up, the student population is got to be going down, and then so does the teaching staff. Just a thought, Thank you

john Q Adams December 8, 2012 at 01:16 pm

Well we are half way through the year or more and still on track for SURPLUS ! Not DEFICIT!!
the accounting firm of Mulcahy, Pauritsch, Salvador & Co., who presented the district’s finances with “a clean bill of health.” McCormick told the board that the district’s bookkeeping appeared to be accurate and commended the district on keeping spending down while keeping students’ test scores high. “You still continued to maintain one of the lowest per-people costs in the state,” McCormick said. “You’re in the lowest quarter relative to all the other districts, but the scores continue to be very high, and that’s really all you can ask for. You’re being extremely efficient.”

Jill December 8, 2012 at 04:00 pm

R.W., how about if we "board up" a big building across the way from YOUR house?

R.W.Voter December 8, 2012 at 04:11 pm

Well Jill, they might as well board it up, it is among the others in this little community that is being foreclosed upon due to the high tax rate for this overblown school system with all it's extras, including a brand new Junior High School that we didn't need. I made suggestions that it could be converted to Senior Housing, but apparently noone wants that either. Thank you.

Conserned Mokena resident December 9, 2012 at 06:10 pm

No need for teachers aides.. now uniformed are you? The whole point is to teach our students not just babysit them. How can you teach a class of 26 -30 students when you have students that need assistances as required by their IEPs. Maybe you should stop in and see what the teachers are dealing with. The aides are not for the teachers but for the students. You are totally uniformed

R.W.Voter December 10, 2012 at 01:09 pm

I went to school with at least 60 children in the classroom, taught by one Catholic Nun, who many times was working on their degree. There were no teachers aides and no building aides. You were taught and if you passed the tests you were promoted to the next grade. I have never heard of a child in these public schools failing, but I have seen that they can't do basic arithmetic without some electronic device. The schools fail no matter how much money is thrown at them, and the reason they fail is the system and what they teach. The Education System is gone because of the Teachers Union, get rid of that, things will improve for the children. Thank you.

R.W.Voter December 10, 2012 at 04:49 pm

I will repeat this, as my original post from this morning was removed. I was taught by Catholic nuns, they did not all have degrees yet. They taught 60 children in a classroom, without aides, if you passed, you were promoted. If you failed, you did the grade again. I have yet to hear of a child in this school system failing, as far as I can see, most can't do basic arithmetic without an electronic device. The teachers union has doomed the education system, Look at thanksgiving, went from Thurs, Fri. off to and entire week, another week off for poor underpaid teachers. Thank you

Conserned Mokena resident December 11, 2012 at 01:47 am

It was different when you grew up as there were not children that require special help in your classrooms. Things are different now than they were before you need to move on and change with the times... what kind of work will these kids do if they can not use a computer... good luck to you

R.W.Voter December 11, 2012 at 02:30 am

It is true, it was different, but education basically remains the same. I don't know the reason, but it 1955 we never heard of autistic children, Now if a child stutters occasionally, he is singled out and delivered on his own bus to an from. The more they make these special classes, the more they diagnose as needing them. We had childen with polio, we had slower children, they learned from and being with the other children their own age. They didn't learn from having more time on the test than the others. Those Catholic nuns didn't help those children because they got paid more and had a different degree, they did it because it was a child who needed help. That is what the union kills. Many of these people are in teaching because of union protection and pay and benefits. My next suggestion would be a dress code. They should come to school to learn, not only to have fun. Years ago, not a lot of money but you came to school neat and clean and properly dressed, That teaches a child more than learning the other cultures, and diversity. That is my little speal for now, Thank you

MOKENA VOTER December 11, 2012 at 07:56 pm

R.W.Voter, Stuck in the 70's are we? You must have loved Nixon! It's 2012, women vote, blacks are free, and life is more complicated. Get over it.