SCHOOL ISSUES
THIS PAGE JUST GETTING UNDERWAY - IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR ISSUE
INCLUDED HERE PLEASE
contact us
For all of the general School info - the kudos and tons of
info on the wonderful job that they are doing in our Schools
the School Website can be found at :
http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/ . Below please find issues and
updates that have currently been under discussion in the
community and have not found a forum on that site. The School Board
meetings can be seen on Channel 850 - check here for the schedule:
http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/850
Using School Facilities for Political Purposes
Despite a policy directing no use of school property for political
purposes, this policy was put aside by school board members to allow
multiple political addresses this year. While all of us recognize
the value of our children's involvement in the political process,
there is a strong sentiment by many about the putting aside of
policies in such a fashion. Some have expressed that just as
policies should not be created without ample input and discussion by
& with residents, they also should not be changed without the
same due process. However much may be gained from the
experience for our young people, the question has been asked if the
same gain could have been realized had the students attended
at another local venue such as at a local college without the
negative of our schools being used for political purposes.
The Superintendent's salary - and the budget
The superintendent's new salary of 238,000, receiving a (10%
?) raise and a 10 % bonus ( which was reported recently in a
taped interview as perhaps being higher than that of the Mayor of
Philadelphia and that of the Governor of PA ) has been an item
for discussion as both the township and school struggle to balance
budgets in economic hard times. One item cited as a kudo
warranting the salary was the obtaining of a grant for the TV
station. But the TV station grant monies "obtained" came from
the same residents that would have benefited from those monies
anyway - and attempts to get the channel underway for substantially
less with existing equipment were continually denied.
Limiting the communication to and from the School
Board Members
On 8-12-08 at the School Board
meeting the new policy changes were discussed. Of particular concern
was the portion below - this portion was subsequently removed from
the policy before it passed and slated for further discussion. We
were assured we would be alerted when the policy discussion came up
again. This was the wording :
1. All contacts and communications
between the District Board of Directors and District personnel and
staff related to District operations shall be channeled through the
Superintendent.
2. In order to facilitate compliance
with this policy, District employees shall be advised that they
shall not contact or communicate with District Board members
directly without specific direction and permission from the
Superintendent.
At the Aug 26th 2008 meeting there will be a second reading
of the policy and it is possible there will be an attempt to pass
this policy among the many that were changed. We hope
this does not happen as this would be a terrible set-back to the
free communication that is necessary to a good system that has
as many checks and balances as possible in place. This would
tie the hands of the School Board members and put District
personnel is a place where they had only one person to
work wioth the make changes ----- and what if suggestions about THAT
one person were in order?
The Minutes - the Minutes of School Board Meetings as
emailed to parents do not include comments from residents at
all as if they were not there - and we understand in the actual
minutes, parents comments are often given only as a summary and do
not reflect what the parents meant to convey. Both of
these are easily correctible.
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Our Educational Access Channel
6-08 Channel 850, our school channel, is not one
anyone is likely to hit by "surfing " Who surfs
through the 800's?
But channel 43, our little
used township channel, frequently is found that way. So we
have been trying to get the important school meetings shown in
Primetime week day hours .
Also many homes do not get 850 - or only get it on one TV . In
February - when everything goes digital - the older TV's STILL will
not get 850 - so a great number of Abington residents - even those
who have cable - cannot see our school channel because their TV
doesn't go that high.
The school currently has 7 hours a day on channel
43 (5-9am and 6-9pm) and the township has indicated they will offer
to accommodate anything further that the School District may need-
so hopefully the School Board meetings will be aired on 43 in their
entirety on a continuing basis soon. ( they are on at some odd
hours now)
The School 's channel 850 has
a schedule that can be seen at :
http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/850
_______________
Class Size
Highland & Copper Beech and Roslyn have classes where
size needs attention. Parents have been requesting consideration
from the School Board. Hopefully this will be rectified in the new
school year 08-09 . - Update for 08-09 school year . Good news
received at the start of the school year . Those that still
have issues please
contact us
This site is a forum for information sharing and idea sharing.
Please feel free to contact
us .
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