Here's your Platfom - AGAIN

What do the candidates for School Board stand for?  What do they want?  What's their platform?  If you really don't know the answers to these questions, lets review our Six Questions segment from the spring.

We asked all six candidates the same six questions and we posted their answers.   Here are their answers:

Dr. Lobby , James Rearic and Larry Robb from Region I, Amy Lhote and Chris Choncek from Region II and Stan Berdell from Region III. 

Please read the responses and then ask yourself you you still have questions about their platform.  If you do, we urge you to contact them.

Let's Focus on the Facts!

It's time to focus on the facts and stop allowing things like planted, threatening letters, ridiculous referendum questions and tax payer-paid  propagandana to overshadow the good old facts.

ELDERTON

We have a high school that was reopened that will graduate 26 this year.
There are a total of 280 students in grades 7-12.
42 classes with less than 10 students.
21 classes with less than 5 students.
There are over 10 classes there with 1 student.
EHS employs 36 teachers, 25 of which were NEW HIRES.
Cost per student is $14,650, MUCH more than the other schools.
There are three principals at that school.


FORD CITY

We are building a second gymnasium in Ford City on the third floor with a glass ceiling! WHY?
Gyms and cafeterias increase the education value for our students how?
The school is full of mold and raw sewage, it has severe structural issues – remember the falling balcony from a few years ago?!


KITTANNING

The Kittanning Junior High has more students in it grades 7-8 than 7-12 at Elderton.
We are going to close Kittanning Jr. High and merge it into the Senior High. Why?
Class sizes are going to be bumped to 30-36 while Elderton benefits from 5.


THE BUDGET

First they say our schools are over crowded at 90-95% capacity.
Now Chapp says that we are getting rid of nearly 70 positions due to LOW ENROLLMENT.
We can’t have it both ways – Over capacity and Low Enrollment.
Which one is it?
We are going to cut nearly the same amount of teachers that we hired to reopen Elderton. Elderton will stay the same, class size wise, but all other schools will have HIGHER class sizes due to this.


STAN CHAP

View the contract here

We have a Superintendent who is making as per his contract:

Salary History for Chapp: ( 3.9% increase for each year of contract)
Year 1: $150,000.00
Year 2: $155,850.00
Year 3: $161,928.15
Year 4: $168,243.35
Year 5: $174,804.84

*$3,000 annually in a tax sheltered annuity = $15,000 over 5 years

*$2,500 annually for holding a doctoral degree = $12,500 over 5 years

*$3,800 annually for disability insurance = $19,000 over 5 years.

* These figures do not include healthcare benefits he will receive

*116 unused sick days carried over from his past employment.

This totals to $857,326.34 for the contract life and DOES NOT include his fully-funded health care.


BILL BILL - aka William J. Williams

We have a SECOND Superintendent being paid $500 per day. That’s $2500 a week, $5000 plus a month, roughly $130,000 a year.


GARY MATTA

Our new Solicitor, hand picked by the current board majority.
He has a file at The Auditor General’s office for his misuse of funds in the Duquesne School District.
He pretty much bankrupted that district and ours is next.

Check out his file:  http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/Archives/Investigations/DUQ-Report.html

Armstrong County Voters, you are too smart to not see this for what it is.  You need to get out to vote tomorrow, and you need to vote for CHANGE!

Region I - Bethel, Burrell, Cadogan, Ford City, Ford Cliff, Manor, Manorville, North Buffalo and West Kittanning.  VOTE FOR: Paul Lobby and Larry Robb for the four year term and James Rearic for the two year term.

Region II - Applewald, East Franklin, Kittanning Boro, Rayburn, Washington, West Franklin and Worthington.  VOTE FOR:  Chris Choncek and Amy Lhote

Region III - Atwood, Boggs, Cowanshannock, Dayton, Elderton, Kittanning Twp, Pine, Plumcreek, Rural Valley, South Bend, Valley and Wayne.  VOTE FOR:  Stan Berdell

ASD Board Members Appalled by Administration's Actions

ASD Board members Chris Choncek, Jim Rearic and Joe Close issue the following statement:

Over the last few days, the Armstrong School District Administration has orchestrated a public relations campaign at taxpayer expense to promote the political agenda of the board majority. To spend district funds on such PR just days after voting to eliminate nearly 70 jobs in the name of cost cutting is a slap in the face to both the taxpayers and those employees about to lose their livelihoods.

As stewards of the taxpayer dollars, we are appalled at these blatant actions. For a 'newsletter' to be mailed to all district residents extolling the virtues of the proposed $80 million renovation arriving in homes just days before the Election reeks of politics. As board members we were never consulted on the content of this mailing and are troubled by the fact its contents are far from the norm of previous newsletters.

Coupled with the paid ads appearing in local newspapers 'explaining' the referendum questions it is clear these media efforts are coordinated to promote the agenda of the board majority at taxpayer expense. To state a no vote on the referendum means approval of the $80 million renovation plan is subjective at best. There is only one question on the ballot and the rhetoric contained in these taxpayer paid advertisements is not only opinion - but a main platform of those members of the board majority running for re-election.

Mailings and advertisements are not cheap and for the ASD to send out such propaganda at the taxpayer expense less than one week before the election is insulting to the constituents we represent and highly unethical behavior by professionals paid by taxdollars to serve the public - not a certain segment of the ASD board of directors.

This board majority has already spent millions to pay architects, bond agents and attorneys who do not even live in our district to advance this ill-conceived renovation plan. Now they are wasting more tax dollars promoting this boondoggle. It's bad enough the taxpayers have been stuck with the bill for the projects; they shouldn't have to foot the bill for the promotion of political agendas.

We demand the Armstrong School District administration and the board members responsible for this action personally reimburse the district taxpayers for this unauthorized use of taxpayer funds.

Six Questions for Jim Rearic

Jim Rearic is running for one of three seats in Region I, which represents Bethel, Burrell, Cadogan, Ford City, Ford Cliff, Manor, Manorville, North Buffalo and West Kittanning.  This is part five.  We've heard from Dr. Lobby  and Larry Robb from Region I, Amy Lhote and Chris Choncek from Region II and Stan Berdell from Region III.  We look forward to reading the responses to the same six questions from the other candidates.

1- Since there seems to be quite a bit of negativity within the district, what do you feel is going right with ASD at this time?


I think our teachers are doing the best they can given the turmoil within the district. I also think the administration does what they have to do right now and that is provide answers that support the current board majority. Otherwise keep digging, if you get my point.


2- What are your ideas to improve student performance?

I am not an educator. So I will not pretend that I know what is missing. I do think that if you have transparency and trust between the board, the administration and the teachers, they will come forward with what it will take to raise the bar with respect to student performance. I also believe that the current board majority does not think that we need to improve student performance. They actually find it acceptable. I guess the key word to drive performance change is TRUST.


3- What is your biggest concern with ASD?

Our financial situation. The recent board majority has handcuffed this district with some severe future budgetary issues. They have borrowed money before actually needing it, factored in one time gains, with no answers to future budgets. There is an old saying from the cartoon Pop Eye: "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today". Not, in my opinion, financially responsible.


4- What is your perspective of the referendum question that has been placed on the ballot?

This could be the most absurd thing I have seen in the time I have been on the board. I have been accused of wanting this and saying that by a couple of other board members. I will tell you in my own words: that if I want something (forget the what) and it cost this (forget this) and I was trying to justify it through a referendum, I would not, repeat NOT, do an end around and try to confuse voters that if you do this, you will get that. I would at least have the respect for the voter that they can form their own opinion and I do not need to scare them into anything and would put down what I or the future board majority want to know the answer too. This is crazy.


5- What do you feel is the primary job of a school board?

A school board is like any other board. They oversee the actions and direction of the administration, period. To micro manage people to the point that they cannot do what we pay them for is just another example of this current board majority wasting tax dollars. Look at all of the people that left or were driven away?


6- What attributes, talents and abilities will you bring to our district?

First is experience. I have now been on the board for almost 4 years. I have a better feel for what goes on and how it operates. I just do not agree that this style of operation has to continue any further. As far as other attributes, talents and abilities: I feel I have proven experience in leading people, managing money, working with people, promoting growth, adjusting and dealing with change. To me this is the biggest. It is ok to change your mind and you should not be condemned for it for life. Like it or not things change. If someone really wants to look at something that is factual and consistent; What board member has the most tenure with in this district and then ask yourself, are we better off both from a financial and more importantly educationally stand point:? I say NO!

If you weren't able to attend the Town Hall Meeting in Kittanning on Sunday, March 28, 2010, you can watch the meeting in it's entirety on YouTube.  There are 14 videos. (Use the control arrows on the left and right to scroll through the 14 videos)

Questions that were subitted in advance and were in the printed program:

• Why isn’t the Department of Education getting involved?
• Do we have a long-range plan?
• Were we able to realize any savings from the closing of EHS?
• What’s the story with EHS’s secession to AR, was there interference?
• What were your reasons for voting for or against reopening EHS?
• What are your plans for the upcoming pension plan fund spike?
• Studies show that elementary schools should be kept smaller and secondary should be consolidated, why is ASD doing the opposite by consolidating KTE with EE and reopening EHS with small class sizes?
• Why does Kittanning have inadequate facilities like science labs?
• Are there plans for a Super School? If so, how can we afford it and where will it be built?
• Why wasn’t there a referendum vote?
• What were the reasons given by the board to have Lee Price dismissed as solicitor?
• What were the reasons given by the board for not entertaining any other possibilities and choosing from a candidate field of "one" to have this person as our new solicitor?
• Where did the new solicitor come from?
• What is his background?
• What other school districts has he had involvement with in the past and does he currently have involvement with on either a solicitor level or on a council level to private groups involved in activities with a school district?
• Why do you keep spending thousand of dollars to do studies and do nothing with them when you don't get the results that you want?
• Would it be more beneficial for our school district if the board members were elected at-large instead of by attendance areas/regions?
• If so, what would we need to do to go about making that change?
• Since the District's state mandated retirement contribution is scheduled in the next 5 years to increase from just under 5% to over 30% of salary expenses, wouldn't it be prudent for the District to lower salary expenditures by reducing the number of teachers?
• Armstrong County is similar to the State of Kansas where an aging population and a declining student  enrollment are causing schools to be consolidated. Closer to home, surrounding areas are closing and
• consolidating schools. Why is Armstrong County expanding the number of schools and teachers?
• Does the Armstrong School Board think like the State and Federal Governments that taxpayers have the where-with-all to pay any bill they lay on the table?

These were questions asked from the audience.  There were a few more that were asked directly by audience members, these are the ones that we had in writing.

• How many teachers were actually furloughed when EHS closed?
• What is it going to take to revers the decision back to close EHS?
• Because certain boar members will not let the Lenape half day figures alone, is there a fear that ASD could potentially choose to only go for half day because of the hybrid option and not allow student choice?
• What is your forecast for the "Elderton Transfers" vote and what will be the fallout of that vote?
• Is it ethical for a school board member to block emails from his/her constituents?
• Will EHS be on school improvement due to low PSSA scores for 08-09.  Will this process cost ASD additional funding?
• How will this years PSSA scores be configured?
• Board Director Solak posed a question on February 23's agenda on OTH-5 - Has PDE given approval for re-opening EHS?
• What recourse will parents have if transfer requests are denied?

Finally a written comment from a retired IUP professor:
I have no question, my comment would be that while I empathize with the desire to maintain a sense of community, community members need to take the energy they've used to re-open Elderton High School (at great expense to their fellow citizens) and use it creatively to find another way to maintain that sense of community. 

Truer words have never been spoken.