Among issues covered at the meeting tonight, two stood out.

First, the anticipated final draft of the 2008-09 Budget.  If I recall, the last figure we heard on the proposed tax levy ws 3.9%  Well, it looks like the District can do better than that.

The final proposed tax levy (which still isn’t final because there are some numbers from the state that can still come in during November) is $29,461.517…down from $29, 619,004.

You can listen to my podcast for Jim Milzer’s explanation as to why there is a decrease in the levy, and why there is a possibility that it may fluctuate between 3.2% and 3.8%.

You can also review the .pdf four-page budget handout:


08-09 Budget page one

08-09 Budget page two

08-09 Budget page three

08-09 Budget page four



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Other Board news….

In case you have forgotten…April is just around the corner.  Remember what happens in April?

There are two seats open on the Board.




Mary Karolewicz


and


Dr. Jim Ward

• Support effective curriculum and professional development.
• Employ MAPS testing in the district.
• Encourage the appropriate use of technology in our curriculum.
• Provide assistance to struggling students.
• Understand how we measure the success of our programs.
• Determine if our graduates are prepared for school/careers beyond high school.
• Prepare students for the jobs of the future.
• Encourage creativity.
• Consider the whole child in our curriculum.
• Employ MAPS testing in the district.
• Encourage the appropriate use of technology in our curriculum.
• Provide assistance to struggling students.
• Understand how we measure the success of our programs.
• Determine if our graduates are prepared for school/careers beyond high school.
• Prepare students for the jobs of the future.
• Encourage creativity.
• Consider the whole child in our curriculum.

• Understand historical patterns in school funding and expenditures.
• Engage in planning to anticipate future financial needs and expenditures as best as possible.
• Provide useful and clear budget information to stakeholders.
• Always look for efficiency in our operations.
• Ensure effective business practices.
  
  
  

• Find new ways to communicate with all sectors of our community (parents and residents without children in the district).
• Find ways in which we can engage the community in the activities and planning in our district.
• Consider emerging ways in which we communicate with families (ie emergency notification system).
• Evaluate how parents use tools provided by the district (i.e. power school).
• Foster a welcoming environment in all our schools.

• Investigate and implement effective boardsmanship techniques.
• Commit to learning about issues and ideas.
• Establish a more effective program for board orientation.
• Establish a board retreat.

Old Goal – Replaced by Finance

Revisit Budget Process
Franklin residents expect that the school district will provide a quality education for all of its students.  They also expect that the board and the district will be good stewards of the tax dollar.  Many residents are concerned about the rising tax rate and expect the district to address their concerns.  The board wants to take a new approach towards budgeting.  It expects the administration to explore strategic abandonment of programs and budgeted items that are no longer needed. The district must look for cost savings in all areas, but place student achievement as the number one priority for new expenditures.  The board wants to have more discussions of the budget and seek community input on what non-mandated elements of the budget it will support.  Budget documents must be user-friendly and presentations must be understandable to the taxpayer.

Safety in our schools should be of great importance.

There are many aspects of safety that need to be considered…Students, teachers, the school environment, procedures.

Since Columbine and 9-11, we have domestic and world terrorism to plan and think about.

We have the House of Correction on our doorstep.

Every School District has a Safety Committee.

Every School District has a plan.

On our District's website they have an “About Our District” page.

On that page is a link to the Safety Committee.

Also, there is a “New Addition to the Website” that has just been announced.

It is a “Business Services Portion.”

“Thanks to this addition, you will be able to find information about Finance, Transportation, Building and Grounds and Technology Support Services.”

I have been looking over the site since school began this year.  With the Board Goals we should expect some changes.

Last night I found this regarding the Safety Committee:



                  Click to Enlarge



I don’t know about you, but I have some questions.

Who is on the Safety Advisory Committee?

Who is on the School Crisis Teams?

Who is on the Student /Employee Health Committees and what are their functions?

How often do these Committees meet?

What are the Crisis Response Guidelines?

This chart was designed to “keep the community informed?”

Just how is this chart doing that?

The only thing we ever hear about our Safety Team doing, as far as I am aware, is having, in conjunction with the city, mock accident/disaster preparedness, as the city did at Forest Park Middle School this summer.  And we hear about that after the fact.  Now of course, that's a good thing; but we need to hear more.

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09/18/08

Dear Parents and Franklin Community Members:

Throughout the day today, all Junior and Senior students will be participating in a "Mock Crash" activity in coordination with the City of Franklin Police and Fire Departments, as well as emergency services personnel from Froedtert Hospital, the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Flight For Life.  This activity includes a dramatization of a serious car accident that includes serious injuries and a fatality.  Our goal is to make a strong impression on our students relative to the dangers of driving and the importance of being attentive and safe whenever they are behind the wheel.  This includes the importance of always wearing a seat belt, the necessity that they never travel in a vehicle with a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the dangers of inattentive behaviors like cell phone use while driving.  This activity was not disclosed in advance because we believe, and the professionals who have done this before have experienced, that the impact of this event is much greater if students did not have advance notice. 

I want to thank the members of the high school staff and the professionals associated with the organizations involved today for their wonderful work putting this event together for the benefit of our students. 

Sincerely,

Mike Cady


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Here are the cars from the "mock accident" on the FHS track.

I have in my notes and on tape from the Buildings and Grounds meeting last week that this event was supposed to take place next week on the 23rd.  The element of surprise I suppose...

Now that it has taken place, track repairs will begin.

"Future Shock," a great book I read back in high school.  We may have a little of our own future shock to deal with monetarily regarding maintenance and improvements in our school district:

What’s that dollar amount?

Some of the larger items on the packed two page list include the following:

Ben Franklin		Grounds	Create drive for loop by receiving area and dumpster enclosure		$100,000
		Grounds	Additional athletic field		$250,000
Country Dale		School Bldg	Replace Classroom Doors		$70,000
		School Bldg	Replace coat strips with lockers		$50,000
		School Bldg	Remodel Center restrooms		$15,000
		School Bldg	Remodel East restrooms		$30,000
		School Bldg	Remodel West restrooms		$30,000
		NW Exit	Replace one door w/two		$25,000
Forest Park		FACE	Divide FACE into two rooms, not three		$120,000
		School Bldg	Replace all lockers @12" to achieve 850 total		$107,000
		School bldg	Replace lockers in girls locker rooom		$225,000
		Interior	Retrofit lighting system to T8		$150,000
High School		Parking area	Add drop off loop and widen access		$180,000
		Parking lot	expand student parking areas to the west and add visitor stalls		$250,000
		Pool locker rooms	Replace lockers		$60,000
		Grounds	Renovate stadium w/8 lane track		$2,750,000
		Grounds	Add roads and develop practice fields		$300,000
		Grounds	Add tennis courts		200,000
		Back hall classrooms	Replace tile and base		$50,000
		Pool	Renovate and allow for use of starting blocks/replace deck coating		$200,000
		Gym	Replace air handling units and add A/C		$250,000
		Science rooms	Upgrade and add sinks and safety equpiment		$500,000
		Near Cafeteria	Add a Senior commons area		$25,000
Pleasant View		Grass Playground	improve drainage to expand play area		$180,000
		Playground	Resurface and extend play area to playstructures		$205,000
Robinwood		Playground	Renovate pavement & improve drainage		$159,000
		Interior	Renovate lighting system to T8		$110,000
SW Glen		Boiler Room	Replace Boilers		$100,000
		School bldg	Carpet multi-year replace all		$200,000
		Exterior	Replace asphalt, address drainage & expand playground		$250,000

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Update 2