Comments

Mayve we are Valley Trash wrote on May 30, 2009 7:24 AM:

" Why are we the only borough in the State that does not fully fund schools? Maybe what they say about us in Juneau is correct. When people are too self centered to vote for the children and the elderly then that says something about us. Because of the dividend we don't really even pay taxes so I think people in the Valley are ignorant and selfish about education in the Valley. How much time have you spent volunteering in your local schools? I thought so. "




Valley Trash wrote on May 30, 2009 7:07 AM:

" This type of thing is why we have the reputation we have and why we get called Valley Trash in Juneau. We get laughed at all the time because our school district and borough assembly never seem to be able to work together as we need to. The state won't give us more money because our own assembly won't fully fund schools. Our assembly won't fully fund schools because the district did not give them the information they requested. We are the only borough in the state that does not fully fund education. Valley Trash??? "




Nana Employees were illegal aliens wrote on May 28, 2009 7:21 PM:

" The FBI arrested the night cleaning crew out of Fred Meyer in Wasilla because they were illegal aliens. These were Nana employees. Nana doesn't check finger prints so they have no way of knowing who they are putting in our schools. This is a safety issue and hands down the former school district employees did a better job. The thing is, the district should never have outsourced to an outside company in the 1st place. Now all the rugs in the schools have to be replaced due to poor cleaning. No savings at all. "




No saving by hiring Nana wrote on May 28, 2009 7:08 PM:

" All the rugs in the schools now have to be replaced because the company that was hired to clean the schools during the last 3 years did not clean them properly. They also didn't allow them to dry properly when they did clean them and the rugs got mildewed. Now the board had to set aside a huge amount of money to replace all the rugs. So how much did this outsourcing of cleaning services really save? "




yep wrote on May 25, 2009 9:18 PM:

" no one currently on the school board has any fiscal sense. what ever feels good. at least some on the assembly are thinking like taxpayers. Maybe the ones on the school board dont pay property taxes?? "




Rusty wrote on May 25, 2009 4:31 PM:

" Wat to go Assembly ! Keep slapping the spenders down. The only thing that hurt the schools was the school board vote to replace the NANA cleaning crew with a UNION controlled bunch of lazy fatbutts. $1.5 million down the drain.. way to go school board union puppets. Thinking for yourself and the taxpayers is just out of the question, eh? "




Change is slow wrote on May 23, 2009 12:03 PM:

" Charter Schools have to live within their budgets..... This is considered the ugly stepchild in districts. They shine and aren't able to come back needing more money. New management for faiuling schools sure would be nice. "




Irma in Wasilla wrote on May 23, 2009 9:37 AM:

" It seems to me I have voted consistently in favor of school funding during elections. Yet the funding has been repeatedly turned down by the voters. We have really great assembly people. Why are they being singled out for criticism when the community, itself, has repeatedly voted down school funding? "




13000 per student wrote on May 22, 2009 11:43 PM:

" Why would the school board allow pay rasies before knowing their budget? We have the same amount of students yet they asked for $33 million more than they were given last year. Way to toe the line Assembly and Mr. Duffy quit allowing the yearly power play with mis-informed parents. Yes, if you kid is in track well your told track will be cut, or in band music will be cut. Let follow the lead others are doing and make them withdraw these rasies. Remember the three reasons that people become teachers... June, July and Aug. "




offsoapstone wrote on May 22, 2009 1:22 PM:

" This is to "In the classroom 2" I'll give you kudo's on helping some kids out as you say with shoes that is very kind of you. I also agree that parents need to do more at home on values and teaching. Hate to say it but that is where it stops. If you can't keep some "kid's focus" for 5 minutes be glad you can't be fired. free and reduced breakfast and lunch has been since the 60's and from prior history i would not want a teacher be a psychologist, or couselor. "




Big Lake wrote on May 22, 2009 10:53 AM:

" What is a common complaint in all 50 states of The USA? Schools need more money. Maybe it is time to go back to the 50's and 60's. IF a child can not perform to grade level they will be held back. Hold parents accountable for their childs food and supplies needs. A child who goes from grade to grade without the knowledge required will only hamper the class they are moved to. I am amazed at the required list of supplies for ALL to share. Teachers buying from their own money for supplies. Parents need to take responsibility. "




palmeranian wrote on May 21, 2009 11:28 PM:

" Good for the assembly. The amazing thing was that the School District STILL got a raise. They received more from the borough this year than last year. Everyone else got a real cut.

The school district calls a raise a cut...no wonder they are having trouble. "




In the classroom 2 wrote on May 21, 2009 8:53 PM:

" Teachers now have to be psychologist, couselor, and everything they don't get at home. Teachers must now be entertainers to keep student interest because video games rule the evening for many kids at home. Many schools are doing very well because of more staffing. More aids to assist with those who really struggle. Some students have one on one aides all day just to function in a regular classroom. It cost money for staffing! In my 20 years I think the MSBSD has done a darn good job with less than what Anchorage has. "




In the classroom wrote on May 21, 2009 8:43 PM:

" You folks claiming the school district system is out of date are clueless! There are more options to reach every child than ever before. I am finishing my 20th year of teaching and the overhaul needs to be in the home front. Our students come to school with so much baggage from home it is amazing they learn at all. We must now feed them breakfast and lunch. I give out 15-20 pairs of shoes in the first quarter. Tough to teach when 1/4 to 1/2 the students can't focus on a task for 5 minutes. "




School Board wrote on May 21, 2009 1:01 PM:

" Any of you hear the latest on school board action? The school district might be short of money, but last night, the board voted to spend $3 million/year more on custodians than they had to. Hmmm, wonder where they will find that in an already tight budget? "




offsoapstone wrote on May 21, 2009 9:56 AM:

" MSBSD needs to learn to live with their budget they got just like I do. The education system we have know is a dinosaur waiting to die. Education is a business nothing more nothing less and if a business does not change and advance with the times it stagnates which is where we are now with the education system. I personaly believe that a person who has never had childern should pay his taxes. But none of their tax dollars should fund schools why should they pay to educate someone else's childern. "




Oh please wrote on May 21, 2009 7:00 AM:

" Wha, wha. Suck it up matsu schools. This garbage about schools not being able to produce. Do like every other department in the borough did and do the best with what you got. Motivate the students. My child is in Mr. Carson's class at Pioneer Peak. He is a great teacher and inspires through his teaching. Mr. Troxel et al should have been more detailed in their budget. He must not have gotten the memo! "




ID More Disabled Students wrote on May 20, 2009 2:33 PM:

" that way MSBSD will get FIVE TO SIX times the "normal" student funding and can then shove these disabled students into a closet for the school day. Redistribute their monies to teacher and administrator salary increases, sports and extra curricular activites, and build new elementary schools in swamps. Hey we tried it before and it worked before. It takes two years to get caught---right Pam? "




Joe Parent wrote on May 20, 2009 2:31 PM:

" Joe Public why so personal? I don't think Pamela was trying to engineer anything. Her opinion is well grounded and she does a great job of expressing her point. You don't have to agree with her but to accuse her of indoctrinating our children? You should probably look that one up in the dictionary! I also disagree with your view of teachers being "well taken care of." When funding for salaries is reflective of ability it does make a difference in the hiring process. Sorry Joe Public, "it is for the kids." "




A New System wrote on May 20, 2009 1:46 PM:

" It is true that we need a whole new system in America's public schools, they should be run more like a business. Vouchers for kids are a great start! In the mean time lets not complain about spending money for education, right now we have a problem and we need to fix it. Tax payer: I hope you will consider spear heading a change in our public schools. You may never see the desired results but at least you'd be part of an effort to solve the problem and not just a complainer. "




Tax Payer wrote on May 20, 2009 12:47 PM:

" Your letter showed me one thing for certain Pam. It is time for a voucher system in Alaska where parents choose the educational path for their children. They are our kids NOT the government's.Private education has been proven to provide superior education at a great savings to the tax payers. Tenure and poor performance are not options in private schools. Is ANY employee ANYWHERE except public school teachers given a life time position(except for gross misconduct)after only three years of employment? It is time to change our decaying educational system. This one doesn't work. "




budget smart wrote on May 20, 2009 12:37 PM:

" Every comment on here refers to the school district tightening up, doing more with less. Of course your tired of hearing the schools need more money and they are tired of asking for it. This isn't something that just recently happened. The Matsu School District has been cutting their budget for years and doing very well considering. You can only deprive the system for so long, it is literally losing momentum. It's time for the Borough to start putting our money back into the schools! I'm tired of this. "




Joe Public wrote on May 20, 2009 12:18 PM:

" Sorry Pamela-The money tree is going dry. Our economy is in decline and we must all learn to live with less. Throwing money at education has never made it better. We need to get back BASICS like the 3 R's. Drop the liberal social engineering. It isn't your business to indoctrinate our kids. Employees of the MSBSD do very well for themselves.You have good pay,great benefits,retirement and medical insurance paid for by the taxpayers who often can't afford it for their own families. Don't whine,"Its for the kids!" That doesn't wash and you know it. Its time for a change. "




All is fair wrote on May 20, 2009 11:43 AM:

" The school district has a problem with reality. Budget committee and lots of conversation are their norm. Life is very FAIR. ....
NOT ... cold cash reality has arrived. Please concentrate on graduation of our youth. Keep building schools that are under filled and have no good road plans. The Borough will always be there to save those bad planners. The Budget constraints should be viewed as incentive for productivity instead of just an entitlement mentality! "




Oh please wrote on May 20, 2009 7:33 AM:

" Wha, wha. Suck it up matsu schools. This garbage about schools not being able to produce. Do like every other department in the borough did and do the best with what you got. Motivate the students. My child is in Mr. Carson's class at Pioneer Peak. He is a great teacher and inspires through his teaching. Mr. Troxel et al should have been more detailed in their budget. He must not have gotten the memo! "




tighten up wrote on May 19, 2009 7:52 PM:

" throwing money has not helped the educational system at all. More money, more money, we need more is all we ever hear. I do value education, however, maybe this education system is broke and we need to look into different educational choices, not more of the same with more money thrown at it. I do not wish for my taxes to go higher to pay for something that does not work. We are in a downturn and my pay has not gone up. I will tighten my house hold. The schools need to do the same. "




Education2009 wrote on May 19, 2009 3:34 AM:

" I'm disappointed in Michelle Church. She used to be such a supporter of schools when her children were in the system. "