Marihelen Hower School Board

I actually got this survey a while back. I have waited to post it until Marihelen has made her announcement. Now that she has, I would like to share this survey with all of you. Feel free to send any follow up questions to me. I do have another survey that will be posted after the candidate makes his/her announcement.


1. Why are you running?

I can be a voice for our community as a parent, tax payer, and as a concerned citizen.



2. How would you describe the current state of the district?

Mifflin County School District faces the challenges that most of our school districts are facing across the USA---improving academics to meet minimal requirements, focusing on every student to be sure they reach success, preparing our children for a world that is difficult to predict (due to technology, innovation, etc...) and keeping all of these initiatives within our fiscal framework as a community. Our district currently is weak according to Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Our district is in Corrective Action; Mifflin County School District is of 12% of schools in the State to be at this level. This can be viewed at www.PAAYP.com.


3. What is your opinion about building the new high school?

My opinion of the new school would be summed up with this question: How does the new building guarantee better success for every child in the district? We need to keep in mind three safety concerns: Academic Safety, Physical Safety and Emotional Safety.

4. Do you think the students of the county are well-served by the district?
We have excellent staff who desire to well-serve each and every student in Mifflin County School District. I believe intentions are good; unfortunately we live in a time where we are not measured on intentions/or opinions. We must use only researched proven data for policies but also for all material we use for our curriculum. And, my philosophy in life is that we all have a lot to learn in order to meet success, the same is true for Mifflin County School District.




5. What is your opinion about the teachers' union and negotiations with the district?

Our teachers' union and the negotiations with the district are never ending, nor should they be.



6. What is your opinion on early childhood education?

Early education is a growing concern for all school districts. We know that by instituting the very best, research-based practices at an early age, we can move students and have them meet with success faster. In order to level the playing field in K-12 education, early education has to be reviewed.



7. What is your opinion about vocational education?

Vocation education is a viable trade any student will take with them for life, even if the student chooses to put it aside and pursue other educational adventures, they can always fall back to the trade they learned in school. I believe the expectations are changing rapidly in these areas and that we need to continue to improve our programs in technical education in order for our children to be prepared for employment upon graduation. I do however; feel vocational education should not withhold the children from necessary classes for college placement.






8. Should the district cut any current programs in order to balance the budget?

I believe if the current programs are not to enhance the child's academic success then we should open discussions about re-focusing our resources.



9. How should the district best address "No Child Left Behind?"

We should focus more on how to educate each child. 60% of our children in Mifflin County are Proficient according to PSSA testing assessment scores which mean 40% of our children are not at Grade Level. It takes one and one-half times to educate students below standards than those students at the necessary academic level.



10. What is the role of a school board member?

The role of a school board member would be make policy and to hold our Superintendent accountable to policies that the State and local Board of Education has established.



11. What current letter grade would you give the school board? Why?

My grade for the school board would be a C. The reason I chose this grade is to give credit where it’s due for holding our school tax at a minimum rate. I also will add the district has chosen programs to make our district more successful, however, I believe programs are not being mandated throughout our district. This gives me, and should give all community members, great concern.
I believe our district needs to intensify accountability within our administrators to be successful. This will provide the proper support to our staff.



12. What do you think of the idea to consolidate school districts? Will this help of hurt Mifflin County?

My thoughts of consolidating the school are neutral. I would need to have more information to have an opinion, but I have a few thoughts. On the positive, this could provide more options for children who are part of a more cohesive system. However, I can foresee difficulty in managing a larger organization.

Snyder and Nelly of the MCRP Board of Directors Receive Awards

John Snyder and Nelson Rieffannacht (a.k.a. Nelly) each received a distinctive award from the Mifflin County Blog. Snyder was honored with the “Talking Out of Both Sides of Mouth” award and Nellie “The Gross Exaggeration” award. Both were recognized in their respective categories for their performances at board meetings in the months leading up to the firing of former Police Chief William Herkert.

Snyder separated himself from the other pretenders in July when he made the motion to allow Chief Herkert and other authorized personnel the authority to make purchases for the MCRP for $1,000 or less without board approval. Then in the same meeting he commented that he believed the police chief had too much power to make financial decisions.

Not satisfied that this statement alone would bring him victory, one month later he asked Herkert why the board did not vote on the purchase of 2 guns at a cost of $1,000. Recall that one month earlier he gave Herkert the authority to make such a purchase.

Did John think this was enough? No, he didn’t. Like the 2007 New England Patriots, he put the hammer down on the opposition. Granting permission for the chief to purchase patrol scooter for $2,300 at the August meeting, he did a big about face in September to rescind the purchase, claiming that the costs of training, clothing and accessories to the scooter would bring the total to over $4,300. One can only speculate about the grades John got in 3^rd grade math because financial records show that total costs associated with the scooter amounted to $3,180.

Had enough yet? Sorry. Even though we are all crying “uncle” by now, Big John launched a 90 yard touchdown bomb against a hapless secondary back in April by questioning Herkert about why he would purchase rain coats for the force at $90 per coat. John wondered why they couldn’t be purchased more cheaply from another vendor. Have you been to a clothing store in the last 15 years John or are you a regular customer at Goodwill?

Now we move on to Nellie. As reported by the Sentinel, Nellie made the following statement at the September 29 board meeting as justification for firing Chief Herkert: "We're looking at willful misconduct and insubordination, (involving) budgeting and operations. Monies have been used for purposes for which they were not originally intended."

To anyone hearing this who doesn’t know Nellie, one would think that Herkert was the Bernie Madoff of Mifflin County, abusing the public trust for his own gain. So, let’s look at Herkert’s high crimes and misdemeanors according the public record reported in Saturday’s Sentinel:

A. Charging the MCRP for turnpike fees for officers receiving police training. This expense makes all of us shudder. The officers could have taken a longer alternative route to spare the county the burden of these fees. And to offset the extra cost of gas, they could have turned off the engine when on downhill segments of the highway.

B. Charging the MCRP $116 for fuel costs to and from this same training. Oh my God…Do you know the price of gas? Couldn’t the officers have hitchhiked? Yes, I know hitchhiking is dangerous but these are trained police officers who are very capable of defending themselves against assault from criminals who might pick them up.

C. Not charging officers for mileage to and from work when they take MCRP vehicles home. Never mind that they are on call 24 hours a day. There are many days when they are not called. Not charging them for mileage bleeds the public like a paper cut and is much worse in the wintertime when officers might use up all the window washer fluid driving to and from work in bad weather.

D. Charging the MCRP $90 apiece for raincoats (Recall earlier that Snyder cited this as a high crime). Why do officers need raincoats anyway? It’s just water and they can always dry off when they get home. Work is not the place to keep our officers comfortable.

E. Hiring Damon Lewis Peachey to administer an email program for block watch groups. Even though Herkert twice discussed this with the board, he failed to recognize that good memories are not a strong suit of this board. Why do we need to keep block watch groups informed about anything pertaining to the public’s safety?

F. And finally, making the MCRP pay the insurance deductible for the body repair of Car 17. Why worry about Car 17? There are 16 other cars without any body damage. Why can’t the officer driving Car 17 deal with it. Maybe driving a wrecked car would inspire him to improve his performance on the job and become one of the top 16 officers in the force who get to drive an undamaged car.

Of course, we must recognize that the above examples are only the serious crimes that got Herkert fired. We don’t know anything about the minor violations. Like for example, did Chief Herkert ever take home a MCRP ball point pen and allow his family to use it for reasons other than police business? And what about toilet paper? Did Chief Herkert ever authorize the use of extra soft toilet paper when he could have gotten single ply paper for $2 less per case? Or, God forbid, did he ever take a roll home for private use? We’ll never know the answers to these questions but I’m sure Nellie does.

In conclusion, I have to wonder what Snyder and Nelly will do for an encore. Do they have the capacity to top themselves and further separate the MCRP from the other police forces in Pennsylvania? Rest assured that the sky is the limit with these two superstars. Every meeting is a new opportunity for them. No doubt that when their term is up, they will be elected into the Hall of Shame on the first ballot, while continuing to make the Mifflin County Regional Police board the laughing stock of Pennsylvania.

Answer Your Constituents...

Hey everyone hope you are all enjoying a long weekend.

I have sent surveys out to other people who have announced that they would like to run for school board. They have not answered my e-mails. This raises concerns for me. If they are already not willing to answer questions and they aren't even elected imagine what it will be like when they are elected. It would probably like....well how things are NOW!!!!!

Any way....

Lets talk about the new strip club. Now, unlike other people I am not going to say that I am morally offended by it. I'm not going to say that I have never gone to a strip club. What I do have a problem with is the business owners. I must be honest I don't know the people that do own the business, however I would like to council them on something.

Boobs are not the answer. I mean, lets be honest. You bought a building that by all accounts is where one star restaurants go to die. Your business didn't succeed. I don't believe your business failed due to a lack of boobs. It failed because in my opinion the food wasn't good, the atmosphere was mediocre and perhaps your menu was a bit over priced. Not because of a lack of boobs. But, the brain trust of the business got together and thought, well sales are down we haven't really attracted any new people to our establishment, its been a really slow few years. Lets get some boobs in here. I understand you need to make a change, or un-change, but the point is this is the wrong direction to take. This building is by schools and churches. Not to mention the YMCA. I think if you want to open a strip club do it somewhere else. Not in the middle of the town.

As always thanks for reading,

Mifflin County Blog

Mifflin County School Board

Well, I have gotten a lot of comments and a lot of views about Jeff Adams survey. I really found it interesting and I greatly appreciate him filling it out. So any way, here are my thoughts. Take them for what they are worth. Or, disagree with me and stop reading now. It is all up to you...

The good....

Jeff is a rather young man. He seems to look at this position with a new eye. He seems to share the same sentiment about education that most people in our area do.

His LERTA idea is a good idea.

From all of the places I have checked, he does seem to be a strong fiscal conservative. He does have a reputation of a hold the line type of man.

He is correct also in saying that there is a divide in the district. The county is divided on many issues and so is the school board.

He seems like a realist. He did not say our school district is the best in America however he also believes that it isn't the worst. I would agree with this.

He also realizes the vital role vocational education plays in our district.

I also like how he points out that the role of a school board member really is to make sure students are educated the best way possible. I doubt the current board would pass this test.

The Bad..

This Union Elementary thing has to go. I'm sorry, but it is a small building. If it comes down to raising my taxes or keeping this small building open, bye bye Union.

Enough with blaming the state for a lack of funding. I am so sick of hearing how Harrisburg is putting the screws to us.

Early education is the wave of the future. It will make our students competitive not just with students in America but around the world.

Thanks as always for reading,

Mifflin County Blog

I have also sent out three other surveys. When they have finished and completed them I will post their answers.

Jeff Adams Responds

Sorry for the delay. I am off to a terrible start to 2009. Very bad health for myself and several family members. I want to hope that I will update every other day as I was, but I can not commit to that yet. I have gotten several well wish e-mails and I thank you. I have also gotten a few e-mails from people that are interested in running for school board.

Here are the questions I sent to Mr. Jeff Adams. While he tells me to call him Jeff, I will still refer to him as Mr. Adams. If anyone out there can think of some questions I should add to the survey that I will send out to future members, please send me a comment or an idea. I really think by taking it one step at a time, we can change how our voices are heard. I will share my thoughts about this survey tomorrow. I would like for you all to read it for yourselves and make your own judgment first.

The Survey.

1. Why are you running?

I am running for school board for many reasons, but the welfare and education of my children and the children that the school district serves should always be first on any candidates list. One reason for my candidacy is that I am committed to keeping Union Elementary open. It is truly an asset to the children and parents that is serves. I also believe that the school board can play a vital role in keeping taxes down countywide by working with municipal and county government with tax abatement programs like LERTA that encourage property owners to fix up deteriorated properties rather than letting them become condemned eyesores and ultimately torn down removing them from the tax roles and increasing the burden on the properties left. I also believe that I have a record of strong fiscal constraint and always having an open ear to the public during my time on the Lewistown Borough council. I will listen to the constituents and make carefully thought out decisions if I am to be given the privilege to serve our community on the school board.

2. How would you describe the current state of the district?

I feel the current state of the district is divided. The district and the board is divided on issues ranging from the budget, the new high school, and union elementary. We as a district face a budget deficit as well as huge logistical issues concerning the ongoing construction projects across the district.

3. What is your opinion about building the new high school?

The new high school is a reality now like it or not. We must however be very careful when constructing it. We must remember that we are not working with a blank check from the taxpayers. That said, we must also try and make a school that will last for generations to come. It is a very sticky situation and must be handled with the utmost care.

4. Do you think the students of the county are well-served by the district?

I have seen several other districts across the country in places like rural West Virginia, to inter-city schools in LA from my time as missionary. After visiting these schools I feel that the district is doing an adequate job preparing students for the next step in the journey of life. We have numerous clubs and outreach programs as well as a good variety of athletics available for our students. Academically I feel that the district is on par with the rest of the state but there is always room for improvement.

5.What is your opinion about the teachers' union and negotiations with the district?

After spending several years on the Lewistown Borough Council I got the privilege of renewing the union contract for the workers of the Borough of Lewistown. All jokes aside it is a very difficult and painful process that is as much fun as a visit to the dentist. We absolutely want quality teachers educating our children. Quality education however comes with a price. We must make sure we treat our staff fairly but not put ourselves in a deficit at the same time. Healthcare is always a huge factor in negotiations, and the cost is always on the rise. We must be willing to shop around to numerous providers and find quality yet affordable care. We must go into negotiations with an open mind and ears to make it successful.

6. What is your opinion on early childhood education?

Having a preschool aged child let me be the first to tell you that preschool is very expensive. It does prepare children for kindergarten and those who either could not afford preschool or had chosen not to go are at a distinct disadvantage when they enter the school system. The waiting list for subsidized child care is very long with most children are never getting a chance to attend at all. The Headstart centers across the county are at maximum compactly and private schools are not very affordable for the average family. I feel the state needs to step up with regard to early childhood education. The state needs to move away from some frivolous transportation projects and increase funding to childcare facilities and increase the income guidelines for subsidized childcare across the state. So few are able to obtain help to provide early childhood education while others fall out of the income guidelines and simply cant afford the $400 - $600 a month price. I do not however feel that the district should have preschool programs as one of our services. The district is not in the position to take on such an endeavor at this time. We should be approaching the state however to use some of its more abundant resources into making early childhood education a reality for more children across this county as well as the state.

7. What is your opinion about vocational education?

Vocational education is something I feel is very important for Mifflin County due to our geographical location in rural Pennsylvania. My wife attended vocational school and it has helped prepare her for her current education she is undergoing to become a veterinary technician. Teenagers are very unique in nature and have very different dreams and goals. Some may want to open a hair and nail salon after graduation, while others may want to work on the family farm, or go to culinary school. And vocational school prepares them with the tools to enter the workforce right away. We are giving these students a head start on life.

8. Should the district cut any current programs in order to balance the budget?

NO! Unfortunately music and art programs are often times the first programs to be cut . The budget can be balanced with hard work and fiscal constraint. No cuts need to be made.

9. How should the district best address “No Child Left Behind?”

The district stands to lose far to much in government funding to not take the program seriously. I do think we need more accountability in our school systems so students are not slipping through the cracks. The educational needs of every child however are very different and cant be measured by a test. I think that corrective measures need to be taken with regard to the program.

10. What is the role of a school board member?

The role of a school board member is to make the very best education available for the students of the district and to wisely use the money that comes from each and every one of the taxpayers pockets.

Comments

I just wanted to take some time to explain how I moderate comments. I do not mind what you write in as long as it meets the following guidelines.

1. Please do not curse. While I enjoy doing it, I don't think this is a proper forum for that. We are all intelligent people and can explain our point of view without using 4 letter words.

2. Explain your point- Simply calling someone a name is not going to get published. If you call someone a name or a slacker and have a reason to back it up, I will publish it.

3. Try and be respectful- I know your probably thinking I should take my own advice. I try to be respectful and make my points as clear as possible. I understand emotions run high, that is to be expected. But, let us try to make out points without stepping into the gray area.

4. I don't just publish comments that agree with me. I have no problem with you not agreeing with me. I really do want to make this a forum to express our thoughts....


On to other news. I have reached out to Mr. Adams about his school board candidacy. He responded to my e-mail but has not responded to my questions as of yet. However, if you have any questions for me to ask him please let me know. Another thing, if you know of any other people that ARE running for school board, let me know. I would like to send them out a survey as well.

I really hope we can start a movement here endorse some people and get some changes around here.


Thanks for reading,

Mifflin County Blog