by George Reeves
If you have children in public schools go see this movie. If your children aren’t in public schools you already know the time is past to demand – SCHOOL VOUCHERS! The ECT folks watched the Blu-Ray DVD of this movie over the weekend – thanks to NetFlix.
This new movie documents the decades old (continuing failure) of our Country’s failing public school system. Presented in the movie are the 3 contributing factors to this ongoing failure;
1 – School Bureaucracy – Federal, State and Local. Bloated and overpaid and despite their “good intentions” they’re failing at immense taxpayer expense all over our Country. There is no one common set of academic standards in this U.S. system. A system where no government bureaucrat has apparently been left behind.
2 – Teacher Unions – that have continuously put the interests of teacher tenure – ahead of performance based teaching and performance based pay and performance based teacher retention.
3 – The Democrat Party…who’s largest single campaign contribution comes from the various teachers Unions and the NEA. Their words not the ECT’s – Watch the Movie.
It’s past time to ask our local Eagle County School Board (and Superintendent Sandra Smyser) that if our local public schools are seemingly doing their job to “git ‘er done” as Larry’s slang expression goes…then how is it our County taxpayers can support so many public school alternatives…in a downturn economy…with a shrinking (Job Loss) County population? Examples Abound;
Vail Valley Academy (Vail)
Vail Academy – (Eagle Vail)
Vail Christian (Edwards)
Vail Mountain (Vail)
Charter Schools (quasi-public schools Edwards & Stone Creek)
Home Schooling
FACTOID: The majority of public school alternatives in the U.S. hire teachers that are not members of a Union. What’s that tell you?
Parents who support these alternative schools already know and they know why School Vouchers is a way out of the educational mess the 3 forces above have combined to create. Watch the movie.
Soon you can expect your local Eagle County School Board will be asking you for a property tax increase (right after the biggest property tax increase – in the history of Eagle County)…all in the hopes that if you just pay a little more – local education can and will improve. Let’s not forget Superintendent Smyser’s $181,300/yr (plus benefits) salary – that we all pay for her “exemplary performance” in Eagle County.
It’s past time to introduce our Public Schools to market based competition. All our businesses (realtors, restaurants, grocery stores, painters, plumbers…etc…etc) all survive in a competitive market…and we’re all the better for it. It’s past time for our Public School system to stand up and compete for your family’s educational business.
Demand a School Voucher program for your child’s educational future!
OBTW – How’s your personal education match up? Recognize the name of this story’s writer? If you “get the reference” without having to look it up – you get an “A”…If you know how to look it up and quickly did - you get a “B”. If you don’t know and didn’t look up that name - then sadly…you’ll just have to keep “Waiting”…One wonders what our average elected School Board member – got for their grade…Brian?
everyone needs to see this movie. It is an eye opener!
why do I read the ECT? the daily’s ad for the movie waiting for superman says sold out. when you read the ECT they tell you it’s available from netflix today. blu-ray or dvd, your choice
Great job by the ECT to bring this issue to forefront. I think, it’s a top issue in our country. Perhaps the Fishwrap will follow suit.
It’s a great movie, so right on.
Also, see this Charter School project featured on 60 Minutes last night in NYC:
http://www.tepcharter.org/
I don’t believe the situation in Wisconsin or other states has anything to do with unions. I believe, it’s political move, to break down Democratic funding (unions are the biggest contributors to the DNC). So in this regard, I’m for the opposition.
I’m all for teachers, I think they should be paid well. I’m not for their unions. I think it’s an old model and the idea of tenure, amongst other union ideals, is not doing our kids any good.
If we’re asked to pay more taxes around here to fund the status quo, everyone should rally against this. And we should vote out politicians who want to continue with the status quo.
But we should support politicians (no matter their party) who propose tax increases to fund projects such as “The Equity Project”, or models espoused in this great movie.
George Reeves, the original Superman. I didn’t Google that, either.
This event tomorrow night at the Vilar is sold out.
http://www.vailsymposium.org/view-our-calendar/icalrepeat.detail/2011/03/16/741/1/ODU1ZjZlNGE4NjkzZTYzNWU0M2NlYzkyZGMzMTJjMjI=
If someone from here is going, would someone please ask Sandra Smyser what her salary is, how she’s evaluated, and how she can be fired?
That if she’s not performing, that if Eagle County kids’ scores are behind, shouldn’t she be fired? Shouldn’t Sandra’s job be based solely on the kids academic performance?
Please, turn this back around — but be respectful — on Sandra. Make her accountable.
I’m buying beers for anyone who puts the tough questions in Sandra’s lap.
Sandra Smyser’s (annual salary?) ECT ran a story on that a few months ago.
Who else would take the time to do that?
The daily Fishwrap? No. The Fishwrap likes their EC School District (print advertising money) too much to give much ink on that one…
Here you go….
http://eaglecountytimes.com/2010/06/27/eagle-county%e2%80%99s-chief-education-officer-sandra-symser%e2%80%a6/
ECT will mention again!
The movie “Waiting for Superman” can be had today from NetFlix…DVD or Blu-Ray media.
Interesting statement: “That if she’s not performing, that if Eagle County kids’ scores are behind, shouldn’t she be fired? Shouldn’t Sandra’s job be based solely on the kids academic performance?”
Smyser ACCEPTED her bonus this summer, which she could have turned down – refer to June 17, 2010 “School superintendents across the Denver metro area are forgoing raises and bonuses — many rejecting the raises and sending the money back to the general fund.”)
And yet she only met 7.25% of her contracted goals. (Refer to “Smyser had been eligible for an annual performance pay bonus of up to 10 percent of her salary’ and, “Sandra Smyser will receive a performance pay bonus worth 7.25 percent of her salary” http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100625/NEWS/100629856)
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Next question: Were you aware of this prior to it being approved? I was not-
January 27, 2011 “Eagle County schools superintendent Sandra Smyser has a new contract. The school board approved a new three-year deal for Smyser” http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20110127/NEWS/110129840&parentprofile=search
Why did OUR school board re-up her contract without notifying us taxpayers, or at the very least, printing what areas Smyser failed to meet per her contract? Maybe they are important contracted items, and maybe not–but we the taxpayers do not know because they fail again to disclose information to taxpayers– and that would be us.
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And by the way; Here is how our school district handles those monetary/contract inquiries by us little taxpayers – (* do read this very carefully)
Re teacher pay freezes, and school superintendent Smyser’s bonus…
May 25, 2010 “Smyser refused to talk on camera or by phone with CBS4 about the ( her bonus) compensation issue.”
http://eaglecountyedassociation.blogspot.com/2010/06/superintendent-bonus.html
June 25, 2010 “Smyser could not be reached for comment. She declined further comment through district spokeswoman Brooke Skjonsby”
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20100625/NEWS/100629856
PS Out of curiosity- is the new student teacher (who just appeared on school staff listings) the same Tim Smyser who is our school superintendents son, also named Tim Smyser? If yes-how many student teachers applied to work here when he did? i ask because quite often, a student teacher is then hired on by the same school district as a fulltime certified teacher. Fact!
* Smyser, Timothy - Student Teacher Eagle Valley Elementary – EVES
* Smyser, Sandra- Superintendent Office of Superintendent
http://www.eagleschools.net/index.aspx?page=64
I think I have a ticket.
I have some tough questions for Sandra. I’m going to ask her if she can be fired and how she’s accountable. I don’t care how much money she makes, but I do care if she’s not earning it.
All based on reading the ECT!
I also think you have the ticket BlueBayou so I certainly hope she/they answer you re her bonus and funding and they (and she) do not do this (again) when pressed to answer taxpayers; “She (Smyser) declined further comment through district spokeswoman Brooke Skjonsby” as well as ““Smyser refused to talk on camera or by phone with CBS4 about the ( her bonus) compensation issue.”
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File this next section away for future reference when our schools ask for a new Bond (tax $) from you on our next ballot, and this will ask, they said so.
The actual Eagle County taxpayer costs, per pupil, when you add in the current THREE (yes, we owe on 3 loans now) school Bonds is, per Mr. Onofrio:
$ 11,325.07 – per pupil, per year –
(And then there is this…)
March 4, 2009 “School Board could ask voters to approve bond to renovate old Eagle-Vail high school”
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20090304/NEWS/903039962&parentprofile=search
(But they didn’t do that, ask voting taxpayers if we felt we could afford a tax increase… instead the school district did the following)
January 19, 2011 (remodeling the old Battle Mountain high financing to bypass voters)
“a series of one-year loans…that allows the school district to dodge the restrictions of Colorado’s TABOR Amendment that bans governments from taking on multi-year debt without voter approval.”
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20110119/NEWS/110119777/1073&parentprofile=1067
(Our school district bought into this above-they deliberately skipped over voters, they did not sell the properties despite saying they could–they own this mess themselves.)
and PS.
* Vail Chamber of Commerce report March 12, 2011
The census numbers also reveal that, according to the county’s linear growth projections, Eagle County has dropped below the minimum threshold for healthy growth within the last year.
It is highly unlikely that even a medium to high growth rate is possible…. The slowing growth in population and rise in unemployment will most likely be reflected in property values.
Local governments, including the school district, are facing downsizing or tax increases as revenues from real estate taxes shrink.
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20110312/EDITS/110319959/1021&ParentProfile=1065
And record this too:
(Poverty status people pay little to no taxes at all-Food stamps are non-taxed, taxpayer assisted housing/utilities means far lower taxes paid, CO state taxes paid are ‘nil’ in fact….explaining the State of Colorado’s current deficit)
January 1, 2010 Eagle County Schools:
6,007 students, 34 percent poverty status
By Jason Glass, director of human resources for Eagle County schools
http://www.ednewscolorado.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DocDistrictPerformancePay70209.pdf
btw–like you BB, i am all for teachers, I think they should be paid well. And “if we’re asked to pay more taxes around here to fund the status quo, everyone should rally against this. And we should vote out politicians who want to continue with the status quo.”
If we did that, no one would be discussing what we are discussing right now,
And I am totally opposed to the entitlement factors without any accountability and right now, that is exactly what we have in costly administration.
No mention in the Fishwrap today about the movie showing last night — that was sold out!
BB,
ECT was not there….
Would you consider leaving a comment…so others would know what happened?
Did Bennet get up and express his ‘good intensions’ at the crowd?
Please let us know…
http://www.infowars.com/preview-charlotte-iserbyt-exposing-the-miseducation-of-america/
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