Karl- while I know you won't speak to the tactics being used by the superintendant, I will. She is trying to discourage people from speaking up at board meetings with veiled threats. While I will not throw anyone under the bus on a public blog, it certainly IS happening. I feel this is a very BAD environment for our teachers to be in, especially with the environment that exists , and the one that is coming. The LAST thing this district needs is an environment where one person is trying to rule with an iron fist. Her proposals are PREPOSTEROUS, the elimination of essentially ALL of the counselors and learning support teachers is just a terrible, short-sighted idea. i fear that Janesville is being dragged even further down by certain folks on the board and y Ms Schulte , simply in the interests of their own bottomline. I honestly believe that at least 2 of the current board members have very little interest in actually improving education for the children in the community, and are there for personal, political, and financial reasons. I am NOT speaking of you Mr D, a couple of others though.
I would appreciate it if you might send me a private message explaining why you changed your vote at the last second pertaining to the current contract. I only ask this of you because many of my close friends in the district that are educators really dont know what to make of you and where you stand. Through our conversations, I feel that you are a reasonable guy that actually reads and researches. Please sir , I am only curious as are many others who serve the families of this community.

Fear, I read the article you provided. Although it was interesting, I didn't see anything about property taxes or school taxes, increased fees, etc. As for the health insurance projections, you have a point. That is one way to look at it. Another way is the teachers did receive the benefit they negotiated. They received the wage increase they negotiated and they received the insurance that was negotiated, regardless of price.

Fear, I read the article you provided. Although it was interesting, I didn't see anything about property taxes or school taxes, increased fees, etc. As for the health insurance projections, you have a point. That is one way to look at it. Another way is the teachers did receive the benefit they negotiated. They received the wage increase they negotiated and they received the insurance that was negotiated, regardless of price.

We are all aware that teachers salaries are paid with tax dollars. The fact remains that it is THEIR money not ours. They perform a service for their salaries. The contract is negotiated in good faith. The money allotted to the teachers for their health insurance is a part of the total compensation. If the district's "expert" overestimates, that money should be returned to the teachers, not rolled into some "account" for pet projects. You can use all the shell games and tax phrasing you like, but its a lot more simple than you make it out to be. the money set aside is deferred compensation and belongs to those that earn it, period.
To my comment about tax rates being the lowest in 50-60 years. Its a proportion as a percentage of wages. Because of inflation in the last half centiry its the only way to compare it. Of course the dollars are higher , but the percentage of income per capita IS at its lowest in almost 60 years. Please Karl, Im not just coming with random rhetoric here, could you afford me the same? Just so you know my research isnt just made up: http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxe...
a little light reading for you.
Yes the district may not be "laying off" 100 teachers , but Schulte's bullying tactics and bringing back non-unionjobs that are essentially re-named is just a bunch of crap. She is trying to rule the teachers and threaten counselors with an iron fist. No one will speak up for fear that they will be next. the feelings around the district are just very sad right now.
I also have been made aware that you were in favor of the current contract until it was time to vote for it, then you flipped. Kind of curious if that is the truth and what changed your mind? Protecting the local taxpayers from a quality education system in Janesville that rewards teachers? Just curious.

What would have happened if we didn't spend the $70,000,000 and put into a secure investment vehicle. I guess it was better to in plastic and motor.

Realist, Please post the districts overall budget from ten years ago and also the overall budget for this year. Then show the difference is less than $100 per property tax payer. You will see for yourself that the opinions you state are much further from reality than the facts. Nice try being a bully. I did not realize "fing" was a word. That sounds cool though.

just tryin,
First off thanks for your service to the community as I am sure you are doing your best based on the information you are given by the school district.
I did want to comment on something you said, "As for earlier thoughts on the tax rates being the lowest they have been, that is incorrect. In addition, tax rates are a poor indicator of high or low taxes." While I agree tax rates are a poor indicator I would like you or anyone to look back at their property taxes for the past ten years and look at the school portion and tell me how they have increased. They haven"t. In 10 fing years they have gone up less than $100. I guess janesville taxpayers have been getting the shaft with high taxes. Wake up.

Old, from 2008, but interesting Fund 10 information:
http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/feb/17/...

http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/aug/16/...

and "The Gold Mine": http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/aug/20/...

fear,
Your thoughts on health insurance miscalculations are partly correct and understood. However, all of the money was paid by the taxpayer. This taxpayer money is now going to be used in addition to increased taxpayer money to pay for the increased budget needs. With all of the cuts, the budget will still be higher than it ever has been before. The 100+ layoffs were initial projections used to show how short of money the board was towards the increased budget. There will NEVER be that many teacher layoffs in one year in this district. As for earlier thoughts on the tax rates being the lowest they have been, that is incorrect. In addition, tax rates are a poor indicator of high or low taxes. Please think about that before making me explain.

Please take a minute to read the column. The column states checkbook, i simply replied off that. This so called surplus is not simply an overpayment of employee insurance as you state. For that to be true, the teachers would have to be on the hook if it was a deficit. This is not the case.

It is long time coming to wake up as you state. You want to keep getting increases, show performance. Dollars per student spent, even adjusted for inflation does not equate to increase in performance. If this were a private industry it would have either been outsourced or price reduced to stay competitive.

Just what exactly is it that allows teachers to be exempt to what is happening in the world economy? Time to stop using kids as a shield.

Some of my greatest life learning came from teachers. Some of my worst failures educationaly speaking came from teachers. Paid accordingly it would range from jail time to I could never repay them for what they did.

beenthinkin- lets get this straight, ITS NOT a checkbook! Its a surplus built on health insurance miscalculations. If there was a SURPLUS, how could there be a 13 million dollar hole worthy of laying off 100+ teachers! Cmon janesburg, wake up!

Pretty simple really. Burn the checkbook now and claim ignorance and plead for forgiveness later when our back is to the wall and we are forced to increase taxes.

Just about everyone not involved with government has taken large cuts in pay, benefits etc. Time for the rest to step up to the plate.

Makes you wonder what really happened to our last super.

The union has been very quiet about all this. Once the details come out about the new job descriptions I assume they will have something to say.

That's a good question. The DPI clearly states that the district must provide our students with adequate LMSs and Guidance Counselors. Legal or not, it leaves the employees feeling incredibly unappreciated and undervalued; toyed with, even. I was initially happy with the decision to put Dr. Schulte in the lead position, as she impressed me as a good leader while principal at Marshall Middle School. I am sorely disappointed, however, in her service as superintendent. She's either changed quite a bit, or she had me fooled when she was my principal.

Is what Ms. Schulte doing (the renaming of the counselors position)legal? It seems pretty shady.

oh - the numbers came from: Janesville Board of Education Meeting
Parker High School
December 14, 2010
6:30 p.m
(except Walker's cuts)

Interesting math:
Budget gap (in millions):
1.8 loss from federal one-time Jobs Education Funding; 2.3 can't count last year’s fund 10 used; 1.1 salaries increase for teachers; .5 WRS mandate for teachers; 2.6 estimated increase of 15% health (1.1 of that is teachers); 1.6 other salaries/benefits (not teachers); 3 Walker’s cuts

So, if my math is right - 2.7 of the gap is from teacher's costs

130 teachers lay-offs = plus 7.8
Retires = plus .75

Iluvjvl- Am I mistaken or did Schulte make the "decision" on the counselors and Learning support teachers, came after some wondered why she didnt disclose any future plans at a meeting,she heard about their general diispleasure and her response was to cut them all. I would say that she acts like a juvenile more than a superintendant. I really wish there were some human beings in charge of the JSD not power hungry partisans. Sad times in Janesburg.
I also am aware of her sending the e-mail notifying them of her decision on the Friday before spring break at the end of the day. Very courageous of her! Again , very hard to believe that this woman was a teacher at some point.
How long will it be until she goes to the gazette again begging for the teachers to take concessions that her lord and savior(Walker) has put upon the public ed system as "tools". I can think of some tools around here, but they are more like a box of knobs.

dr. schulte is doing an incredible dis-service to this community. she has created an atmosphere of emplyees having to accept positions they are not interested in, and fear of questioning what is wrong right now in the district. teachers right now don't dare question her, because she will retaliate.
What the janesville community receives in return, is a bunch of educational employees that are just going through the motions, losing the fire they once had within them to educate our youth.

Karl, or anyone else... How did the numbers change so drastically? I understand the Walker cuts add a few million, but ...

It is also interesting that the blame game keeps changing from insurance to salaries to enrollment... which is it?

"Pennington said the state-aid formula, which uses enrollment to determine funding, has a hold-harmless clause for districts with declining enrollment. That, combined with the fact that Pennington planned for an enrollment decline when he set up the budget, means the enrollment drop will not affect the bottom line.

Pennington still has to contend with a $1.66 million budget hole created by higher-than-anticipated costs of the new teachers contract and insurance. That’s less than an earlier estimate of $2 million, however."

"Several board members suggested the result of the higher salaries would be cuts of teacher jobs and larger classes in 2011-12. Sodemann suggested the loss of 25 to 30 of the 800-plus teacher corps. DuWayne Severson said up to 40 teachers could be cut."
Janesville Gazette 9/25/2010

people should know that counselors and LMSs have been told that their jobs will be "redesigned" so that the district will not have to recall the employees, but rather apply for those positions. my best friend is between a rock and a hard place... go back to a position she left because she was burned out in that position, or trust that the district will treat her right in the new re-designed new non-unionized position. Trust... yeah, right.

fear - you are right on. and the atmosphere is... well, very uneasy, about wanting to speak out honestly regarding the path that is being taken. dr. schulte has been sending emails and making phone calls to any employees that speak out with questions about what is going on in the district. it's become quite clear to the teachers of the janesville district that our superintendent is a walker clone, and she has let it be known that you had better be careful what you say or you are next on the chopping block.

I do have another question for Mr D or any other that would like to answer. How does 24 retiring teachers at the top end of the pay scale translate to 14 job saved on the other end of it? Seems like "fuzzy math" to me.
Also why is Schulte trying to create non-union repacements with new titles? I know why , but isn't that a little bit of dirty pool? She knows what she's doing, I just wish she would be clear about it. I find it hard to believe that she was a teacher. VERY HARD!

Iluvjvl- Exactly correct! I would like the ditrict to reveal their "expert' than made these over-estimations. Why were these "over-estimations" not IMMEDIATELY returned to the teachers as a part of their bargained pay/benefit package? This was money bargained for by the JEA and yet the district held on to it, for "emergencies". Again, please dont sell the citizens of the district that there is such a huge hole, when the district is sitting on a fund created by "over-estimation" and the like.
I also heve another question. I am very close with many teachers in Janesville, whom were told in the previous contract negotiations when they agreed to pay a small part of their health premiums, that the district takes "holidays" and doesnt pay the premiums a month or 2 each and every year, since that contract was agreed on, I am not aware of one. So you are aware I didnt pull that term out of thin air, I was told this by many teachers who were involved with those negotiations. I would like to know how accurate/inaccurate that statement is.
As far as attending your listening sessions. I would be inclined to do so, except for the rhetoric that is used in the name. I have a MAJOR problem with anything directed at excellence in this district after the board decides its in the best interest to sit on a surplus created by "over-estimations" and "insurance holidays", and lay off every counselor and learning support teacher! That is a far cry from excellence. maybe when I can cool off a little bit we can sit and talk, but it certainly won't be in a public setting where I can be gaveled by someone who doesn't agree with my views on educators and their compensation. I watch the meetings and go to many, and have seen your re-elected president do it more than once.
I do however appreciate your attention, and desire to be clear on this issue. Thank you.

Karl - Your words are also accurate, but let me explain the statement “the Fund 10 was built on the back of the employees,” even though it was not my words.
1) Teachers since the QEO was enacted in 1993 have been forced into deferred compensation, since they could not bargain for more than 3.8 percent increases and the increased costs of insurance and benefits consumed the majority of that increase.
2) That "salary increase" in large part went to their insurance premiums, which is determined by the district's own "expert" with no input from the teachers or someone the union might want to hire for a similar projected estimate.
3) That expert apparently over-estimated the needed premiums by 2 to 3 million dollars, I believe, 8 out of the last 10 years.
4) So the benefits package the teachers received instead of salary increases ended up being grossly over-estimated, meaning the teachers did not receive their increase after all. The excess monies rolled into the Fund 10 Balance.
Does that make the statement more clear?

If one feels that they will not get straight answers, then not anything I say will satisfy those people. I coined the term "Conversations Toward Excellence" and I am an Independent, which will be confirmed by my voting on Board decisions. I will be happy to answer questions at the listening sessions, sit down with you at your convenience in my office, during the week, or on a weekend, just call my office number first to make sure I am available or make an appointment at 752-2700 or call my cell phone 774-8660. My office is good for meetings because I have much of the documentation there. We can share a coffee or water.

Most comments I am noticing have truth in them, with none completely false. To answer the questions in the blogs, demands additional questions for clarification, so the answers are correct and not used out of context. It would take too much space to answer all the questions, but I would try in person. If I do not know an answer, I will find that answer and not bluff it.

It is true that the represented and unrepresented groups gave up money for benefits in the past and it is true that being self-funded has saves money in the budget; otherwise, we go in another direction, which could happen any year after constant analysis.

I am not sure what the statement “the Fund 10 was built on the back of the employees” is based on, but it would be interesting to hear the logic behind it. The money in the Fund 10 really comes from the taxpayer, families paying fees, State and Federal funding, along with some grant monies (private and government), and other funds.

Our Fund 50 is the Kitchen and that is 100% self-sufficient by law, so privatizing would not save money, besides most of these employees are part time and receive no benefits. All we would be doing is adding a middle person who would pay the employees less to work for them, besides they are not the highest paid individuals in the system, just low hanging fruit for easy picking.

Come to a listening session or to my office and I will explain what the surplus consists of and how it stands throughout the year. It would be my honor to address anyone in person or at Conversations Toward Excellence session, in fact I challenge you to pursue one of these methods.

Karl Dommershausen
Janesville School Board Commissioner

Good to hear Cena, I would agree with that sentiment. However, until you have been with a teacher, in a classroom, try not to judge. Many teachers have "troublemakers" and have no recourse, because many parents are unwilling to help at home to resolve any issues. Again to ignore SEVERAL demographic issues and to simply rate some as average and some as exceptional is NOT entirely fair IMO.
I do , however enjoy seeing someone who may have a political indifference with certain parts of their pay, at least afford the educators a compliment.

Every student, no matter how much their parent(s) earn or where they live, has the capability to learn and be successful. An average teacher looks at those underlying issues and sees a child who can't learn or is just being a troublemaker. An exceptional teacher tries to bring out the best in every student! I believe JSD has many exceptional teachers. That is one of the reasons why my children attend public schools here and I am proud to admit it.

another quickie- Since the district is facing such a "shortfall", how is a surplus fund possible? Plus some of you refer to the fund 10 as a "checking account" is fine. however where does the MONEY for that account come from if the district seems to be in a hole EVERY year? Has to come from somewhere? Checking accounts dont just refurbish themselves, so where o where does the money come from? Any answers Karl? It would be great to go to "conversations toward excellence" but to me it sounds like some kind of rhetoric backed BS. Sorry but the JSD is headed exactly in the opposite direction of "excellence". Sounds like some phrase coined by a republican campaign manager.

Why don't they cut the reimbursement to administrators for their masters and doctorine degrees. The teachers have to pay their own education, let's stop paying for the adminstrator's for theirs. Especially, since they can take it to another district! Also, let's stop paying principals bonuses after they have ten years in....that's over $250K in savings!

Gunslinger- is everyone that is pro-public education a teacher in your eyes? You keep throwing a$$umptions out there it just makes you look silly. make an argument instead of assuming everyone that disagrees with your POV MUST be a teacher.

How exactly do you determine a teacher is "average" , test scores? I am sure that demographics and economic standing have NOTHING to do with a kid's chances of success right? Parents that use schools as glorified babysitters , that don't participate in their kids education are more to blame than any so-called "average" teachers. So pleas CENA enlighten me on how you would evaluate such teachers? looking forward to this response. rhetoric is great when you look at certain issues in black and white when the great majority of public education is gray. Not understanding demographics and individual variables as a part of public education as a part of teaching, seems to be the fatal flaw of those that want to be the judge and jury of teachers.

Wait a minute Cena, the money is built by premiums built in to the benefit packages that is considered by many as a part of a teachers salary. The money is a part of their salary then but not when we are talking about what is used to pay the premiums? Cmon its one way or another. If their benefits are considered part of their salary(it is) , then this money is in essence theirs. You cant say it is in one respect , then when it doesnt play to your rhetoric it isnt. So please, money allocated for benefits IS a part of their compensation. So when MILLIONS are saved due to "insurance holidays" it certainly should be used to save jobs.
I believe I answered your "question" perfectly Cena. Just because you dont like the answer, deal with it. Am I not being clear enough for you? I think that cutting pay/benefits is DETRIMENTAL to education. I think that teachers that have HIGHER compensation perform at a higher level, generally because they are better qualified to be more efficient at their professions. The HIGHEST paid teachers should work in the most economically challenged areas(inner cities) to give those kids a better shot at a decent future.
Sorry simple questions dont always bear out simple answers. There are always variables at play. it is somewhat hard for me to have a serious conversation about education with a screen name based on "professional" wrestling. try to remember we currently live in a state where our Governor isn't qualified to be a substitute teacher for a kindergarten class.

Sluggo-you too are obviously a teacher judging by your past comments but obviously you are not smart enough to figure out others can look at PAST comments and their TIMES. I do however take back my assumption that Fear is an EMPLOYED teacher since nobody with a job (or a life) can spend that much time posting on here.

Also, if the budget is short and the money is taken out of the Fund 10 to cover it, it is like putting a band-aid on the problem. It only temporarily fixes the underlying issue.

Mr. Dommershausen, maybe you can chime in on how accurate (or inaccurate) my description of Fund 10 is...

Hey Karl, since you're on here, what percentage of the Fund 10 balance is made up of district employee premiums?

fear, you did not answer the question I asked. You stated in your 11:27am post "...but compensating them well makes education of higher quality." I take your comment to mean that if our educators were paid more, they will be better teachers. If you pay an average teacher more money, they will still be average.

Here is my understanding of the Fund 10 account - it is a checking account to pay all monthly expenses, including insurance costs. I believe there were a couple of years that the insurance costs were lower than budgeted (and the fund increased) but there have been many years where the insurance costs exceeded the amount budgeted (and the fund decreased). This is NOT the “teacher's” money and this is NOT a rainy day fund! ALL employees in the district that receive the health care insurance provided by the district have their medical expenses covered as outlined in the policy. The Fund is healthy and allows the district to not have to borrow money to make monthly payroll expenses, etc. The community benefits from this account being healthy because no short term borrowing occurs which would mean paying interest on that borrowing. It took many years to build the Fund 10 to where it is and the district gets good interest rates when it does borrow money.

To those of you, who wish to understand Fund 10 or the other funds to a greater degree, please attend the "Conversations Toward Excellence" listening session next Tuesday (May 3rd) at Monroe Elementary School from 6:30 until 7:30 PM. If you do not get a satisfactory answer, during the group-answering time-period, I will be very willing to meet with you personally, one-on-one, immediately following the listening session.

I would even arrange to meet with you at my office (informally) to discuss school issues at most times, including weekends.

Karl Dommershausen
Janesville School Board Commissioner

...I meant Fund 10 Balance.

Listen, I usually don't post on here, unless it's to see how long a direct insult will remain before it's removed, but: SantaFe, the Fund Balance is largely made up of district employee's payments into JSD'S self-insurance plan. Very interesting how that works, huh?

Do a public records search, there isnt an educator in Janesville that makes a 100k. There is a superintendant that does though. Also the ones making 60k are the ones that have EXRENDED their education (masters) degree, and have 10 years+ of experience. Many will have you believe that those are the ones that are riding it out to retirement. Instead of being the ones that are BEST equipped to teach the kids properly so they can succeed. test scores in the JSD would point out that our current teachers ARE doing the job. Yet that warrants a pay CUT? How many of you in the private sector would recieve a cut if you were performing at a high level?
Lets also remember that the PRIVATE sector is largely responsible for the current crisis, NOT teachers or other public employees. How dare they expect to make a middle class wage , and be able to take their kids to the doctor without going bankrupt! especially in a country where the NUMBER 1 cause of personal bankruptcy is HEALTH CARE COSTS! Once great nation, great no more! Downgrade education and put people in the por house because of over inflated healthcare costs.

Ms. Shulte is using "tools" (her term) to rename and change the counselors and others jobs so they can be hired back as non-union employees. What's next, retooling and renaming the teachers jobs so they too will be hired as non-union employees?

What is the fund 10 balence and how do you change board policy? Is it so difficult that the board won't do it to save jobs? The fund is money saved by the employees because the district is self-insured. It's their money. Remember it's about the kids, not saving money. Although a school district is a business their "product" is our future.

No cena, I would suggest NOT cutting their pay and benefits because the economy is broken. I feel that teachers should be well taken care of. By Decreasing pay/benefits you decrease the quality of the future of education.
How many bright young college kids want to spend 50,000+ on an education to be underpaid and highly scrutinized? If you had a choice, even if you wanted to be a teacher, why would you? Especially in a city like Janesville. Common sense tells you the lower the pay and benefits, the LESS attractive of a profession. IMO this is just a beginning. GOP wants ALL education to be privatized. Which WILL widen the gaps between poor and wealthy families and their chances at an EQUAL shot at the same quality of education. I just think that the goal is to open doors for some and slam them shut on MANY others. In the name of more tax cuts for the wealthiest amongst us. Very shortsighted in Janesville, WI and it will continue to negatively affect our community.

fear - are you saying that if the same teachers we have in the district now got paid more, the quality of education would be higher? I would hope that our educators are doing their best for the students in their classroom whether they make 60k or 100k.

Do the local business owners trying to keep their own taxes low count? They CERTAINLY have a vested interest(Bill Sodemann). As is evidenced by his CONSTANT revolt against teachers wages/benefits.
I actually think that teachers want an efficient system and have offered SEVERAL ideas aimed at cuts and efficiency, they just fall on deaf ears. Anything short of taking pay/benefit cuts just gets ignored.
My personal OPINION on the makeup of the board, I would prefer that it was made up of teachers. The ones that want education to be of higher QUALITY for the students. I feel that local business owners have one thing in mind and it is not the benefit of the students.
Let me ask you this.... If you were sick and needed cancer treatment, would you search for the cheapest doctor, or would you look for the most qualified one? I am not suggesting paying teachers 6 figures like superintendants make, but compensating them well makes education of higher quality. more experienced teachers make education better for the kids. I know MANY teachers, and NONE of them are driving cadillacs or living in 300,000 dollar homes. The fact is, just like anything, you get what you pay for. While I DO understand the arguement of the anti-union people that CLAIM the older teachers are just riding their salaries out to some golden retirement, i would state that the VAST majority of teachers teach because they have a great passion for what they do. Why should we continue to downgrade their pay in the interest of saving tax dollars. There are so many better places to cut, so many tax breaks to be rescinded, so many tax CHEATS to be rounded up, why teachers? The huge majority of the people in this profession are selfless and do what they do to help others, period.

My answer would be to be able to save money on salary/benefits. However they have to play the game of re-naming the positions. I believe that the district cannot re-hire say a counselor as a non-union position, because of the contract in place. So now we will watch Schulte and others re-naming positions and hiring folks to do the same jobs at lower wage/benefit rates. Participating in the "race to the bottom", in education, labor and every other field that is middle class oriented. Anyone that doesn't think the current GOP plan is anything but class-warfare, just isn't paying attention. Or doesn't know what class warfare is. IMO

can any one answer my question on why the school district is hiring non union people right now or recently ?

there should be NO person on the board that is a teacher or anything that has a vested interest in all of this. (ie married to a teacher or anything like that) if you work for a t.v or radio station and they are having a contest, you can't play. it wouldn't be fair.

Uncle- i thought you were a non-partisan? Hyperbole? Trying to see where, if the fund was indeed created by insurance savings made from educators general health, shouldnt that money be used to save these positions? One liners seem to have more hyperbole than , longer posts dont you think?
You seem to claim independance from political parties yet you fall on the right wing on EVERY single issue I read you on. How ,my fellow independant, is that independance? BTW no one that uses terms like "liberals" as some kind of battering tool, is independant. If you are a conservative just say so, dont hide behind something you clearly are not.

Gotta love A$$umptions by folks that have zero to back it up. I am a teacher of myself in the IT industry, thats it. I happen to be very close to SEVERAL teachers in the district and happen to have a very strong support for public education and it's importance to the REAL future of this country.
Hey, I am sorry to be so long winded but lots of stuff to be addressed. I am also sorry that the "gunslinger" and others that disgree with my opinions have a short attention span, or just simply prejudge everything after reading 2 sentences. I am positive they read the long posts of billnewbie or other conservatives they agree with. I read the long posts of everyone, because the longer ones usually have more information.
I would appreciate it if Mr Schultz or someone else with more knowledge of the fund 10 BALANCE(surplus) than myself , could please comment on its origin. If my comments are correct, then why on Earth is the board being tight with this? This fund ,IMO, should be used RXACTLY for times like these.

I read it and agreee with shermd71. *sarcasticly* Yea that class you are teaching at 1:05 in the morning should get your full attention, how dare you comment on things.

Another garbage scow full of histrionics and hyperbole. You guys rock!

Hey gunslinger, I read it!! I would give it a GREAT review because of its honesty, accurate facts, and NOT mincing words!! Unfortunately, there is NO long-term plan from the school board and school district for Janesville. They admitted as much in an article written by Frankie Schultz (who IS married to a teacher, by the way!!)a week or so ago. No long-range plan to help the taxpayers in Janesville, the students in Janesville, and yes, the staff that educate these students in Janesville. They (the school board) would rather argue and create dissent among them with members like D. Severson.

I read it. And it was posted at 1:05 am.

Fear-your posts are way too long and they say the same thing over and over. Nobody is reading them anymore! It also appears that you are probably a teacher. If you are then I am assuming you are typing these long winded posts when you should be working based on the times your posts are submitted. I hope you put this much effort into your job.

For those of you that are opposed to using the fund 10 balance, why dont you ask where it came from? For years the district gambled on the health of their educators and took "insurance holidays", basically that means that they dont pay the premiums for sya a month, or two. Then they put that "saved money" into an account known as the fund 10. The balance that usually sits between 20-30 million dollars didn't just appear out of thin air!
If the district is in such a hole financially, someone please explain to me how on earth there can be a surplus of say 20 million dollars on a somewhat constant basis?
So the logic is use the SELF-FUNDED insurance plan that the educator here in Janesville have to create a LARGE surplus to pay for pet projects , or other expenditures to plug holes, but blame and lay-off teachers when the state pulls aid? Seems like some kind of misconcieved shell game to me. This whole argument is crap. there should be ZERO layoffs, period. The fund 10 balance was CREATED on the backs of the teachers good health, it certainly should be used to keep them employed while they are UNDER CONTRACT. They should NOT be asked to re-negotiate a contract just because others have so severely mismanaged the budget.
Note to the current superintendant: The JEA members are UNDER CONTRACT, they WILL NOT open it and they shouldnt do so. So please stop your obvious right-wing blather to the local media about the budget repair bill. Most of the teachers in the district can see who it is you serve. So please stop with the constant PR moves, the contract is what it is, you really should stop whining. I also wonder if when you were a teacher and not a 6 figure administrator , you would have made the same sacrifices you keep asking the current teachers for, doubtful.
The rhetoric in this community is getting better each day. NONE of you would give up what you are asking them to do. There isn't a business owner in the community that would open up a signed contract to make vaery large monetary concessions, not ONE. So lets jump off the soap box and look inwardly please, stop crying about taxes. They are at their lowest rates in 60 YEARS!

why has the school district hired workers recently? just a question that i don't know the answer.

i feel this is a mistake, using the reserve money. but that is my opinion only....

MOC0428 - Everything I say is positive. You're just looking at it in a negative way.

OK, so what will they do next year......

I think it is a mistake to create a dirtier school system. Were there really too many custodians before? Yuck.

...they have finally pulled THEIR...

sorry about the grammar typo.

They finally have pulled there heads from the sand. Nice job. The fund balance has been growing and has quite a bit more in it than similar sized districts.

@ Sigma - Do you ever have anything positive or semi-intelligent to say? Your thoughts on education reform are scary to say the least. If we only spent 1/2 the time in school as you suggested we would be going backwards at a staggering pace. I'm sure glad you don't have a vote on the school board. It seems the only people who ever agree with your comments on education are also short sighted and only have concern for the immediate future regarding taxes.

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Look long term people, nothing bad can come from this.

Or...heaven forbid...educational background. Watching them is painful!

To be on the board do they screen these people for financial history and credit scores?

So....we are going to have filthy schools AND uneducated kids! Wonderful

Was there a reason for the magic 3.4? Why not 4.3? Just wondering.

When I was a kid in school the kids in detention cleaned the school after hours. Maybe they should think about a little bit of manual labor for them.

Wow! Who voted for the new guy? What a joke? He needs to get a bit more educated about our school district before he goes on camera. How embarassing, in my opinion.