if you absolutely feel obliged to do so
theni guess you couldtake it to that next step

simondavid: That is where I emaild Dr. Everet from. As I said before all I got was a automated thank you for contacting the JSD reply. No other response as of yet. Besides those parents that had called and left messages with his secretary also have said that he has not repiled to them. So what next go knock on his door?

okay seems to me like everyone on this forum/comment page has had problems contacting
mr. tom evert
all that you need to do is go to janesville schools homepage and they will have a list of email accounts to and from the teachers.
tom everts is on there.
i had recently contacted him about a current issue in our schools.and the very next day i had gotten a reply back from him. you people might just not be taking your time to try and contact someone

ROFL
Thanks for the laugh.
My kids come home with math work I know that I know how to do. I can get the answer the way I was taught in school. Then, they say, no Mom, thats not how you do it and they show me. I don't understand it at all. But, we both come up with the same answer so my way still works!

Thanks Trish, I still don't know why that would be - must be part of the "new Math" that I also don't understand LOL

twerp,
I saw on another thread that they only have to have the kids there through lunch and it is considered a full day. I don't know the reason why.

I also don't understand how half days equal a full day ? any answers?

How about respect, these kids today have no respect for others or elders.

Mr Angus has the Gazette been calling the JSD as well for an answer as to when these days will be made up? If so were you at least given the courtesy of a response, unlike many of us who have gone unanswered.

Now i could be wrong but what i have heard is that they would be only half days and they also be fun days so you dont have to worry about missing school

Interesting perspective Trish - a new angle for me...Dr. Evert isn't my boss! He would probably disagree with us, though! (hee hee)Sadly, this lack of communication runs rampant through the district at various levels, although I have no doubt there are similar communication issues in many peoples' jobs; it is just more glaring here because education is such a public arena as we are all finding out! Anyways, thank you, Trish, for being supportive. Sadly, I am not sure that communicating with the school board right now would be much better than Evert in light of the current contract situation! (not to open a new can of worms over here!)
Rocky - thanks for saying what I was thinking...:)

dpeters101 wrote "I kno im not going to school if i have too work"

-----

Perhaps dpeters should go to school and take an English class.

There is something wrong with the fact that he can just ignore people trying to reach him. I wasn't and haven't contacted him on the snow day issue. I tried to contact him last year and this year with questions about my childs educational issues. 5 phone messages left with his personal secretary and no call back. Emails this year have gone unanswered or addressed again this year. Doesn't he have any obligation to us at all?

Nina, I have no words, really. How disrespectful on his part. He has no right to treat "his" employees. Although, he doesn't pay you, taxes do. He really shouldn't be allowed to behave this way. Maybe some emails to the school board?? Aren't they his "boss"?

I too emailed Dr. Evert regarding suggestions on snow make-up days. I also did not receive a reply, a "thanks for the suggestion", or the like. Being a teacher in the district, I am disappointed that my own boss refuses to acknowledge me, and now come to find out, it isn't just me but all of you as well! I just would have appreciated a quick email acknowledging the receipt of my ideas. Oh well...I just want this show on the road and "second" everything "eire" said!

Four Points:

One:Teachers really have already been paid for the missed days of school. We (I am a teacher at Parker) owe the district the makeup days according to our contract. Teachers will fufill their contractual duties--even if it is on a Saturday.

Two: We can not hold make up days on the next inservice day--this/these being the early release days on the second Monday of every month. Wisconsin state law says 180 DAYS of school for public school students. We are short three days (our total will be 177 if made up on early release days)

Three: Kids missing work on a Saturday may be equivilant to missing a week's pay. We will go to school a shortened day on the Saturday make ups. I believe most employeers, especially resturants, will and can schedule the worker later in the day so the student will not lose the pay some describe.

Four: I wish the district will let the community know soon when the make up days are. LOTS of teachers have second jobs on the weekends also and need to let their employer know the Saturdays they are unable to work the second job.

I wonder how you can reach Mr. Evert? I called 5 times last year and left messages with his secretary and never received a call back. I have emailed him too with no response. What exactly does he get paid for? It doesn't seem that he can negotiate a contract. He certainly is not available to the parents of the community. Or maybe it is just Ken and I that he ignores?
He doesn't seem do do well with the teachers either. From what I have read here, they don't seem too happy with him. It seems he looks down on the teachers and the parents. I could be wrong.

No way I am sending my kids.. I have emailed Mr. Evert and he has not responded. Saturday school is not a good idea. I hope that the teachers use the first Saturday day as a 'sick out.' Bet they have one heck of a time finding substitutes... As far as jvlresident "I feel to teach children the value of responsibility ", how the heck does making a family change thier plans because the school district messed up responsible.... Come on...

I kno im not going to school if i have too work

You realize of course that movies are shown on other days throughout the year, don't you? However, I wouldn't necessarily consider the movies shown to be non-curricular. Depending on the choice, movies can be quite informative. Disney, not so much. But if you take the time to look beyond the selections offered at Blockbuster, you'll find documentaries on a range of topics, as well as biographical and historical offerings that do provide legitimate educational content.

My son will be at school. I just hope they make it worth his while educationally, and not waste his time with a non-curricular class. It will be hard for me to explain the importance, and the responsibility for him to make up a lost day, if all he does is go to school to watch a movie...Teachers, please don't let this happen. And thank you for your hard work.

Why not hold school during the next inservice day for the teachers. They have to be there and we can send our kids there too!! I have been to school with my kids ,for the day, and I think that our school weeks run from monday to friday . Lets keep it that way. Otherwise we should look to all year long schooling with no summer breaks.Personally I would prefer that , rather than letting them run wild for 3 months in the summer!!Propose that and all teachers will give 100s of excuses not to do that. Even though recent trials of this schedule show improved learning and comprehension.

Wow, Rocky, thank you for the compliment and support! It goes farther than you might think in sustaining us as teachers! You made my day...

I can't believe there's such a debate as to what should/shouldn't be done on a make up day vs. a regular school day.

I say 100 extra credit points to each kid for each class they physically attend on a make up day and the ones that don't show up are out of luck.

What as parents are you teaching your children if you don't have them go to school make up day or not. It's irresponsible. School is their responsibility. School isn't supposed to be fun...though it can be. It's supposed to be teaching our kids to be responsible future leaders in our community and country.

I believe the number one JOB of our students is to go to school. Yes, older kids will probably miss out on a days worth of pay, but again, they are kids and need to be in school, first and formost!

Lets say the Board of Edecation wants all Teachers to attend a seminar on why they should accept the contract in front of them and , by the way you will miss a weeks pay while doing this. (Which is what some kids will miss by going to saturday school.) Would you go , or go to work and earn a weeks pay!! Just wondering?

That's pretty much what I thought. I was also thinking that Evert's mistake was a great bargaining chip for the teachers to have, as bad as that sounds.

To answer the question about make up days, here is how it can play out. The teachers vote on the calender, if they don't approve the Saturdays, we don't go. The make up days have to happen with in the school year, so we can't leak into the next week (or summer school for that matter). Evert dropped the ball, pretty hard, on this one. When we had those snowdays he should have been thinking about how we were going to handle it. We missed conferences and now we really don't have many options.

I will say, if we had a contract the teachers will be much more likely to work those Saturdays. The district can face very hefty fines if we don't make it up (and the teachers will be docked). The best option is to settle our contract and we will all work together on handling this as best we can.

Many of us don't feel so hot on finding out Tom's plans for these days from the newspaper, he never even proposed anything to us, which is disprespectful, but par for course.

Nina - Thanks for being a great teacher!

PS: Yes, I think it will be quite a treat to see what it's like with small class sizes!

Trish: Yes, I am a Janesville teacher and am glad to hear there will be some students around on our make-up days! As for your questions regarding contract language, I am no expert. What I have HEARD is that dates will be presented and then the JEA votes to allow Saturday make-ups. Maybe the hold-up on setting dates is because both sides are looking into how to handle this issue due to contract language??? Sorry I can't be more definitive.

Nina, Are you a Janesville teacher? I saw something on one of this blogs that stated your contract would not allow you to work on Saturday? Is that true?
If you are a Janesville teacher and maybe one of my children's teacher, rest assured, they will be there.
No, I am not happy with Saturday schooling. I truly hope that the teachers will take the smaller class sizes and enjoy the day with the ones that attend.

I have already told my students that whatever days the make-ups occur, I will be teaching. Since we are to be there, I refuse to waste both my time and theirs. Should the students not attend, and they have excused absences for the day, they will receive the District approved number of days (days absent plus one) to make-up the work. I also regularly remind students that sometimes missing class involves missing information from discussions (that may end up on a test or other type of assessment) that can't be replicated or quantified in a worksheet or reading. I understand this is a "no-win" situation and am not "thrilled" about Saturday classes (or spring break classes), but I fully understand why it needs to happen, so let's get on with it! And, I agree that we need to get those dates NOW so we can ALL plan accordingly.

This is ridiculous that it is taking so very long for Dr. Evert to decide which days we will be attending! My family and I do things on the weekend. I'm fine with the make up, I just want to know when so everyone can begin to plan accordingly.

greengina8 Show up or fall behind, thats not hard to figure out!

Giving new material on a Saturday that not everyone will attend puts those who don't show behind the rest of their class. Suck it up and get to class...

I feel to teach children the value of responsibility they should have it as a day of learning. We as adults make sacrifices everyday. They will need to learn that. Also we are faced with consequences of our actions. Giving a pop quiz is a possibility by not attending you face the consequence of a 'F'. The purpose of school is to EDUCATE and PREPARE these children for there FUTURE.

NO WHERE DOES IT STATE THAT THESE MAKE UP DAYS HAVE TO BE A DAY OF EDUCATION. IT JUST SAYS THEY HAVE TO MAKE UP THE DAYS. SINCE ALOT OF KIDS HAVE SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE GOING AND ALOT OF PARENTS SAY THEY ARE NOT SENDING THEIR KIDS I DONT SEE Y IT CANT BE FUN DAYS FOR THOSE WHO DO GO

My kids will be attending the make up days. But I have to say I think it's sad that there is such debate that some parents aren't making them go. I took a pretty good hit on my paycheck having to take several snow days off the past 2 months, and would LOVE to make it up! But employers can't 'require' us to do so, let alone have a way for us to compensate for that loss. Yet all I'm hearing are that the schools are trying to shove it down our throats that the kids have to attend. Let's face it, it's not fair to everyone no matter how you look at it, kids or adults alike.

Moby - the "since they aren't going to pay attention anyway" is a defeatist attitude. If the teacher cares and presents their material carefuly, the students will attend and care as well. Like any other day.

It is Saturday to the kids, no matter what our educators and administraters say it is,, so might as well go with Noncurriculum activities, they aren't going to pay attention anyway. Maybe that is just how I would treat it if I was a student...

When I asked my students if they would come on a Saturday many stated their parents said they wouldn't have to. Now I take that with a grain of salt, but if thats the case it shows a total disregard of the importance of what we teach. I feel strongly that we should continue on with our normal lessons (after all, the snow days put us behind). If kids miss that day they will be behind and need to make up the work out of class. Honestly, its not like they didn't have a couple days of play, now its time to work.

It should be treated as a regular school day why would anything change just because its a Saturday?