On Shoveling policy being studied again
Posted on March 12 at 5:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
"The minimum bill to the property owner is $127." Is that to pay the workers to do it or does it include a fine? I can get Nelly's to take care of it for $20...
On Candidates face school budget crisis
Posted on March 9 at 10:52 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
rocksolid, fair enough. Then why when I explained my concerns to you did you not correct me on the course you were thinking about? When I approached you I made it clear I was talking about Accelerated Orchestra and it being on the list of cuts. Why was the response given to me related to the teacher going to the elementary classes and not anything about these two classes? Thanks for the speedy reply.
On Candidates face school budget crisis
Posted on March 9 at 1 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yes, the other side is always good to hear. Mine is but one opinion. I would also like to see a response to the discussion too, even if sent in a message.
On Candidates face school budget crisis
Posted on March 9 at 12:35 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
theone, Okay. I felt going into detail about my discussion with him might be a bit too lengthy to post without being asked to, and since you asked so politely I'll gladly tell you.
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During the "Conversations for Excellence" meeting at Jefferson Elementary on February 15, Sodemann offered up a story to everyone about how his daughter is in the "advanced violin" class at Craig High School. He was mistaken in the name of the class as it is actually called "Accelerated Orchestra." He stated that the class was being cut because it cost too much to offer with such a low number of students, typically 4-5 a year.
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After the session ended I came up to him and introduced myself. Then I posed to him my confusion about why Accelerated Orchestra was to be cut. You see, the program takes place with the Senior Orchestra class at both schools. The program is nothing more than a set of requirements for students already taking Senior Orchestra. As I told him, it requires that you lead and assist every member of your section, seek professional private instruction, and perform social services for the performance arts in Janesville.
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He responded to my face that the reason they chose to cut it was because it caused the teacher to have to travel between the other schools in Janesville, notably the elementary schools, on a daily basis and caused an increase cost to the school district.
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That is an incredible fallacy. The reason the two orchestra teachers from Craig and Parker travel to the elementary schools is because they are also employed to teach the children in the 4th and 5th grades! Accelerated Orchestra has absolutely -nothing- to do with this. These classes are vital to the students who wish to learn.
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This shows me a few things about this man. If he actually believes what he told me and wasn't pulling a canned answer out of the "almost the right topic" category, then he has shown me that for at least this one class he is COMPLETELY ignorant as to how the class works. That leads me to ask what other classes hit the chopping block because of his naive view on the education system in Janesville.
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His actions are reckless and will not serve us well in the future. I speak out because I am a concerned citizen who hopes to one day in the near future become a father. I want my children to experience the quality of education that I received growing up here. You can twist my words and make me out to be someone with an ulterior motive, but I have nothing to hide. I am only speaking my mind.
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For the record, I was an Accelerated Orchestra student at Craig High School under the instruction of Paul Jenkin. Class of 2005. Eighth year of orchestra classes in the Janesville School District.
On Candidates face school budget crisis
Posted on March 8 at 11:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
theone, I didn't say I spoke with him at a council meeting. And I said my one-on-one *discussion*. Singular. I have only spoken with him one-on-one once. He was part of a panel of other school board council members at Jefferson Elementary two weeks ago. I would estimate some 30-40 people showed up to discuss the list of classes proposed to be cut for next year. When the meeting ended I got up and approached Bill Sodemann and was able to have a short discussion with him. In this discussion he showed me a complete failure to understand what he was talking about. Given the format of the discussion I could have easily spoken up and asked him directly what I asked after the meeting. Had I done so I would have been forced to question him for his complete and total ignorance on the subject when he claimed to be authoritative on it.
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Please reconsider your view on my original post, theone.
On Candidates face school budget crisis
Posted on March 8 at 11:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Wow, that's what I get for copy/pasting a typo three times. Correction: Sodemann on all three accounts.
On Candidates face school budget crisis
Posted on March 8 at 11:08 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I don't know anything about any candidate other than Bill Spodemann. What I do know is that I am not voting for Bill Spodemann. He has demonstrated to me at council meetings, in my own one-on-one discussion with him, and in his actions and statements as President that he does not know what he is doing. In my opinion he is not in touch with reality and is too naive to perform his duties to the extent we need of him. What has settled into Janesville is a troubling, ill wind. What follows is nothing short of terrifying to all those who hold dear the quality of education this school district has offered and the impact it will have on all those to come. Whoever pilots our school board going forward better be very prepared for the storm. We only get one shot to get this right, and Spodemann is not the man to handle it.
On Gov. Walker rebuffs Democrats' request for meeting
Posted on March 7 at 7:33 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
What Walker fails to accept is that his very own actions have caused this and it is up to HIM to fix it by negotiating. Walker, do you wonder why they won't come back to Wisconsin despite you offering to talk? Here's why:
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"I would be willing to sit down and talk to him, the assembly Democrat leader, plus the other two Republican leaders—talk, not negotiate and listen to what they have to say if they will in turn—but I’ll only do it if all 14 of them will come back and sit down in the state assembly…legally, we believe, once they’ve gone into session, they don’t physically have to be there. If they’re actually in session for that day, and they take a recess, the 19 Senate Republicans could then go into action and they’d have quorum…so we’re double checking that. If you heard I was going to talk to them that’s the only reason why. We’d only do it if they came back to the capital with all 14 of them." -- Wisc. Governor Scott Walker, February 23, 2011.
On Janesville schools' budget woes detailed
Posted on February 11 at 2:04 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
One of the programs the School District of Janesville cut was Accelerated Orchestra. Each year two or three seniors who were excelling in orchestra elected to be in the accelerated orchestra group. Their class time is during the senior orchestra class; not any separate class. All that class title does is place more demanding requirements on these students to push them to learn more. The requirements included weekly private lessons which resulted in the student seeking private instruction either from their orchestra teacher or another professional in the community. These lessons were invaluable for the students who felt deeply involved in orchestra. It also required that the student act in a leadership role for his or her section helping fellow members learn to play better. The student was also required to master complex music for Solo Ensemble, a Wisconsin young musicians annual competition showcasing the best musicians our schools offer. Finally, there was a community service requirement that often meant assisting the Janesville Performing Arts Center during their performances.
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This course, and many others like it, doesn't even cost the district any additional money to offer it! This doesn't help the budget. This mutilates the quality of the education offered in Janesville Public Schools.
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On UPDATED: Wilson School evacuated for sewage problem
Posted on April 4 at 3:53 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hehe funny stuff. This happened when I was in the 1st grade at Roosevelt (in my homeroom even!!!). We went to St. Paul across the street and returned to Roosevelt the following day. It was a particularly fun day of the first grade :)