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Post by admin on Apr 17, 2008 17:31:45 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]If the School Board wants budgets passed, they need to do a better job communicating the VALUE of the School TAX to all voters’ not just parents of public school children.[/glow] In another thread, Andrew resonded to the above with the followingI have heard this response over, and over again...almost as much as the "there just isn't time to get out and vote" excuse. I trust since you are convinced the BOE is not doing a good enough job, that you have suggestions as to how they can get the information out there? The district posts information about the budget on their website, which I have listed on this site numerous times, but once more won't hurt, www.freeholdboro.k12.nj.usThe district sends out newsletters with the water bills, specifically done so that we reach every home in the Boro, not just those with children in the schools BOE meetings are roughly every two weeks, the dates of which are posted on the billboards of the schools, advertised in the local papers, and listed on the district's website. There are always articles in the local newspapers that talk about the "Value" of the budget leading up to the annual vote. This website, even though it is not affiliated with the school board, posts information and articles about the districts budget each year. And I try to come on here and explain any questions that arise which I might be able to answer. The district has other means and methods that reach out to the parents of children in the schools as well. Please tell me what more the BOE can do to get the information out there? I am becoming convinced that some people like to say the BOE is not providing enough information because they simply don't like the information they are getting. I am also convinced that there are some people who will never be happy until the Superintendent or the BOE President knocks on their door and sits with them individually to explain the budget. |
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Post by admin on Apr 17, 2008 17:35:14 GMT -5
I thought this was a topic that deserves its own thread. I am going to back up what Andrew wrote on another thread, which is cut and paste above.
Here is the question:
What more can the schools do to not only communicate, but gain more community interest?
Readers, you have Andrew participating here, other BOE members do read this site, Lisa84 and I are on the Community Information Committee, and many others of note read this site. Here is your chance to offer solutions to the question asked.
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Post by admin on May 5, 2008 7:45:26 GMT -5
I had an interesting discussion last week that reminded me of this thread. Because the response was so big on this thead, I felt it worth bring up again. I again ask the question........
What more can the schools do to not only communicate, but gain more community interest?
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Post by novillero on May 5, 2008 8:54:37 GMT -5
I had an interesting discussion last week that reminded me of this thread. Because the response was so big on this thead, I felt it worth bring up again. I again ask the question........ What more can the schools do to not only communicate, but gain more community interest? they should hire a liaison to help garner interest from the latino community. That would be money well spent. |
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Post by admin on May 5, 2008 9:06:01 GMT -5
I had an interesting discussion last week that reminded me of this thread. Because the response was so big on this thread, I felt it worth bring up again. I again ask the question........ What more can the schools do to not only communicate, but gain more community interest? they should hire a liaison to help garner interest from the Latino community. That would be money well spent. They did- Janet Morales. Part of her job is that of community liaison. What should she be doing? Trying to get more parents involved with the PTO? Striving to build a public relations campaign to allow the immigrants the right to vote, at least in school issues? |
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Post by novillero on May 5, 2008 9:25:53 GMT -5
they should hire a liaison to help garner interest from the Latino community. That would be money well spent. They did- Janet Morales. Part of her job is that of community liaison. What should she be doing? Trying to get more parents involved with the PTO? Striving to build a public relations campaign to allow the immigrants the right to vote, at least in school issues? Yes, I knew that. I guess my sarcasm wasn't apparent. Please re-read my prior post, but do so with a sneer. Argghh. Janet Morales' position is an insult to the taxpayers. (BTW, isn't she the person whom you said is very concerned about the hispanic kids remain hispanic - as opposed to becoming American?) As to your other question about getting people involved in the PTO... Let's not fly blind. (1) Get the demograhics of the school and compare them with the demographics of the involved parents in the PTO. (2) Get the list of parents and compare it to a list of eligible voters. (3) Get the list of people who voted and compare it to the list of eligible voters who are parents in the borough schools. Then focus on getting involvement as you know where to start... |
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adefonzo
Junior Member
If I can see further than some, it's because I have stood on the shoulders of giants
Posts: 308
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Post by adefonzo on May 5, 2008 12:34:57 GMT -5
They did- Janet Morales. Part of her job is that of community liaison. What should she be doing? Trying to get more parents involved with the PTO? Striving to build a public relations campaign to allow the immigrants the right to vote, at least in school issues? Yes, I knew that. I guess my sarcasm wasn't apparent. Please re-read my prior post, but do so with a sneer. Argghh. Janet Morales' position is an insult to the taxpayers. (BTW, isn't she the person whom you said is very concerned about the hispanic kids remain hispanic - as opposed to becoming American?) As to your other question about getting people involved in the PTO... Let's not fly blind. (1) Get the demograhics of the school and compare them with the demographics of the involved parents in the PTO. (2) Get the list of parents and compare it to a list of eligible voters. (3) Get the list of people who voted and compare it to the list of eligible voters who are parents in the borough schools. Then focus on getting involvement as you know where to start... With all due respect...this does not answer the question regarding what more the schools can do. There is no doubt we can find out who the parents are, how many of them are registered to vote, which ones did actually get out to vote...etc....but what more do we do in order to reach those people? That's the problem. Look, figuring out who's not coming out to vote is easy...it's the overwhelming majority of the town...so the question is, how do we motivate them? |
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Post by novillero on May 5, 2008 12:58:01 GMT -5
I was addressing Brian's specific concern of getting involvement in the Parent-Teach Org.
I would start at who is the target audience... Once you know who to target, then you can figure out how to target.
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Post by admin on May 5, 2008 13:20:15 GMT -5
Target audience depends on what we are discussing. If it is voting then we are talking registered voters. That will have to include people who do not have kids in the public schools.
Voter turn out was bad as usual. How do we get more parents to vote? How do we get more people who do not have kids to not only vote, but gain more interest in the schools? Having good schools and support for those schools is a very vital issue to all of us.
If we are talking PTO, then it is parents with kids in the public schools. This is where the immigrant community should really be stepping up. What percentage of PTO parents are immigrants? Our schools have over fifty percent of the children are from Latino house holds. Not all Latino are recent immigrants, but we know in this town many are. Considering this town has had an immigrant population for many years now, it is safe to say that they should be learning English and joining good groups like the PTO. If that is not the case, why not? If the PTO does not have a large number of immigrant parents helping, they need to be challenged to step up and show that they really do care about the town and being a positive part of it.
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Post by novillero on May 5, 2008 13:35:54 GMT -5
Here is an idea: cut funding to ESL, hispanic liaison, etc and see what kind of involvement you get.
Because funding was cut to a whole bunch of other things and it didn't seem to light enough fires under arses... let's see what cutting those things do (perhaps make most of the town happy).
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Post by admin on May 5, 2008 13:41:45 GMT -5
Here is an idea: cut funding to ESL, hispanic liaison, etc and see what kind of involvement you get. Because funding was cut to a whole bunch of other things and it didn't seem to light enough fires under arses... let's see what cutting those things do (perhaps make most of the town happy). Unfortunately it takes those types of things to get people motivated. I don't think those cuts could be made, the schools are obliged to meet the needs of the English deficient. On the same note of people not being fired up, could the lack of people running for BOE be considered a sign that people are happy and see no reason to change anything in the schools? If things were so bad, wouldn't we see people running for office? |
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