The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[ajrwdwgirl]

It is beyond frustrating. Having to balance a budget, our budget is always balanced unlike some. Too many do not grasp school funding so though not deliberate one gets a lot of stupid from the community and staff. If the budget is
X and funded from the Feds, State and Local and the state only sends half of what they committed to we are in immediate freeze. A couple of years ago we had 10% of our budget not delivered. Fixed costs for staff, insurance, utilities could not be touched and neither could special ed. What got cut was extracurricular, conventions, any projects that had not been contracted out, stipend extra duty, it was ugly and nothing we had done wrong, they just didn't send a chunk of funds we were appropriated.

My beef is with the state and feds. I have a book 3x's the size of a Bible of school state and Fed Codes filled with mandates we must provide that when concocted they were to be fully funded by the lawmakers. Reality is we get about 20% of what a current teacher or aide costs. We have one SE student on a vent and in a wheelchair. We must provide a special bus, an aide, a RN dedicated to this student. Yes I'm committed to educating the student. What I have issues with is the State and Feds not forking over what is 'real' costs, it is a drop in the bucket in compared to what one student costs with very special needs. I love that budgets for each year are online now. Anyone can look at them and see where the money is going. It is a messed up system of funding.

I wish the funding wasn't so complicated, I get confused by it myself. I'm glad that there are people like you that can keep it straight. I didn't know the budgets were online, that is a good idea though as then people can see where money really goes.

 

[betty rose]

It is beyond frustrating. Having to balance a budget, our budget is always balanced unlike some. Too many do not grasp school funding so though not deliberate one gets a lot of stupid from the community and staff. If the budget is
X and funded from the Feds, State and Local and the state only sends half of what they committed to we are in immediate freeze. A couple of years ago we had 10% of our budget not delivered. Fixed costs for staff, insurance, utilities could not be touched and neither could special ed. What got cut was extracurricular, conventions, any projects that had not been contracted out, stipend extra duty, it was ugly and nothing we had done wrong, they just didn't send a chunk of funds we were appropriated.

My beef is with the state and feds. I have a book 3x's the size of a Bible of school state and Fed Codes filled with mandates we must provide that when concocted they were to be fully funded by the lawmakers. Reality is we get about 20% of what a current teacher or aide costs. We have one SE student on a vent and in a wheelchair. We must provide a special bus, an aide, a RN dedicated to this student. Yes I'm committed to educating the student. What I have issues with is the State and Feds not forking over what is 'real' costs, it is a drop in the bucket in compared to what one student costs with very special needs. I love that budgets for each year are online now. Anyone can look at them and see where the money is going. It is a messed up system of funding.

I can't agree more...I see what is happening in my grandson's schools. It's criminal. And the people in our county, Douglas county , Colorado voted down new taxes for the school. Some of these people, are the richest in the country, not us. I only now understand why this happened, as they (the rich) took school voucher money, that used to go to public schools, and now pay a portion of the tuition costs to send their kids to private schools. Our kids have lost a music teacher, art teacher, and fees just keep going up for those who are struggling. My grandkids are in the public school system, and my daughter takes time to teach them about art and music, going to museum's and art expeditions. Art, and music, was why I stayed in school. I loved both.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I have no idea about the names honestly.
But most of these flowers are in full bloom at least 4 months of the year.

My mother as one that produces purple flowes.. that ALWAYS bloom.
lines and lines of flowers!

View attachment 91996
View attachment 91997

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Excellent pictures, it is about time you post some of your lovely flower pictures!

 

[Gabe1]

Does anyone else feel there has been no noticeable change in music, fashion, or interior design since the last decade? Technology has changed but that's about it. There have been slight changes but it's not like the changes in music and style that occurred during the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's. My professor of American pop culture brought this up but I didn't buy his explanation as to why there have been no significant changes since the last decade.

Me, I think it had a great deal to do with the hardships of the end of the decade and the beginning of the new decade. Music on the other hand has not impressed me over the last few decades. I'm from the Rock generation and I've yet to listen to any form of new music that can begin to compare to the music of my youth. Yes there are a few new performers that I embrace, still my favorite old timers continue to sell out their concerts.

 

[betty rose]

I have no idea about the names honestly.
But most of these flowers are in full bloom at least 4 months of the year.

My mother as one that produces purple flowes.. that ALWAYS bloom.
lines and lines of flowers!

View attachment 91996
View attachment 91997

View attachment 91998
View attachment 91999

I can only dream of flowers like this. We usually live in what's called a high desert. Not so far..rain and more rain. I may need a boat before the week is out.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I can't agree more...I see what is happening in my grandson's schools. It's criminal. And the people in our county, Douglas county , Colorado voted down new taxes for the school. Some of these people, are the richest in the country, not us. I only now understand why this happened, as they (the rich) took school voucher money, that used to go to public schools, and now pay a portion of the tuition costs to send their kids to private schools. Our kids have lost a music teacher, art teacher, and fees just keep going up for those who are struggling. My grandkids are in the public school system, and my daughter takes time to teach them about art and music, going to museum's and art expeditions. Art, and music, was why I stayed in school. I loved both.

Our principal came out with a new schedule for our middle school students last week. All the core classes like math, science, English....have over 50 minutes scheduled. Our fine arts classes are about 34 minutes. I am a core class teacher, but the cut in time for the arts classes doesn't make me happy because those are important subjects too. But those aren't the subjects that have the state testing tied to them, so the time goes to what gets tested. Personally I don't see how an art class could even function in that amount of time, after the lesson is given and supplies are handed out the kids get what maybe 10 minutes of work time and then it is clean up?!! I don't know what our principal is thinking.

 

[betty rose]

Me, I think it had a great deal to do with the hardships of the end of the decade and the beginning of the new decade. Music on the other hand has not impressed me over the last few decades. I'm from the Rock generation and I've yet to listen to any form of new music that can begin to compare to the music of my youth. Yes there are a few new performers that I embrace, still my favorite old timers continue to sell out their concerts.

I'm from that era too. 50's and 60's. 50's and 60's my brother and sister music...I got to enjoy it all from my bed...my bedtime was earlier than theirs.

 

[betty rose]

Our principal came out with a new schedule for our middle school students last week. All the core classes like math, science, English....have over 50 minutes scheduled. Our fine arts classes are about 34 minutes. I am a core class teacher, but the cut in time for the arts classes doesn't make me happy because those are important subjects too. But those aren't the subjects that have the state testing tied to them, so the time goes to what gets tested. Personally I don't see how an art class could even function in that amount of time, after the lesson is given and supplies are handed out the kids get what maybe 10 minutes of work time and then it is clean up?!! I don't know what our principal is thinking.

All I can say, it's sooo sad for the future of our country. It's as those that have the power is trying to destroy humanity.

 

[betty rose]

time for me to go..start preparing dinner (I'm sooo slow), and read and get in bed, earlier, and earlier, so we can make the get up time in Disney two hours earlier..and with rope drop...I'm in la la land for a couple of days, until I can get used to the time change...and I try to prepare...body doesn't always obey good night and good dreams to all....

 

[Gabe1]

I can't agree more...I see what is happening in my grandson's schools. It's criminal. And the people in our county, Douglas county , Colorado voted down new taxes for the school. Some of these people, are the richest in the country, not us. I only now understand why this happened, as they (the rich) took school voucher money, that used to go to public schools, and now pay a portion of the tuition costs to send their kids to private schools. Our kids have lost a music teacher, art teacher, and fees just keep going up for those who are struggling. My grandkids are in the public school system, and my daughter takes time to teach them about art and music, going to museum's and art expeditions. Art, and music, was why I stayed in school. I loved both.

We really don't have vouchers. It is part of No Child Left Behind but someone has to be willing to take those vouchers and no other schools around here want them so in my demographic it is a non issue unless you are willing to pay out of pocket for high end college prep private schools, those vouchers don't come close to covering it and our schools exceed the standards so not going to get a voucher just 'cause they want art or music.

90% of the time my kids were in school we had free education, no fees at all, over the last 10 years they just keep escalating. Still the only leverage we as a public school for those who do not pay the fees is to exclude non paid fee students from extracurricular. Most pay, fees are waived for those who qualify and a monthly installment can be paid if the family states it is needed. To the best of my knowledge we have yet to bar any student from extracurricular. It isn't my call that is administration but they know the board really isn't in favor of it.
We cut media aides, all Spanish teachers, let one Media director go (of 3) Family and Consumer Science. We initially let go all of our music/choir/band teachers in the Spring and Art teachers but resigned those before the school year started when funding came through in June to cover those. We have to let them go in March and the first installment of funds don't reach us till June. The following year we reinstated everything else we cut besides
F&CS. We evaluated all of our programs and this one was one nobody aside from the union and the teacher seemed to embrace so we let it go ultimately because parents and students were underwhelmed.

The whole dang system and process is out of whack.

 

[Gabe1]

Our principal came out with a new schedule for our middle school students last week. All the core classes like math, science, English....have over 50 minutes scheduled. Our fine arts classes are about 34 minutes. I am a core class teacher, but the cut in time for the arts classes doesn't make me happy because those are important subjects too. But those aren't the subjects that have the state testing tied to them, so the time goes to what gets tested. Personally I don't see how an art class could even function in that amount of time, after the lesson is given and supplies are handed out the kids get what maybe 10 minutes of work time and then it is clean up?!! I don't know what our principal is thinking.

We did it too. Not proud. It is actually very similar to my Catholic Education, most emphasis on core education.
We discussed lengthening the school day but the union objected so now we have less of the extra's and more core. I guess when it came down to it the value of a student reading at grade level vs not having time to do more involved artwork, I voted for more reading. Nope not proud but NCLB is so freak'n hard and no wiggle room with standards.

No Child Left behind rope is getting tighter as the timeline dictated. In order to stay in the exceeds category we can't have many that don't at least meet without being placed on an improvement plan.
I'm data driven and I actually like being able to see how our students are doing in compared to other schools here and in the country. It does take all the blah blah blah out of self praise and/or excuses. The writing part though is way to subjective for my liking.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

 

[FutureCEO]

I majored in History and I'm now working on getting certified to teach. I have my own proposal as to how to fix the public school system but I'm not touching that subject on here with a ten foot pole.

I was going to major in History Education but decided against it. History is my favorite subject but it comes down to schools wanting to teach their history.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Forgive me if this is showing on your computer, I can't see that I sent anything.

Mom liked the Disney movies, so we saw them at the Drive In....dad went along to drive and have a dog. Plus the drive In was much cheaper than the theater.

I'm not sure I understand why I need to forgive you if it shows up on my computer. Isn't that what you wanted to happen? And if it didn't show up on my computer, I wouldn't know to forgive anything. So, in other words, no problem either way.

 

[MinnieM123]

Just to let you know, if you ordered the fight there's going to be a class action suit to get your money back. I hope it goes better than the fight!

Are you referring to the big boxing match last weekend? If so, why is there a class action lawsuit for people to get their money back?

 

[MinnieM123]

Tomato plants have come a long long way. Walmart sells container/flower pot tomato plants that actually do extremely well and produce lots of lovely tomatoes.

Thanks for the tip! Target--who would have thought about buying tomato planters there?

 

[MinnieM123]

Yep, my Dad has not used the camera since I was very small but in the top drawer of his dress is his Brownie camera, very dry rotted case still intact.

My grandparents had Brownie cameras and my parents even used them at one point in time. From the little I recall about seeing them, I'd say they looked pretty much indestructible. The pix they took came out nice, too.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Nope, those are their extremely delicious hush puppies. They cook more evenly shaped like that, and they're easier to hold and dip...

Yes please. What is the dip?

 

[MinnieM123]

Oh, not glad to hear about the food quality. DD picked that as one of our sit down lunches.

I didn't think the food was bad at all--it wasn't anything special, but it was fine. I think I had a burger and a chocolate frappe. It was simple fare, and a fun, silly atmosphere. I think you'll enjoy lunch there.