NEXT ELECTION: NOVEMBER 3, 2009; HAS NORTHWEST BEGUN ITS MAY, 2010 LEVY CAMPAIGN?

Some folks living in Canal Fulton, Clinton (Summit County) and Lawrence Township would argue with the phrase on the Northwest Local School District website.

Well, at least part of it - "fiscally responsible."

But be that as it is, it could be that a September 30, 2009 article in The Massillon Independent (Northwest enrollment impacting finances, Erin Putsay) signifies that Northwest officials have begun their campaign to get a levy passed in May, 2010.

It is hard to follow the mathmatical logic of the piece because of the confusing Superintendent William Stetler statement quoted below.

Here is how the SCPR computes the numbers:

Northwest is losing 230 students a year through graduation, while gaining 140 in at the entry level.

Hmm?

Minus 90 a year on the basis of current trends, right?

But Stetler says:

What we are finding is that students, between the fifth- and sixth-grades and sixth- and seventh-grades, are leaving; they aren’t staying,  With the exception of the (middle school age students) we aren’t really losing students, but we aren’t seeing an influx because no one is moving in.

Sounds like, not only is Northwest losing through attrition (the 230-140 equals a minus 90), but, apparently, because of Northwest's financial woes - students' famililies moving out of the school district to other area school districts.

On the Northwest website Stetler cites a statement from Charlotte Perkins Gelman:, to wit:   "You cannot put a quart in a pint cup."

And then he goes on to paint a rather dismal picture for Northwest schoos:

The Northwest School District is trying to do just that. Please consider:

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  Northwest's revenue per student is in the bottom 3 percent in the entire state of Ohio.
  
  
  
  
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  Northwest is one million dollars in debt.
  
  
  
  
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  Northwest has lost and will continue to lose essential programs and services that our children and families need.
  
  
  
  

Earlier in October, yours truly had a brief exchange with the Stark County Educational Service Center's Larry Morgan (superintendent) who expressed great concern about the Northwest situation.

The SCPR believes that a Northwest levy campaign has begun.  But the question is this:  Is there any hope?

Stetler says there is.  In is superintendent's message on the website, he quotes Christopher Reeves:  "Once you have hope, anything is possible." Kind of sounds like:  "With God, all things are possible?"

Statler himself is a believer in miracles.

And, it will take a miracle to pass a levy in Northwest, even with this early start on the campaign.

Stetler himself articulates the reason:

We are in this dire situation due to a lack of trust and an absence of communication, (emphasis added) according to our recent community survey. Let's begin working together. We are looking for volunteers who are willing to help save our community and schools.

 Government officials from the local school board to the White House never quite get it on the matters of trust and communication.

Trust and connection are not lost in one large, cataclysmic event.

Trust and connection are lost grain by grain over a long period of time.

Getting them back does call for a miracle.

Right now that seems to be the only thing for Northwest officials have to hope for.

Now we shall see if William Stetler is the "miracle worker" the Northwest Board hired him to be.

WHY DOESN'T EVERY STARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT VALUE GOD? THE SCPR COMPARING STARK'S 17 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEIR MISSION STATEMENTS: TODAY - MINERVA

So far in the SCPR survey of Stark County school districts, only Lake and Louisville have a direct/indirect reference to God.

This leaves out Alliance, Canton City, Canton Local, Fairless, Jackson, Marlington, Massillon  and Minerva (the home of the Lions).

Of 10 school districts in Stark County surveyed (done by scrutinizing their websites or by response from the district's administration)  by the SCPR so far in this series,  out of a controversy generated by a few Lake residents (Lake is the SCPR's home area) in a complaint to the Freedom from Religion Foundation over Lake's use of God in its mission statement; 8 make no reference to God; direct or indirect.

A whopping 80% ignore God in their misson/values/vision statements.  Only Lake and Louisville (sort of) stand for God in their public statements.

WHY DON'T ALL STARK CO SCHOOLS VALUE GOD? SCPR COMPARES STARK'S 16 OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ' MISSION STATEMENTS TO LAKE: TODAY - MASSILLON

So far in the SCPR survey of Stark County school districts, only Lake and Louisville have a direct/indirect reference to God.

This leaves out Alliance, Canton City, Canton Local, Fairless, Jackson, Marlington and Massillon.  Of 9 of the 17 school districts in Stark County covered by the SCPR so far out of a controversy generated by the  a few Lake residents (Lake is the SCPR's home area) in a complaint to the Freedom from Religion Foundation over Lake's use of God in its mission statement, 6 make no reference to God.

A whopping 78% ignore God in their misson/values/vision statements.  Only Lake and Louisville (sort of) stand for God in their public statements.

While this blog is published on both the Stark County Political Report and the Stark Education Report, the best place to keep track of which school districts do or do not have any kind of reference to God in their mission statements is at the Stark Education Report.

THE REPOSITORY - "PR" AGENT FOR STARK EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP? SCPR TAKES A LOOK AT NON-PROFIT TAX RETURN NUMBERS & QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Recently, The Canton Repository did a "puff piece" on the Stark Education Partnership, Inc. (SE),  (Stark Education Partnership celebrates 20 years of reforming education, Edd Pritchard, September 18, 2009).

The SCPR doesn't believe that the Stark Education Partnership has achieved much of anything.

But over the eight years of her tenure as president of SEP, Adrienne O'Neill has made a tidy income.

SEPs main claim to fame is increasing the number of graduates from Stark County's high schools above the state standard 90% plus.

And, increasing the graduation numbers (quantitative analysis) can be important.

The penetrating question that needs answered on SEP's work:  what is the education quality of high schools students graduating in Stark County?

Here is a SCPR thumbnail analysis of the Stark Education Partnership: 

Initially, let's take a look at Doctor (Ed. D.) O'Neill's income in relation to total revenues, expenditures and carryover funds for fiscal year 2008.
O'Neill, according to SEP's Form 990 filed with IRS for the fiscal year,  was paid a total of $191,760 (which includes the employer pension contribution).


O'Neill's income represents:

20% of SEP's revenues ($950,383) for the reporting period.
18% of SEP's expenses ( $1,050,170)
25% of SEP's carryover ($765,971) of cash to FY 2009

What are other non-profits in America doing:

If you lump the O'Neill income factor with her second-in-command:

O'Neill's income represents with SEP's vice president Doctor (Ph. D.) Joseph Rochford (which totaled $115,949), the the numbers increase significantly:

32% of SEP's revenues ($950,383) for the reporting period
29% of SEP's expenses ( $1,050,170)
40% of SEP's carryover ($765,971) of cash to FY 2009

And there are two other employees of SEP.

It appears that Stark Countians are not getting a good value on their money?

Hold on a minute, Olson!  What do you mean Stark Countians?  These monies come in large part, if not exclusively, from Stark County's foundations, United Way and the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, don't they?

Indeed, they do.

But the SCPR's point:  is there is too much administrative expense being expended by the Stark Educational Partnership and could be put to more efficient "non-profit" use that thereby benefit more everyday Stark Countians.


Now back to the question of quantity versus quality.

Probably a year ago, the SCPR contacted Doctor O'Neill to ask questions about the unacceptably high "remediation rate" among Stark County high school graduates who go on to college.  (Three of Stark's best have remediation rates reported by the Ohio Department of Education of being in the 30+ percentile)

First of all, she blew off yours truly's e-mail.  Such is always a marker that a public figure thinks she or he is only accessible to her/his professional peers, personal friends and family.

Second, in yours truly's  follow up telephone call, she had no answer whatsoever on the remediation question and saturated the conversation with "the huge increase in the high school gradudation rate."

The SCPR's take on Doctor O'Neill is that she has done well by herself in fitting into Stark County's and Ohio's education establishment.  But how does it benefit the Stark County citizenry at-large?

Not very well, in the opinion of the SCPR.

The SCPR believes that Stark County schools are graduating too few quality students in the midst of  increased quantities which increases taxpayer costs because we foot the bill of remediating student/worker deficiencies once they leave high school.

The Repository and the Stark Education Partnership shouldn't be celebrating anything.

Is this a "Mission Accomplished" event?

Well, if O'Neill and the powers that be at The Rep and in the Stark County Educational establishment think so, they are in for a huge surprise when the educational "chickens come home to roost."

The SEP's website is replete with laudations for the organization.

The SCPR's experience is that when the "chest thumping" begins, the discerning need to dig deep to see why there is need to self-praise.

Usually one finds that there is a lot less achievement than appearances might indicate.

Such is what the SCPR thinks about the O'Neill-led Stark County Educational Partnership.

From time-to-time, the SCPR will be analyzing how effectively Stark County's non-profits are serving the Stark County public.

WHY DOESN'T EVERY STARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT VALUE GOD? THE SCPR COMPARING STARK'S 17 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEIR MISSION STATEMENTS: TODAY MARLINGTON

So far in the SCPR survey of Stark County school districts, only Lake and Louisville have a direct/indirect reference to God.n

This leaves out Alliance, Canton City, Canton Local, Fairless, Jackson and Marlington.  Of eight of the 17 school districts in Stark County covered by the SCPR so far out of a controversy generated by the  a few Lake residents (Lake is the SCPR's home area) in a complaint to the Freedom from Religion Foundation over Lake's use of God in its mission statement, 6 make no reference to God.

A whopping 75% ignore God.  Only Lake and Louisville (sort of) stand for God in their public statements.

While this blog is published on both the Stark County Political Report and the Stark Education Report, the best place to keep track of which school districts do or do not have any kind of reference to God in their mission statements is at the Stark Education Report.

WHY DON'T ALL STARK CO SCHOOLS VALUE GOD? SCPR COMPARES STARK'S 16 OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ' MISSION STATEMENTS TO LAKE: TODAY - LOUISVILLE

Here is a blub from Wikipedia about Johnny Appleseed:

Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman (September 26, 1774 – February 18, 1845), was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.   He became a legend while still alive, largely because of his kind and generous ways, his great leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance of apples.


He was also a missionary for the  ... Swedenborgian Church, so named because it teaches the theological doctrines contained in the writings of Emanuel Swendenborg.  

Why would the SCPR open with a short bio of Johnny Appleseed in doing a blog about a local controversy involving the Lake having put reference to God in its Mission/Beliefs/Values statement?

Because, maybe just maybe, Stark County may have come on the identity of a educator who might view himself as a sort of missionary to plant a reference to God into the mission statements of Stark County school districts.

Really?  Who might that be?

Okay, you have twisted my arm and I can't bear the pain anymore.  I will tell you Mr. Blog Reader who I think "might" be Stark educator/missionary out to plant a reference to God in the mission statement of Stark County schools.

Here is a brief bio (education - only) of the SCPR's candidate for being God's missionary in the Stark County schools:

Executive Liaison, Ohio Department of Education (2007-08); Superintendent, Lake Local Schools (1996-2007); Curriculum Consultant, Educational Service Center, Stark County (1995-96); Principal, Louisville High School (1986-95); Unit Principal, Stow High School (1979-85) (The Massillon Independent,  NORTHWEST ENDS SEARCH FOR SUPER:  District hires Wiliam Stetler 5 days after Lambes' resignation, Michael Freeze, June 22, 2008)

 Okay, the "cat is out of the bag."

Yes, the SCPR believes that William Stetler (formerly of Lake, then Louisville and now of the Northwest schools) and who the SCPR knows to be a very devout and religious person, could be out busily playing Johnny Appleseed doing the Stark County schools the wonderful service of giving God his due honor in Stark County education.

Like Appleseed, Stetler could be well on his way "to becoming a legend in his own time."  Did he have anything to do with the "church" in Louisville's mission statement?  Did he have anything to do with the "God" reference in Lake mission statement?  If so, is Northwest next?

In the way of a DISCLAIMER (something you will never see in The Repository), The Report knows Stetler from the days yours truly's spouse served on the Lake Board.  Moreover, she is currently an elected member of the Stark County Educational Service Center board.

The SCPR can see the possibility that Stetler could be a candidate to succeed Larry Morgan as superintendent at the Stark County Educational Service Center (SCESC - formerly the Stark County Board of Education), if and when Morgan decides to retire.  A new opportunity for Stetler?

If the SCPR right about Stetler, he could, like Appleseed, be well on his way to becoming a "legend in his own time.

So far in the SCPR survey of Stark County school districts, only Lake and Louisville have a direct/indirect reference to God.

While this blog is published on both the Stark County Political Report and the Stark Education Report, the best place to keep track of which school districts do or do not have any kind of reference to God in their mission statements is at the Stark Education Report.

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE IT WHEN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ADVOCATES FOR THE RIGHT "NOT TO COMPETE?"

DISCLAIMER (something The Repository doesn't do). Yours truly's spouse is an elected member of the Stark County Educational Service Center (SCESC). The following story/opinion has, in part, to do with Larry Morgan who is the superintendent of the SCESC. The opinions expressed in this blog are the sole opinion of yours truly and the SCPR does not speak for nor reflect the views of the spouse. Readers who are interested in the wife's views, need to contact her.

The Blog:

Representative Todd Snitchler (Republican - Lake, the 50th Ohio House district) has nothing on yours truly in terms of free enterprise and the highly beneficial qualities of competition to Stark County, Ohio and America.

Why bring Snitchler up?

Because he is the quintessential local politician in terms of his devotion to area, state and national chambers of commerce, the Ohio (and National) Manufacturers Association, the Ohio Roundtable and the like. He truly believes that "privatizing" in and of itself is the panecea for all that ails the nation.

Where Snitchler and the SCPR part company is his "bromide effect" of private enterprise.

Let's take a look at the "private enterprise" flap that surfaced in The Repository today, Pharmacists say schools' mail-order policy will hurt business, as a case-in-point.

Here you have a bunch of "independent" businesses (pharmacies - one of the most remunerative businesses in all of America) in effect wanting a subsidy from the Stark County taxpaying public by requiring thousands of Stark County teachers to buy locally.

This is competition?

And who is the boogeyman in all this?

None other than SCESC superintendent Larry Morgan.

In the opinion of yours truly, Morgan is an imperial-style superintendent.

Morgan is a very bright and determined individual. He knows how to organize, negotiate and is probably the most efficient school administrator in Stark County and perhaps in all of Ohio.

If one comes unprepared in dealings with Morgan; he will have you for lunch.

Recently, yours truly and Morgan crossed paths on an education multi-institutional issue. The SCPR is convinced that Morgan engineered (which he denied in a person-to-person telephone conversation) a "behind the scenes" move with most if not all the superintendents of Stark County's school districts to dramatically change the structure and operations of the delivery of higher education-esque program originating, for the most part, in local school districtis.

The SCPR sketched out the foregoing just to give readers an idea (other examples exist) of why the SCPR ascribes Morgan as being a imperial-style superintendent.

The SCPR believes that Morgan hurts himself with his "take-it-or-leave-it" public persona and his propensity to work things out "behind closed doors," only then to spring it on unwitting subjects.

This is why you have an iconoclast like Ralph Jentes (VP of the Louisville Education Association) coming out of the woodwork to attack Morgan in The Rep's piece. Jentes, who lives in Lake, seemed to make former Lake superintendent Bill Stetler (now Northwest) a target by attending Lake board meetings to criticize Stetler and writing letters to the editor of the Hartville News as an additional tool to get at Stetler.

Isn't Jentes out-of-step with the OEA? Who is Jentes representing anyway? Local pharmacies?

Note the Ohio Educational Association's Diana Miller quote printed in The Rep's story:

“It seems disingenuous to me that someone is criticizing the schools for sending jobs out of the area and to attempt to bring political pressure on the schools to say we’re sending jobs elsewhere, Our response would be, what we have done saves jobs. We haven’t sent jobs outside Stark County. We’re saving teachers’ jobs. Their (the independent pharmacists’) bottom line is the bottom line.”

Generally, what Morgan does, will stand up "to the light of day." So why is he so secretive?

Beats yours truly.

Morgan needs to reconsider his administrative ways.

Having said the foregoing, it is the opinion of the SCPR that Morgan has done an excellent job with the Stark County Schools Council on Governments (SCSCOG) health care plan.

Morgan has saved Stark County taxpayers untold amounts of money and what we have here with "The Medicine Shoppe" types being non-competitive and in the style of the financial moguls on Wall Street demanding a public institution (Stark schools) "bailout."

Let's see Representative Snitchler and his chamber of commerce friends comment on this.

It wasn't long ago that the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce was combing through the records of the Stark County Educational Service Center's records looking for more ways for the Stark County education to be delivered more efficiently.


The question now for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is this. Will the likes of Saunier, Katz and Kaminski step forward and applaud Morgan's efficiency or will they be for the public subsidation of some of its members?

Most likely not.

For the chamber like many unfettered private enterprisers like Representative Snitchler do have hypocrisy in them.

It depends on whose ox is being gored, no?

Indeed the SCPR does stand for "nonselective" competition. Something we do not have, for the most part, in Stark County politics. And when we don't, every Stark County taxpaying citizen gets hurt!