From the Harford County Board of Education:
The Board of Education of Harford County met for a business meeting on Monday, June 11, 2012, in the Board Room of the HCPS/A.A. Roberty Building and took the following actions or received the following presentations:
Recognized the following:
– Destination Imagination Global Tournament Winners
– Musical Composition Contest Winners
– 2012 Spring MPSSAA Interscholastic State/Regional Champions, 2012 Spring Sportsmanship Awards
– E-Cybermission State Winners
Approved the Consent Agenda:
– Affirmation of Monthly Contract Awards
– Minutes of Previous Meetings:
May 21, 2012
May 31, 2012
Approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to transfer between state category budgets from Fixed Charges $550,000 to Instructional Textbooks/Supplies $300,000, Other Instructional Costs $200,000 and Student Services $50,000.
Approved the FY13 Operating Budget with three action items:
– Adopted Amendments 1 to 10 – to balance to the County funding level
– Adopted Amendments 11 to 14 – to fund the revised negotiated wage
– Adopted the amended FY 2013 Unrestricted Budget of $427,768,507
Approved five contracts by and between the Board and various service agencies to provide therapists on a contractual basis. Each of these contracts has the potential of exceeding $100,000 per year depending on the nature and extent of the therapy services. The contracts would provide service for our Infants and Toddlers program up through the age of 21 for students with disabilities. The contracts with the following providers are competitive in the current market:
– Care Resources
– County Therapy Associates
– Invo Healthcare
– Maryland Therapy Network
– Progressus Therapy
Received a presentation regarding the Board Strategic Plan Update #6 reporting school environment data.
Received the Superintendent’s Report:
– Throughout our agenda tonight, the issue of budget, finance, fiscal decisions have occurred all evening and many weeks and months prior to this meeting. Dr. Tomback offered thanks and admiration to the Board for thoughtfulness and thoroughness for asking difficult questions and requiring analysis on the budget. We are working to build a strong educational program and keeping it from slipping. Thanks budget managers and leadership team for providing information and making difficult decisions. Last year, we cut 14 Central Office positions last year and reduced by four more this year. In addition, Dr. Tomback thanked HCEA for their willingness to come back to the bargaining table and working with the Board. He wished all of the students and staff a safe and happy summer.
66 positions…….any idea yet if paras are in this cut?
Where did you read 66 positions at ? Just curious.
Just read it in the Baltimore Sun story on the topic.
Hey Concerned Teacher, maybe you should be teaching rather than be on here. My tax money is paying for you to do a job, not sit on the computer and post your personal opinions.
Concerned Citizen = simpleminded D-Bag
Just because your tax dollars pay a salary does not make you a teacher’s boss.
What are doing on here?unemployed?
PS, I work and live here, I think I pay my own salary!
Sadforall – sort of discovered that if you use a term for the other local blog it brings up “moderator”, so lets try it this way. There’s a photo included in a thread from the other local blog that rhymes with Latch…it shows a ledger board that was probably used at this meeting in reference. Grainy and hard to make out the entire thing but it shows several categories for savings, one of them lists 66 staff reduction positions.
Click on the link “three action items” in the article above.
Any idea who the 6 FTE’s are that were cut at 3.3 million? Am I reading that wrong? 66 FTE’s at 3.9 million and 6 t 3.3 million?
Doubtful that is is Para’s…. They’re salaries wouldn’t be a big enough cut to get the money needed. It will be more teachers than anything. Those should almost all be covered by retiring teachers and not hiring replacements.
Let’s be clear however if any of those reductions in staffing result from attrition/retirement it only becomes a game of whack a mole by which the costs flip to pensions. If suddenly there are increased costs from some other area it’s still an increase in taxpayer costs.
No beacuse retirement announcements have been past due. To retire you needed to have filled out paperwork a month ago!
Sure.
I believe retired persons are paid from the earnings and proceeds from the pension fund, not directly from operating funds that are funded by taxes. Every time a person retires, their pension is paid according to a set formula and the funds don’t come from the fiscal year operating budget. Hopefully this makes some sense.
Isn’t anyone livid that the Bd approved 5 service contracts to the tune of a half a million dollars?
You are wasting your time with these clowns. Their understanding of being fiscally conservative is not tipping the server at the restaurant.
Would you rather them violate the Americans with disabilities act?
Or they could hire more personel to provide these services for a small group of kids. This is why vouchers don’t work. You provide services of 100K for one kid but most of the kids cost about 3K so the average comes out to 9K
So you’d prefer HCPS hire part time therapists? Hiring part-time professionals without benefits does not attract the most qualified candidates (usually bringing those that have just graduated), while contracting for services allows access to multiple different therapists to meet each patient’s needs and allowing the therapists to be full-time employees (with the benefits that brings, and the better candidates such positions attract).
Why in the hell do schools need therapists? Isn’t that what guidance counselors are for? If the kid needs therapy, it should be the responsibility of the parents, not the Bd of Ed.
Physical therapists and Occupational therapists
I don’t care what kind of therapists have been hired. It is the responsibility of the parents. I need therapy after my surgery. Is the County going to pay for that?
@purple
tell that to the parents who sue the school system
If you are covered by IDEA…..yeah! In this state all students are entitled by our constitution to a free appropriate education which has further been defined as the least restrictive enviornment!
@purple
You need to remember that Federal and State law require physical/occupational therapists for students and toddlers that are considered physically disabled. Many of these therapists work with students that are at John Archer or in other non public placement institutions. Some of the psychologists work with students in regular schools that have IEPs which designate them as emotionally disturbed. In years past these students would have been put away in mental institutions, kept home because they were not allowed in schools, or sent to reform schools. Whether you like it or not times have changed and these services are required by law. CPTNOBVIOUS is quite right, to deny these services would result in law suits against the school system and your tax dollars being wasted on lawyers defending cases they can not win. You sound hard-hearted toward those that need this kind of help.
Kids who need a behavioral therapist. Intense therapy programs for kids with severe behavioral issues.
Interesting comment about not attracting the most qualified candidates, usually the new graduates…isn’t that exactly what teachers have been saying will happen to our school system with a county that doesn’t honor it’s contracts? So somehow it’s more important to hire quality therapists than quality teachers?
so greedy to get a raise that you guys are willing to have others be let go as long you are not the one being fired!!!. Firing some so that others can enjoy a meager raise is fool hardy and will probably reduce quality education while ensuring some do get a raise they deserve for sure, but what is the cost to the students? Are we willing to have our children have less choices in elective classes?more students per class? and less effective teaching for those in need of individual time? How is this salary increase justifiable when deputies and county workers will go without? It looks to me like the school system has had the funds all along and the people fired now were never needed or they are needed but “greed” will take over “quality” education.
They could have easily saved whatever county jobs will now be eliminated by only providing raises for those that deserved them. In fact for those that deserved them we could probably have given them more than what they ended up with. Unions suck…they do a disservice to everyone; good teachers and students included and now the county employees that are apparently dispensible per some of the teachers that post here.
@moneytree – if you got your news from some place other than The Dagger (no offense to The Dagger), you would already know that no one who has anything to do with the direct education of the students is being “fired”. WBAL radio 1090AM has reported that the only “loss”, if any, will be to “assistant positions not directly involved in any classroom”.
Get your facts straight before you start spewing off at the keyboard, would you!?
It was very clear from the BOE meeting last night that some classroom teachers will be eliminated. It was also clear that this would come from vacancies that will not be filled. And that means there will be less teachers next year.
You are worried about “less effective teacher”? How do you think being frozen for 4 years is bringing in the best new & effective teachers?
You are assuming people will be fired or laid off. The number 66 could come from jobs they knew people where leaving and they do not plan on filling!
I just got done advocating for raises for county employees. I will continue to do this until they also get their steps. It is simple pay your employees don’t fund pet projects through paygo.
Mr. Burbey
I’m advocating that taxpayers get to keep more of their hard earned money and that government be more financially/fiscally responsible and accountable.
Governor Scott Walker
Mr. Burbey,
Sir,
I was there, I observed your behaviour and that of Mr. Creveny.
I can only state that your behavior, and Mr. Cerveny’s was boorish, and thugish. You reflect great discredit upon yourselves, the people you purport to represent, and your parents.
Shame on you for calling into question the integrity of other men. Greater men have been qdispatdche for lesser offenses.
MALLAMO
Mr Mallamo,
While you might not like what I said, I was respectful. I even was polite when you insulted me personally. Anyone can watch the video on the county website. As far as being “dispatched”, better men than you have tried. I would suggest though that we keep this on a polite level.
Ryan
Mr. Burbey
Sir,
You were absolutely not polite. Demeaning a man’s integrity is not polite, it is absolutely disrespectful. I do not need to watch th evideo, I was there.
I suggest that you would do well to study the terms of public behaviour if you are to advocate for any one other than yourself. I would also submit that the people on whose behalf you profess to advocate for, would expect a more dignified representation.
When a man does not act with integrity, it is incumbent on those around him to let him know. The last time before when I spoke to the council, Mr. Boniface insinuated that I was questioning the dedication of the Sheriffs at the meeting. I needed to clarify that this was not the case and that it was his responsibility as presiding officer to ensure that the public was given access. As to representing anyone, I made it clear that I was not representing anyone but myself, as I have the right to speak as a citizen. My behavior was calm and respectful. Perhaps you did not like my words, but I have the right like everyone else to express my discontent with my government.
I don’t want it to be lost that I was there to ask the council to fund salary steps for the county workers. Why can all the smaller municipalities find the money to [pay their workers, yet our county executive is incapable? Why when the council has the right and power to undo Mr. Craig’s injustice do all but Mr Guthrie sit silent? Our county should not be building paygo projects when it is not paying its workers their contractual wages. Our county workers should unionize like their counterparts in Baltimore County, who correspondingly have higher wages and better benefits!
Roman,
They are not firing people! Get you facts straight. Retired positions are not being filled and personnel are being transferred to other schools.If you worked for a contract and were promised a raise you would want your raise! And let me tell you as an educator it is MEAGER. Do not blame us blame your County executive, Tomback and the BOE.
Meant to say disposable. My apologies.
The whole thing is rediculous. The labor board went through all of the effort to fight, and we get nothing out of it. The school system gives teachers a day off that they had anyway. Next years step and 1% had nothing to do with the Labor Board settlement. This only undermines the power of the labor board. Now the retaliation begins with losing teachers, increasing class sizes and making it look like it is the teahers fault that they got a step at the expense of fellow coworkers. And don’t forget about the increase in health insurance premiums and pension contribution for next year.
Maybe the union knew, just like everyone else who really understand the issue, that at the end many years in court they would still walk away with nothing.
Jeff,
This truly was the best we could do right now. It does not undermine the labor board but rather it affirms its role. We have a responsibility to do what is best for our membership and that is what we did. I hope our members will see that while this is not at all what we wanted, it is the best we could get right now.
No, Ryan, it was not the best HCEA could get. It is what they settled for because the HCEA leadership needed to have something that could be used to save face with its members. HCEA grabbed it and ran. This didn’t have to get done overnight. I’m not really interested in your personal situation as far as what your house is worth, what you owe on it, how many cars you have, etc. I’m interested in the skill of the HCEA leadership in negotiating collective bargaining agreements and running an organized labor association which most members, by the way, call their union. HCEA leadership has allowed many members to believe that the agreement legally requires payment of step increrases that aren’t being paid. It doesn’t legally require that. You know it, I know it, the attornies know it. If it did require that then you would be in a court of law demanding payment. Your position as an association leader would require that otherwise you would be open to a suit from your membership. Please just stop posturing and tell them the truth. Funding of raises, whether step or COLA, depends initially on the County Executive and the County Council. Those would be the same folks the HCEA constantly slaps around in the press. Wake up and smell the coffee. You shouldn’t constantly publicly berate people then go to them and ask “May I and my members have an increase in my salary?”
Alex is right. You should embrace them and show a willingness to work something out. While you are making nice, you have a surrogate that can’t be linked to you in any way do your dirty work. Then, of course, you publicly condemn them.
I think swiftboat is the term you’re looking for.
Works for Obama.
Hmmm…. been observing this from afar for a while.
I think someone said it best when they said Harford County has a very myopic view of education.
Some of you are acting like pink slips were drawn up overnight. Before we start lamenting the loss of a single employee, let us first learn who actually was fired to make this agreement work. Second, let us learn whether those folks were already in the pipeline to leave and not being replaced.
Times are tough, but they are not dire. I feel confident we can weather this storm just as well as any other in the past. Right now it seems knee-jerk reactions are ruling the day. This is counter-productive.
I think it is shameful how we’re treating our public employees. All of them deserve more than we are doing already.
HCEA members should vote against ratifying the tentative agreement tomorrow. This agreement was put together too quickly after the County’s budget was approved to have truly been negotiated. By voting no, HCPS and HCEA can go back to the bargaining table and take some time to hammer out a truly fair agreement. And, teachers still won’t have to report to work on Thursday! I don’t believe HCPS can provide anymore funding for salary steps or increments or COLA’s then what they have already agreed to, however, in order for HCEA to drop the labor board dispute HCPS should concede more to teachers. Another teacher in my school suggested reducing the work year from 190 to 185 days for teachers. This would actually save the school system money by not fully operating the schools on those 5 less days. I’m sure there are other suggestions, too. But to forget that HCPS agreed to 2 salary steps and a 2% COLA for THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR after being given 1 salary step and a 1% COLA for the next school year seems like HCPS is getting off pretty easy. The real fight now, regardless, should be with the county executive to increase funding to HCPS.
Not ratifying this agreement would be a mistake.
When did HCPS agree to retroactive steps and 2% COLA? That was HCEA’s proposal, which HCPS rejected.
Last Year
HCPS approved it and then the county exec reduced the funding request by 16 million. HCPS never went back to the bargining table in good faith. That contract was however initially ratified by both the membership and BOE!!!!
just got done listening to Prince Burbey and King Cerveny at the council meeting – both insist they still need money. Surpise, surprise.
I am not nor would I ever be a prince. I have one car. My family has not had a vacation in 5 years. I live in a house far below the median home value. My mortgage is under water. I said that education needs to receive a higher priority in this county. I also said the the council should fund the steps and bonuses for their employees. Why can Bel Air and Havre de Grace fund their employees salary steps but the county can not?
Why can Bel Air and Havre de Grace fund salary steps? It might be partly because they are not at war with their employees and the folks who represent their employees in the public media every day. That leads to an atmosphere where things can actually get done and everyone can benefit.
Or because they charge additional property taxes separate from the County’s?
We have a winner.
Also some localities can have thier own police force as well on the basis of the locality taxes.
I like that kind of talk. Well said.
I would say it’s because they don’t have to negotiate with or tolerate any union thugs.
Are any administrative positions being cut? There are so many unneeded and severely overpaid positions in central office. We need to eliminate the supervisor of nothing and his assistants.
well, if they are not filling teacher vacant positions then they should not fill any admin positions that are currently open – like the current Assistant Supv of English job posting at $92,298 per year salary plus cost of benefits, etc…you could save 2 teaching postions (new) at that rate!!!!
I agree, especially because my school has received no direct support from this position and my school struggles to make reading AYP. In other words, we we most likely operate fine without it.
I also wonder if the position is changing because the it is currently a “coordinator” and changing to an “assistant supervisor.” Does this indicate a pay raise? BTW, this was a position that was eliminated back when central office was restructured to make HCPS less top heavy. It seems to have made a quick return.
I think the opening is because the Assistant Supv of English was promoted to the Supervisor of English…posted on a BOE meeting earlier in May….again so many ‘middle managers’ at the CO building – especially in the non-instructional areas…that is where they need to start cutting the fat!
Yes, but the current position’s title is “coordinator.” Her vacancy is advertised as an “assistant supervisor.” Just wondering if this new title is coming with a higher pay.
Please tell me why the former principal at John Archer School is STILL working at the BOE!? They could have saved two teacher positions with her miserable butt off of the payroll!!
Leeann please define “so many” and in what “non-instructional areas.”
Nothing was ever proven against that principal. Other than she was not liked for her stern ways of running the school. The BOE is smart enough to see thru a parent that has exhausted all channels and has no real proof, plus a few gossiping people starting mass hysteria. It started with bringing down five and the principal was not even on the list, just caught in the crossfire.
The “actual facts are this”: this woman could neither spell nor write a coherent sentence and yet was made a principal. She was not liked by parents…being cold and uninterested in her special students does not go over well with parents. Let us not forget the “dragging” incident! She respected no one on her staff and did not have a clue how to lead people. This situation was not one where staff members “just didn’t like their boss”…it was a situation were people were not listened too, used as pawns and subjected to unprofessional and mean practices. Half of the time, she didn’t even know the names of the people with whom she worked. Mistakes were constantly made by her which she refused to acknowledge as her own. She then would pass the blame on to others at any opportunity. Personnel issues were handled inappropriately. Talented, veteran teachers were forced to leave or retire because of her treatment…such an incredible loss for the school! I could go on…and now she sits at central and still continues to make mistakes…she just recently sent out an important e-mail with incorrect information and her usual mispellings.
Similar situations to this are replicated all across the county. Central office is oblivious or even cares. If they would get feedback from teachers (and use it!) on the regular there would be a better system of checks and balances.
There are many jobs at the Central Office that can be cut or outsourced to save money. We can also cut some fat there too. But watch it will be the little guy cut from the HCPS to teach us all a lesson.
As many have said on The Dagger, pay increases would come at a cost of reduced positions and reduced budgets in other areas. That is what has happened. The HCEA has known all along that reduced positions and also reduced budgets in other areas would be the ultimate cost to be paid so the HCEA is not surprised. If any of you teachers are surprised then you haven’t been paying attention. You got what you asked for and it is now time to pay the bill.
You Have The….what CO jobs do you feel can/should be cut?