South Western Alternatives to Taxes

HOME: "SWAT is not content in the squalor of apathy. SWAT does not accept the notion that we are powerless against the abuses of our governing authorities. Change cannot be negotiated, it must be fought for". Terry Jones

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 SOUTH WESTERN TEACHERS UNION OPPOSES "RACE TO THE TOP"

SWEA opposed the Federal Government's "Race To The Top" program.  "Race To The Top" is a federal grant program that would have netted the South Western school district additional funding. A condition contained in the  grant program tied teachers salaries to performance.

Another stipulation in order for Ohio's school districts to receive the additional federal funds, provided through the "Race To The Top" program, was that teachers unions had to agree to accept the performance based provisions. This would have put performance ahead of union tenure. SWEA refused to accept the terms. If Ohio's other school districts should become eligible for the additional funding, South Western would not qualify, thanks to its  teachers union.

See more on this in the "OPINION" page.  OP/ED by  C. Nation.

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NEW STUDENT ENROLLMENT NUMBERS FOR SWCS.

Correction: After calling the district administration office, Communications Director Sandy Nekeloff verified that student enrollment for SWCS has dropped by 811 students from October,2008 to October,2009.

1). Ohio Department of Education 2009 District Profile, (Cupp Report) student 'ADM' enrollment for SWCS - 22,431, (ADM is "Average Daily Membership" and includes open enrollment students, students who attend charter schools, private schools, etc).

2). According to SWCS district Treasurer, Hugh Garside's October 2009 Financial Forecast, student enrollment was assumed to be 20,751. 811 students left South Western Schools. The SWCS districts current "official" student headcount is 19,940.

3). According to SWCS "Pupil Services", Janice Collettes office, the "actual" current student enrollment number for SWCS is 19,471. That means the current actual number of students to have left South Western schools is 1,280.

4). The trend is showing a decreasing student enrollment for South Western Schools.

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SWCS Board Meeting, May, 10...

SWCS Board Approves New Sign-Up Policy for Public Participation. 

SWCS Board voted unanimously to approve a revision of its sign-up policy for public participation on non agenda items, May 10 Board of Education regular meeting.

Those who want to address the school board on non agenda items no longer have call in on the Thursday 4:00pm deadline before the following Monday nights board meeting with public participation. The new policy will allow participants to call in on the Monday of the scheduled board meetings before 12:00 noon.

Participants who want to address the school board on items relative to the agenda may sign up the night of the school board meeting with out having to call ahead of time.  Terry Jones

"or prohibiting,...or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,"  What's your position on this part of the first ammendment Dr. Wise?  What's your position on a public servant who would actively work to manipulate and undermine  the first ammendment right to freedom of speech? (see 1st ammendment in "swcs news" page).