Memo hints at NJ gov's death; union apologizes

[afchic]

Living in NJ, under 2 Dem Governors, I thought NJ was the most corrupt state government there was, until I moved to IL....

Having grown up in CO, where a school district encompassed well over 50 schools, depending on what part of the city you lived in ( I was in District 11), I was a bit shell shocked moving to my little town in NJ (Shamong) to find that our school district encompassed 1 elementary school, and one Jr High. No High School, as that was a school district all by itself. The next few little towns over (Tabernacle, Medford, Medford Lakes.....) each the same thing. And each "school district" had a superintendent and staff.

You wouldn't believe the hubbabaloo that would occur every year when the people paying property taxes would ask that the districts be combined to form one for the area. Can't do that because then you have 5-6 supers making almost 250K a year out of a job!!!

Pretty much the same thing goes on here in my little neck of the woods in IL.

[Utah Bob]

Originally Posted by afchic

Living in NJ, under 2 Dem Governors, I thought NJ was the most corrupt state government there was, until I moved to IL....

Having grown up in CO, where a school district encompassed well over 50 schools, depending on what part of the city you lived in ( I was in District 11), I was a bit shell shocked moving to my little town in NJ (Shamong) to find that our school district encompassed 1 elementary school, and one Jr High. No High School, as that was a school district all by itself. The next few little towns over (Tabernacle, Medford, Medford Lakes.....) each the same thing. And each "school district" had a superintendent and staff.

You wouldn't believe the hubbabaloo that would occur every year when the people paying property taxes would ask that the districts be combined to form one for the area. Can't do that because then you have 5-6 supers making almost 250K a year out of a job!!!

Pretty much the same thing goes on here in my little neck of the woods in IL.

50 schools?
You must have been in Denver.

[ZonieDiver]

Originally Posted by Utah Bob

50 schools?
You must have been in Denver.

Isn't District 11 in Colo. Springs???

Arizona tried to "unify-combine" some districts last year. It needs to be done - even though it doesn't sound as bad here as in NJ. The committee put together to get the recommendation on the ballot did such a horrible job, one almost suspects it was done on purpose.

You are right about "Big" administrators not wanting to lose their jobs. My district has a "RIF" list of approximately 170 people, or about 6-7% of our total number of employees. The ONLY administrators on it are four "deans" - the lowest level of administrator. There are NONE from district "HQ" - even though three or four positions in the $85,000 - 150,000 range have been created in the past 2-3 years.

[afchic]

Colorado Springs is correct. District 11 was (and may still be) the largest district in the city. I can't recall the number of elementary schools, but there were 10 Jr Highs and approx 12 high schools. Redistricitng may have taken place since I graduated in '90.

Dozer might remember the numbers, we went to the same Jr. High, albeit a few years apart!!

[ZonieDiver]

Dozer might remember the numbers, we went to the same Jr. High, albeit a few years apart!!

How many is a 'few'? (I know what it means when I tell someone I "had a few beers"!)

[afchic]

Originally Posted by ZonieDiver

How many is a 'few'? (I know what it means when I tell someone I "had a few beers"!)

You'lll have to ask him. If I talk out of school I may lose my "in" for baseball tickets this year!!!

[Razor]

Originally Posted by afchic

You'lll have to ask him. If I talk out of school I may lose my "in" for baseball tickets this year!!!

If that happens, you can always come back to Colorado. I hear they're handing out Rockies tickets if you get caught speeding.