tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post1165492611210158241..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: At Board Work Session on $11M UnderspendMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-45050221182134604282016-07-02T12:47:41.449-07:002016-07-02T12:47:41.449-07:00Wow! Shiny! Thanks Joe!Wow! Shiny! Thanks <b>Joe!</b>Maureennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54357631859064411152016-07-01T14:44:03.475-07:002016-07-01T14:44:03.475-07:00First look: Genesee Hill Elementary
18 photos fr...First look: Genesee Hill Elementary <br /><br />18 photos from a recent visit.<br /><br />https://www.flickr.com/photos/joebehr/albums/72157670451462955Joe Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747791661117554332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-63458363780655500492016-07-01T14:31:09.242-07:002016-07-01T14:31:09.242-07:00I think that is for all staff at schools, Another ...I think that is for all staff at schools, Another GW.<br /><br />Good question, Eric. I left the meeting at about the 3.5 hour mark (I couldn't sit there any longer.) But I think the staff realizes that the Board is very serious about their suggestions so I think the final outcome will be a mix of items.<br /><br />My understanding is that Director Blanford (who was oddly not in attendance) wanted the entire amount in reserve. <br /><br />The underspend comes from not filling/needing as many positions as they thought. And yet they have 18 FTE on-hold for the split classroom issue. It's hard to follow the bouncing ball sometimes.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29487125398115829682016-07-01T11:07:17.926-07:002016-07-01T11:07:17.926-07:00Will the $2.3 million fulfill all mitigation reque...Will the $2.3 million fulfill all mitigation requests? Is that mitigation for just classroom teachers or all staff?Another GW parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578440148753315343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51960706071860506162016-07-01T08:58:17.285-07:002016-07-01T08:58:17.285-07:00Can you talk about process for this money? In the...Can you talk about process for this money? In theory, it seems like if the Board says "we want to do 'x' with this money," that's the end of it and it will happen. Of course, in theory there's no difference between theory and practice. Do we know when we find out if these things the Board wants are actually funded?<br /><br />On recent discovery of funds, it's pretty common for public agencies to hold back spending until the end of the year since they can't typically get extra money for surprises during the year. Normally, there's a big "end of year" spending rush to spend out all of that money. It's possible that (a) Finance put the kibosh on end of year major spending or (b) Finance actually went through and checked whether departments were actually going to spend it. I don't know if either of those are true, but either would explain a sudden discovery of an underspend. Under either scenario, up until a month or two ago, the departments would have had money in their budget but would have planned on spending it, so the money wouldn't yet be an underspend.Eric Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41116975377842245842016-07-01T08:47:07.226-07:002016-07-01T08:47:07.226-07:00WCJ, I was there for the whole thing and I'll ...WCJ, I was there for the whole thing and I'll do a write-up later today. Unfortunately, the person who should have heard the wrath of Director Harris, Carmen Rahm who used to head IT, is now gone so the interim person got to hear it.<br /><br />On the $11M, my understanding is that along with mitigation, compliance and IB funding for the three high schools, that the Board's suggestion is to put the remaining dollars (about $6M) into an "escrow" account with the promise those dollars will be used this budget year for some SMART goals and possibly middle school math adoption.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46351271588587102082016-06-30T22:47:08.153-07:002016-06-30T22:47:08.153-07:00Anyone have more info on this evening's sessio...Anyone have more info on this evening's session? I heard that IT got hammered by the board. Who knows specifics?<br /><br />-WCJAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37477798102498788072016-06-30T21:03:24.759-07:002016-06-30T21:03:24.759-07:00At the same time, I'm FLUMMOXED about this $11...At the same time, I'm FLUMMOXED about this $11M "discovery". It wasn't too long ago (this fiscal year?) that the SEA pointed out how SPS miscalculated funds by even MORE than that amount during budget development. Are these monies in some off-shore account (said with tongue in cheek)?! I find it hard to believe these are innocent mistakes, committed by professionals, no less.<br /><br />I recall when Director Geary caught Dep Supt Nielsen in a recent quandary. She said that the Board had been told there was NO MONEY for a rewritten EEU agree,emt. Yet, when it came to discovering more opportunities for the City's experimental PreKs, suddenly Nielsen found "green money"!!! Watch the video. He visibly squirmed.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33157805600397582532016-06-30T20:46:36.958-07:002016-06-30T20:46:36.958-07:00The possible $2M in Mitigation is the fall out fro...The possible $2M in Mitigation is the fall out from last October's staff cuts. For once, district admin responded to community complaints and reworked the "right-sizing" schedule.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.com