>WHO wrote this article? Had to be either the Public Information Officer wrote this article or one of her friends. WHO could possibly make the argument that making cuts to textbooks and classroom materials, educators and programs that are REALLY a part of education, should be cut before a $40,000 (package) part time PR position? The information provided by the PR person is redundantly redundant. Years ago when taxpayers/parents wanted better information it revolved around a more comprehensive website with regular updates. That seems to have been achieved but not refined!
The mere fact that the Public Information Officer has the time to copy and paste those ridiculous inspirational quotes that clutter the beginning of every email is enough to “delete” the position.
AND the arrogance of the writer who makes the statement “not to blindly follow voters who are mad about their property taxes and who haven’t a clue what is required to educate 5700 students of all levels”.
Fire the PR person. Set up a Taxpayer/parent/non-parent task force to audit the excesses in each of the schools. The collaborative model alone has become a membership bonanza for the REA while totally unproductive. AND why are elementary school principals (k-5) earning $150,000? The BOE was forced to finally cut. But they are not cutting to bare bone. They are cutting the FAT from the hiring frenzy and excesses that have been going on for years.
For example: BFMS had (until this budget): 1 Principal, 2 Vice-principals, 2 (now 3) guidance counselors, 4 secretaries and GOD knows what else because that is not even getting to crisis counselors, social workers, psychologists, etc! It cost the Ridgewood taxpayers $1 million+ dollars for those first ten people before even getting to a teacher in the 680 student building. Secretaries earning $50,000 plus benefits for doing WHAT? With all that staffing how could anyone miss the bullying going on in the building? In fact, it might be too many people shifting work and responibility around! That school needs 1 principal, 1 Vice-principal and 1 guidance counselor(maybe). RUN a tight ship with zero-tolerance and see how things change for the better!
THERE is so much more waste in the district. The biggest waste and the first job to go should have been the Public Information Officer who even got a trip/travel out of the Ridgewood taxpayers last year. Enough is Enough! Delete.
