The State has rejected the proposal to move to a 4-day school week. There were some holes in the application that school administration is working to fill. The State has said they will fast-track a review of the updated application. If approved in time, the 4-day week could still happen, but I think each day that passes makes it more likely that we will see a 5-day week when school resumes in September. Thoughts anyone?
4 Day School Week – NOT?!
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Levy No / 4 day week coming
The complete failure of the school levy proposal has resulted in an immediate decision by the School Board to institute a 4-day school week beginning in the Fall.
“It makes a pretty strong statement,” Superintendent Phil Minkkinen said. “We are going to look for ways to economize.” source
This has been a very contentious issue and the voters have spoken. Now we all have to live with the results. Best wishes and thanks to the School Board for your efforts.
School Levy Vote
There have been several Letters to the Editor on the upcoming school levy vote printed in the Lake County News Chronicle over the last several weeks. The school board has made efforts to get information out to voters as well. The official information from the school district can be found here.
There is more discussion about this on the Two Harbors Forum bulletin board.
When your ballot comes, please vote.
Hoarding a Horde of Cats
Herding cats gives us a funny mental picture. Hoarding cats – not so funny. Hoarding behavior can include animals as well as “stuff.” Having 34 cats in a house in town is well beyond anyone’s definition of reasonable. There is a line in the Duluth News Tribune article that sums it up pretty well.
“And I can’t even say he wasn’t well-meaning. He might have been. Sometimes it’s just good intentions gone sideways.” Carrie Lane, Duluth Police Department Animal Control Officer
Even though this guy had solicited and received some donations over the last few years, he surely was not doing this for the money. I find myself agreeing with Carrie Lane.
Plans reversed on Honking Tree | Lake County News Chronicle | Two Harbors, Minnesota
Plans reversed on Honking Tree | Lake County News Chronicle | Two Harbors, Minnesota
Posted using ShareThis
Board Considering 4 Day Week for Schools
“Benefits for the School in General:There are savings on utility bills, substitute teacher pay, school buses and building wear and tear. School days missed due to inclement weather can be more easily made up.” There’s no doubt that this change will save money. From a financial standpoint it seems like a great idea. Fewer miles on buses, fewer meals to prepare, less days to keep the buildings warmer, etc. As far as how students cope with a slightly extended day, there are many studies that say there is really no net effect on student outcomes. But, consider some other people. Some of the savings come from reducing paychecks. Many hourly staff will see reduced hours. Bus drivers, kitchen employees and custodial staff come to mind right away. What about office staff? 4 day weeks for them too? Most of the school nursing staff are hourly employees. Reducing to a 4 day week will cause some pain for these folks. What about teaching and administrative staff? As I understand it, the school day will be extended by about 35 minutes. That is 2 hours and 20 minutes over 4 days. With the 5th day being cut, that represents a workweek for teaching staff that is perhaps 6 hours shorter. That’s a guess, but you get the point. I know the teachers agreed to a 2 year wage freeze, something that wasn’t easy for them either. Will the District ask for other concessions from the teachers? I would bet that there are many hourly employees who would love to have the option of agreeing to a 2 year wage freeze if they could continue to be paid for same number of hours whether they work them or not. I don’t have any magical answers to the challenges of school finance. I am merely pointing out that there are many more things to consider than first meet the eye. The School Board is working on funding for the District. There is good information in the most recent issue of “Good News”
Lake County is Unhealthy?
A study released today says Lake County, with a population of about 10,600, is the unhealthiest county in Minnesota. Link to full article in Duluth News Tribune
I appreciate that Paul Bergman picked up on the fact that Lake County ranks 16th in Health Factors. Dennis Henkel made some good observations about the data as well.
This study, like many, is good for a few headlines, but on closer inspection there is much to cause a person to reconsider the rather sensational headlines they generate.
Lake County Historical Society
Rick Tokarczyk is departing and Mel Sando (congratulations Mel!) will be taking over as the Administrator of the Lake County Historical Society. This little bit of information came to me via a story in the Lake County News Chronicle.
Image courtesy of MN Historical Society
I’ve made a few trips through the museum in the last few years. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can’t help but find myself looking for relatives in the old pictures. I’ve managed to find a few. So here’s the thing . . . . those of us that have lived in the area for most of our lives and who may have had family here for multiple generations . . . . . we all have history to share.
I know that in my own family, there is a tremendous amount of oral history that has been passed
H1N1 Vaccinations
Lake County Public Health Nurses have been busy in the schools vaccinating students. Lake View Clinic (with support from Public Health) held two H1N1 vaccination clinics for the public, but still with a limited vaccine target group.