Mr. Robert J. Cappa introduced a Motion:”to authorize the Administration to develop a plan proposal that will adjust the school day starting time for secondary students.”
If the first Motion passed, then similar Motions would be necessary for the elementary students.
Mr. Cappa stated that students who do not get enough sleep suffer socially and academically. He cited studies and articles supporting his opinion.
Board members, Stephen S. Burns and Carl J. Kubitz, Jr. had been approached by concerned parents who opposed changing school hours. They indicated the new times would conflict with work and after school monitoring of their children.
The board member chided any parent who felt they would be inconvenienced by the policy. He made a comparison to people who leave a child in a car with the motor running as they go inside a convenience store to make a purchase.
The new schedule would also require students being taken out of class for athletic events. Some BCTC students would face not having enough credits to receive a certificate.
There was no evidence presented by Mr. Cappa that the Oley Valley School District has any rampant problem with children suffering socially or academically due to the number of hours they sleep at night.
He wanted the district to spend considerable time and money to implement his plan which raised objections from another board member, Mr. John C. Bieber.
The Superintendent, Dr. Jeffrey Zackon said that the Administration did not support the motion.
By a seven to two vote, the board voted not to have the Administration formulate plans to change school hours. Mr. Christopher M. Hannum sided with Mr. Cappa.
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Two things could be done that would not involve the school but would be the parent's responsibility. Have the child go to bed earlier and have them eat a good, healthy breakfast every morning. Both of these would give them energy for the coming day. It isn't the school's responsibility to make sure kids get enough rest, Dr. Cappa.
Just because Cappa thinks poor little Oley teenagers are too sleepy, he wants to re-arrange everyone's schedule. This coddling attitude is making America fat and lazy. This is just another stupid idea from Cappa.
By Lynn A. Gladieux, Boyertown Times Writer
A proposed budget passed Wednesday night by the Oley Valley School Board would raise taxes two percent, or 0.5-mills for the 2010-11 school year.
The millage increase to 24.32 means that a homeowner with property assessed at $100,000 would pay $2,432, or $24.32 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
The proposed budget, totaling nearly $28.5 million, was passed by a 7-2 vote. Board members John C. Bieber and Stephen S. Burns voted no.
Bieber voted against the budget because he believes further spending cuts can be made.
He added that he would have “great difficulty” in voting for any budget that includes a tax increase.
“We have a real opportunity to achieve a zero tax increase budget for the second year in a row. That is the goal of many [of the] board members,” Bieber said.
Also at issue was the amount of money remaining from last year. The fiscal year ends June 30, and Bieber said any unspent funds will help to reduce next year’s budget.
Business director Tracy Leister said the unspent funds will total somewhere around $50,000, although Bieber believes the final amount may be much more.
A vote on the formal budget is scheduled for June 23.
In other business, a proposal to authorize the administration to develop a plan to move the start time at the middle school from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. was soundly defeated.
The idea, introduced by board member Dr. Robert J. Cappa, had been the focus of numerous discussions in recent weeks.
Cappa, a physician, had proposed the idea based on studies that have shown that children who get more sleep perform better in school.
In introducing his proposal, Cappa had hoped to move the idea beyond the discussion phase to possible implementation in the 2011-12 school year.
His fellow board members, however, were not biting. They voted 7-2 against the plan, noting Oley would be the only school in the county to implement such a plan.
“This needs to be a county-wide thing, and by trailblazing and hoping for the other schools to follow along, we will be penalizing our students,” said Burns.
Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey F. Zackon was more direct.
“The administration does not support this,” said Zackon.
The change in start time would most severely impact children participating in sports and extra-curricular activities, Burns argued, and board member Carl J. Kubitz Jr., added that working parents would have a hard time adjusting their schedules.
Cappa maintained those hurdles could be worked out if there was a commitment to the plan.
“If we keep having kids start school at 7:30 or 7:45, we are guaranteeing they are chronically sleep deprived. Their performance is not as high as it should be,” he said.
“Studies of students from schools in Minnesota and Virginia who implemented a later start time showed improved grade point averages, improvements in sports teams -- a lot of things are impacted by this,” Cappa said.
But Cappa had very little support among his fellow board members, with only Christopher M. Hannum voting with him in favor of the proposal.
If starting schools at different times would solve educational problems, it would have been tried a long time ago.
We would not need the high priced teachers and administrators.
If this is the best idea a board member can offer during these times, then he does not belong on the board.
Apparently Mr. Hammun isn't any smarter than Cappa, voting to waste time and energy on this nonsense.
Every time I read a comment by the Business Manager it seems as if she is working against the best interests of the board and the taxpayers. She should be the one who proposes areas to cut in order to lower costs. Instead, she constantly defends the spending habits and distorts the revenue. Maybe she should realize who is paying her salary.
Mr. Bieber is quoted as saying that it's the goal of "many board members" to have a second straight year of zero tax increase. It only takes five to make it happen. Why did only two board members vote against the proposed budget if that is their goal?
The budget voted on was a preliminary budget. Many preliminary budgets get 9-0 approval just to move them forward in the budget process. Mr. Burns & Mr. Bieber look like they are voting on principal for now and maybe sending signals to the rest of the board. We will see what happens next.
Cappa's concept of pushing back school start time so kids can sleep in is an amazing waste of school board time. I guess Hannum is just as goofy as Cappa for voting to formulate a plan to change the time table of the entire school district and the lives of hundreds of families just to get Cappa's jollies off. Stupid, just stupid.
I would like to congratulate Mr. David Maloney for winning his Republican primary for the State Rep job. It was good to see his nasty opponent so easily defeated. She got in my face on voting day in the basement of the church on Coverd Bridge Rd. I couldn't stand being near her. The Oley Valley should support Maloney in November. I'm tired of Kessler and his bio-diesel-corn-ahol-alge nonsense all the time. Just cut taxes and stop spending already!!!! Kessler had almost 4 years now and he just does whatever fat Eddie Rendell tells him to do. Go Maloney!!!
I join you in congratulating Mr. Maloney for his primary victory and wish him success in November. However, just remember that in order for him to win he will need the support and votes of All Republicans. Alienating his opponent's supporters by trashing her is not going to help him win. Re-hashing your election day experience and your personal distain is not helpful in accomplishing our ultimate goal which is defeating Kessler.
There is nothing wrong with commenting on what a poor candidate she was. That is now history and the focus is now on what a poor state rep Kessler has been. He first ran on eliminating property taxes but now only wants to go half way. The only thing he ever talks about is using corn soy or alge to make fuel. This type of nonsense is already making food prices higher and creating food shortages. You can't grow what fossil fuels already do. If is was such a great idea energy companies would already be doing it. We need tax cuts and less spending from Harrisburg. Is Kessler still talking about running for governor some day?
I wonder, if he ever became Governor (which is ridiculous) would he still retain his position as township supervisor? What a joke!!
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