Students leave, budget plummets in Stephen-Argyle
December 28, 2012 at 12:13 pm in Grand Forks Herald
The net decline for the Stephen-Argyle (Minn.) Central school district was 36 students, attributed mostly to families moving elsewhere for jobs. With a value of about $10,000 in state aid per student, the school’s revenue stream took a $360,000 hit. Continue Reading
Could be the last straw towards making ghost towns. If they can’t keep a school, then they’ll have a tough time keeping families……Too damn bad, but I think we’re going to see a lot of this.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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It is too bad but they will either have to pony up the cash or consolidate with another school district. Tough break for small towns that are already strapped for cash. I really hate to see this happen to Argyle especially. That is a nice little town just a short distance from Old Mill State Park.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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I learned to swim at the Old Mill….Great place.
Now here’s a puzzle…..How the hell did either of our comments on what should be a basically nothing of controversy end up with dislikes? Must be fans eh?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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This like/dislike thing makes me chuckle. it reminds me of the dull TV shows were people vote on who has talent. Such silliiness …
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Much is determined by who writes it, not what is written.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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It has been said that cats know when someone dislikes them but they don’t care enough to do anything about it.
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“With a value of about $10,000 in state aid per student, the school’s revenue stream took a $360,000 hit.”
I wonder how many school administrators across the country view students strictly in terms of a dollar amount.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Probably all of them because if revenues fall the teachers union possibly loses membership.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
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As I recall, it was the workers who opted to walk away from their jobs, voting on several occasions to reject the contract. They are the victims of their own poor judgement.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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good jobs = young families = children = students for school.
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The part that struck me the most was $10,000 per student. When my kids were younger they were in a charter school that received about 55% of that per student.
I realize economies of scale & bureaucracies, but that is a good amount.
You can’t blame teacher wages (McD with overtime) so where is it going? Infrastructure? Admin?
I would be interested in seeing a breakdown
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The High School Principal, Athletic Director and Superintendent salaries are a little over $ 1000.00 per student. There has been concern from the community about this as well as other spending authorized by the school board. For example, a teacher was hired to teach in the elementary school last April, this was with he hope of a retirement. The retirement did not happen, so a job was created in the junior high school. The teach is not qualified to teach in the junior high school, so his position was signed off, which is allowed in Minnesota. This is only one example of what the district money is being spent on. The referendum did not pass for many reasons, one that is most common heard is the ” lack of confidence in the adminsiration”.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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This is so common. It’s scary. Poor Duluth. They were forced by their school board into building all new schools to the tune of $400 million. They weren’t even allowed to vote on the issue. Now after building the schools they have 46 students in some classrooms. Students sit in windowsills, on chairs, and even on the floor. There aren’t enough desks. I’m serious. Their taxes went up 22% and the school district still needs more money. They bought out homes to build these schools and later found out they didn’t need to. They haven’t been able to sell the old school buildings to generate cash. The entire process has been a train wreck. And…three of the original school board members responsible for this mess are still on the school board. The taxpayers are now being blamed for not caring enough to go to school board meetings. Why they ask. No one listened to them when they did. Sad … sad … sad … situation.
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I agree it is a travesty, but in the end it does fall back on the citizens of my home town: I was born in Two Harbors. They elected & then re-elected these people.
In America it is the citizens who are ultimately responsible. It sounds like people need to face up to their responsibilities or take the credit when a whole generation of undereducated kids hits the street unable to function
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There are members of the Stephen/Argyle school board that are either working for the district or have spouses employeed by the district. A few examples: The Head Volleyboll coach is a school board member. The conflict may be, she reports to the Athletic Director for coaching duties, and the Athletic Director may have a dotted line report to her as the School Board member. The Superintendents wife is the High School Librarian and a bus driver. In the past this was a person who had a degree in Library Science, she does not. The Superintendents children work for the school district in the summer months, this has created issues. The Head Janitor is also the Head Baseball coach, his wife is on the School Board. The High School Math teacher’s husband in on the school board. Let me quote the MSBA Legal requirements for School Board members. “A conflict of interest if you are a board member and expect to make over $8,000 as an employee of the district in any fiscal year or (M.S.123B.195) have a personal financial interest in the sale, lease or contract with the district (there are exceptions) (M.S. 471.87 and 471.88) or hold another elected position except township board (Op. Att’y Gen. 358 Dec. 18, 1970)”.
Seems like the district may have conflicts of interest. This is up to the public to interpet. This also leads to a lack of trust in not only the administration, but the school board in general. All of the above are examples of why people might choose to not support a referendum vote.
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