Parent of the year. Wow

Very odd response. Very odd.

Jose,
This is a accident waiting to happen. What do you think would happen in a building with all subs ?? Its obvious you dont have kids that have special needs or learning disabilities ?? You have no idea what it takes to educate those children with IEP's and 504 plans !!

HelloKitty, you know what they say about assumptions? According to you, if a strike happens you won't send your child to school so getting yourself worked up into a froth about subs only hurts you.
In case you haven't heard, I hope a strike doesn't happen! If it does, the district is doing the right thing by trying to minimize the impact on the kids and parents. There is no way to do this for every one. I just happen to agree with taking steps to help some of the people here.

They have the same education? No they don't.

Thousands and thousands of unemployed teachers out there; you think there aren't 300 equally as edcuated and experienced and WILLING to work?

Probably not. And no, they wouldn't be equally qualified. But they might make it possible for parents to go about their day business as usual. Don't get me wrong...they're certainly good people and we need them to be the "bench" as teachers retire and move on. I just don't see the district pulling this off. Remember...many of these substitutes are teachers, too. And there, but for the grace of God, go I.

Why don't we just stop making the bond payments to cover the deficit?

You can't just stop making bond payments.

Seriously, why not?

It's the law.

The state doesn't make the pension payments that are required by law...

hotgossip do not put words in my mouth: "teachers just come in, use district materials, use lesson plans, and go home". I've never dismissed the quality of our teachers and the amount of work they put in. My family is full of educators and I see first-hand how much effort they put in. I hope there isn't a strike at all but if there is, I am happy the district is making an effort to minimally disrupt the schedule of the students . If there is a strike, I would hope it would end quickly so everyone can get back to business as usual.
You also elude to siding with 5 board members. Are you insinuating that 2 do not agree with this proposal?
I also think its quite childish to draw a line in the sand telling someone to chose a side. I have said before and will continue to rewind and repeat, it is possible to support the teachers and still understand that there is a deficit and no money to give increases.

Lennie, have you and Lisa submitted your applications? You could teach history and Lisa would be superb at science.

Ahh Sully is back attempting more insults.... I figured it was just a matter of time.

Insults Lennie? You claim to be an expert on education. Put your money where your mouth is. Step into the classroom and teach for a while. You think you have the best solutions? Lisa thinks she knows all there is to know about curriculum? Prove it.

Don't worry big guy. Just visiting. But as I said, some things never change. The ignorant remain ignorant. Got to say, your tea party seems to be losing more steam by the minute. Please, keep holding the rest of the country hostage over the fraudulant "fiscal cliff" and have more tea party gun give aways like the event in North Carolina in wake of the Connecticut shooting. Those things just move you closer and closer to finally hanging yourselves. America's pretty much had it with you.

Yes Sully your past history proves you were attempting more insults. If I wasn't working right now, Ellen would already have my application to help out wherever needed. I have actually subbed before (not in IL).

Okay Lennie, whatever you say.

It's not the teachers who are at the most fault if a strike happens. It is their leaders, i.e. the union negotiators.

In so many cases I have watched this same thing happened, the rank and file teachers don't get all the facts. The teachers get pretty much only what the negotiators tell them. This is why the BOE townhalls are so important so that the rank and file teachers can find out more of the unfiltered details.

In too many of these strikes the rank and file teachers are as much pawns as the children themselves.

AHHH, The world must be coming to an end, I actually agree with Lennie.

Thanks C-Dub. And to your point, you and many others would probably have a lot of common ground with me if we actually talked in person instead of reading all the demonization and untruths that get told on here about me.

I often agree with Mr Jarratt. I'm appalled that the whole board hasn't looked at his plan for reductions. The few premises he's shared sound sensible.

That's funny coming from you Terri, since you are one of the people that continues to make stuff up about me and where I stand on issues or things I've said.

@Catalina-I can tell you with near certainty that the overwhelming majority of current subs in D46 stand with the teachers and WILL NOT cross the line. The majority of the parents at our school stand with the teachers as well. Additionally, most sensible people who want to gain a full-time position realize that if they do cross the line they will definitely not be made "welcome" in a D46 classroom EVER.

Keep in mind that if subs do teach these kids the days will NOT count as official days and will need to be made up at the end of the year. The children's learning and routine WILL be disrupted because they will be taught by people who know NOTHING about them. Do you know what the subs did during the Lake Forest strike? They played movies for the kids to watch everyday. You obviously haven't done any research.

It has been the inept BOE that has brought us to this point and the teachers and students have the most to lose because of their inability to correctly oversee this district. Instead they have driven it into the ground. But it could be expected when you have a criminal who changed his name to run for office and an uneducated school bus driver (just to name 2) serving on the board. These people should NOT be on ANY school board.

Please do some research before you post such nonsense.

Swanson, that is not true. To "count" as an official day 50% of the students need to be there, and there needs to be certified teachers teaching at least 5 hours of instruction in the core subjects to count.

And I would not agree with you, the majority of the parents (and taxpayers) are NOT standing with the teachers. I for one do not think it is the best solution but the union is not leaving any choice. Notice, how instead of trying to meet with the board after their last offer....they decided to start picketing school functions? Seems to me it is the union now that is not willing to come to any middle ground.

Our board is not perfect, but they are at least finally taking steps in the right direction to be fiscally responsible. The union was banking on the board voting to increase taxes as another leverage for their demands. Not to mention the union/teachers picked the time of year to strike when state testing is to occur. The more and more this drags out and people like you post this nonsense, the more I am NOT siding with the teachers. They are using every tactic to stick it to the board, taxpayers and ultimately our kids....

Swanson you seem to be, by your own words, quite an authority in the minds of all things D46. Unfortunately, you are filled with your own misinformation and I doubt it would matter what facts anyone corrected with. Its clear you are stuck in your own sense of grandeur. Anyone who refers to the majority of the community as less educated than teachers is clearly attempting to drive a wedge and stir the pot.
"I think" there are far more people in the community who realize the economy is poor and support the fair offer the board made, & still support the awesome teachers too.

Swanson11, do you really think that subs don't count? I encourage you to visit any school, any day, anywhere and show me one school that does not have a sub in it. The only way a sub would play movies is if that's all a teacher has left for them to do. As a former sub, we follow the curriculum that the teacher has left for us. I have done everything from show movies to help honors chemistry students study for their finals. Many subs are retired teachers, some are ex business execs who have a wealth of experience and knowledge and have been laid off, some are grad students, some are loving parents who know better than most how to care for and nurture children. I'll just quote you, so I'm not being insulting by saying, "You obviously haven't done any research." Also, my dad was a highly educated business owner who opted to drive a school bus in his retirement. I want to give you credit once more for a quote that I'm going to borrow from you, "Please do some research before you post such nonsense."

Easy there...
Your points are right on mark. But to say that a sub won't find a REAL teaching job in the future crosses the line. All teaching jobs are REAL jobs. First, as I said before, there but by the grace of God go I. I don't think there are enough certified teachers out there that would cross the line. But desperate times call for desperate measures. There will be applicants and there will be teachers willing to cross the line. Look at the posters here. Some are so desperate they'd balance the budget on the ones who care about their children more than most.
I suggested we stop paying on the bonds to balance the budget but Mr Jarratt chose to take a jab at me rather than answer. If we can increase the levy amongst applause to keep our bond promise, why not our promise to teachers?

Terri asked, "why not our promise to teachers?" Hmm, the last contract has been fulfilled, teachers got paid as promised and still are getting paid accordingly. So the promises have been kept.

The new contract is a new set of promises that have not been agreed upon yet. The district must agree to a contract that allows them to keep their promises. If they promise more than they can afford, many teachers will be RIFed unfortunately. That scenario is bad for both the teachers but more importantly is will be bad for the children.

The BOE has just ensured that there will be layoffs, school closings, and cuts to programs, like music, by not passing an increase to the tax levy.
Yes the old contract has been fullfilled Lennie, but the teachers have been working in good faith without a contract. Maybe the way to get BOE's to listen is for the teachers to quit working the day the contract is up. They have been working without a contract since May or June of this year. That is not fair to the teachers.

The last contract ended 6/20/2011. If the teachers had gone on strike then, no school would have been missed and the kids would not be used as pawns as a Jan/16 strike will do.

Both the BOE and Union have been continuing negotiations in good faith, otherwise we would have heard about filings of unfair labor practices. FYI, Beach Park District 6 went close to 2 years without a contract, yet kept working for the good of the children,

Lastly, teachers have been RIFfed nearly every year the past few years even with the ever increasing property taxes. The problem is the BOE that don't want to find ways to be fiscally responsible. Certain board members got rid of the Finance Committee that help bring ideas. Some board members have refused to investigate other possible ways to save when they've been given the same info for over 5 years. You should really be thanking people who have been fighting for fiscal sustainability instead of continually attacking them on these pages. People like myself, Michael Carbone, Kip Evans, Shannon Smgielski, Sarah Waters, and the local businessmen who have been working to find fiscally sustainable solutions.

Teachers will be RIFed again this coming year due to the deficit spending and if any unaffordable contract is signed on to. This is not the direction the district should be going.

As I have offered many times, I'd be happy to speak with you about ideas I have to prevent the RIFs and help bring fiscal sustainability.

Lennie, do you think passing a flat levy and passing on 750K, was a wise decision? Deficit spending will surely continue now that they can no loger capture this growth in revenue. The wisest suggestion was by Carbone, Pass the incresase levy and abate the taxes if they are not needed. They passed a flat levy with no long range plan for revenues, or fully understanding what the long term consequences were to the district. They have no long term plan. Even you would agree that is a bad idea. I truely believe, even you understand that losing 30million over 28 years will spell disaster to the district. The other problem, is what happens to property values when the school system fails? I think you know as well as I do that property values will decline even further. The board has sent the district on a path for financial disaster.

Carbone was the only board member who expressed the correct way to do the levy during the meeting as you mentioned. It's a shame that once again we have a lack of planning and options from the school administration.

Secondly, the district wouldn't have gotten the full 750K, I need to look back for the actual #, but I believe it was around half that #. There is also the issue of capping out which D46 is dangerously close to hitting. If that happens the district gets even less. With assessments still dropping, the freeze may very well aid the district in the coming years by preventing them from hitting that cap. This needs a lot more review and details to fully understand all the pros and cons.

I need to review the presentation more from that night also to make sure I have all the State Aid facts. I believe the increase from the state was $1.3 Million to be gained by taking the one time hit now. This needs more investigation and it has many implications for the new board being elected in the spring, and should be a question at every forum.

Lennie, you are making my point exactly. They did not due thier due dilgence by investigating this option fully. Sure may have gained 1.3 mil as you say. (wont hold you on that number) but in the long run they have crippled D46 financially. They made this decision without knowing all the details. It was very fiscally irresponsible.
They caved to a small group of people who were very loud, while the rest of us homeowners sat silent.
At a time that we are already in a 1.2 million deficit budget, even with cuts. 2.2 million already cut, ou can't pass a flat levy. The flat levy will not help stop the deficit spending. This was irresponsible.

Interesting, I said there needed to be more investigation and details. That does not prove your point. You are reacting from personal feelings, instead of getting all the facts. Yes, levies can be frozen and be beneficial even in the long term. We need to do some more research and find out whether this was beneficial or not.

As I also stated we need more details from the presentation given. If true giving up 350K to get 1.3 Million would be a good bargain. If it keeps the district from hitting the rate cap, then it also may be beneficial in the long run.

This situation is complex and needs to be studied more to find out whether it was best or not. Reacting with partial information is more dangerous for the future than actual planning. We cannot succumb to reflex because the BOE did not vote the way you wanted in this particular case.

Lennie, yes there is a little emotion in my replys, However, you as an advocate and supporter of Carbone, Evans, and Shannon, have said and agreed the right thing would have been to raise/abate the levy/taxes. It would have been the finacailly responsible thing to do at the time. Then take the time to education themselves on the effects of a flat levy. Better yet would have been to use the last month or so to get those answers, they should have had all the details before casting such an important vote. If they could have proven before the vote that this was what will really happen, then good for them. They failed to make their case. I will assume, because you do not have the answer either that, nobody had the required knowledge to make this decision, before the vote. Which again is irresponsible and playing games with childrens future.

@SJ, I do appreciate you thinking that I would have all the information the BOE has in making this decision, but unfortunately neither myself or the general public is given all of information before the meetings. The BOE is on the other hand is privy to a lot more information than we get. I wish we had public board packets available prior to meetings, but it does not appear the BOE or admin want a completely transparent district.

I just watched the presentation by the Biz Manager and listened to other comments from the BOE. Unfortunately, the presentation is not viewable on the video, so I still need to get that presentation. From that information, it appears the BOE was fully informed about what would really happen. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Estimated actual receipts from a levy increase would be $750K
2. District will hit their O&M cap this year
3. District will hit the Ed fund cap next year
4. With the tax levy increase, there will be a $1.4 million deficit
5. Without a levy increase: 2014 - $1,024,000 deficit, 2015 - $189,000 surplus, 2016 - $1,400,000 surplus

Based on those numbers, the decision to freeze the levy is very beneficial to the district as it ends their budget deficit in 2015 without a tax increase. As stated, when growth starts to happen again, the levy/abate process will be the best route.

Since the district will also hit their ED fund cap next year, not increasing the levy also allows the district more flexibility next year.

Richard, one of the business owners had the following to say about his property taxes:

2006 - $69,000
2011 - $99,000
2012 - $113,000

That is nearly a 64% increase over that time frame. How can we expect businesses to continue to afford these type of increases? We cannot.

Yes, I said the days will not count. I never said subs don't count as Tara Strain inaccurately stated. Please learn how to read. Thank you