Question of the Week
The Mauston School Board is looking for areas to cut to stay within its 16.9-million dollar operating budget. So far the board has compiled a list of expendables that total $688,095. See attached list. The major share of the total budget is used for administrative salaries and benefits–nearly a million dollars a year–and teacher compensation packages. The teachers, who average nearly $68,000 a year in pay + benefits for their 190-day yearly contract, consume about 8.7-million dollars a year of the available money. What cost-savings suggestions do you have for the Mauston School Board?
about 1 year ago
It seems if they want to cut the budget they have to start with teacher pay. It consumes over 1/2 the budget and to make any cuts that help you have to reduce pay for all employees. If pay is off limits you’ll never control spending.
about 1 year ago
ODD, cannot see the “attached list”? I am NOT certain, but I DOUBT the AVERAGE pay for teachers is $68,000 per year? PERHAPS your really talking about PAY + BENEFITS equaling $68K? The TEACHERS are the REAL value of a school. How many people are employed by the school district that have NO impact on our childs education? IN SHORT, NO TEACHERS, NO EDUCATION.
about 1 year ago
Wow, what a leading question @@
Let’s focus on those administrators of which lately there’s been a high turnover…they along with the school board they report to, run the show –
We need to also take a good look into CESA 5 – the money we spend there and for what?? Anyone who has ever had a child with an IEP and has dealt with the rampant non compliance of IDEA and just exactly how much time and money is being spent on defending those wrongs, can tell ya we’re being robbed at the expense of our childrens’ future
about 1 year ago
Lets cut out expensive sport activities and and focus on education.
about 1 year ago
The last thing that needs to be cut is the teacher’s pay. Unless you have spent a day at the school around some of these students, you have no idea what these teachers have to put up with. I think they don’t get paid enough. And as far as CESA 5, if it wasn’t for these teachers and staff trying to help these students succeed, these students would probably give up and drop out of school. Then you would have more of a problem with teenage dropouts wondering the streets. Granted there are some kids that don’t care about their grades and whether they graduate or not, but that falls back on the parents that don’t care whether their kid graduates or not.
about 1 year ago
As a former school board member I can tell you
there are different insurance companies out there
that offer the exact same coverage as the teachers get
now for less money, but the union refuses to let them
switch(Kickbacks) if insurance is identical why wouldn’t
you change.
about 1 year ago
think about it: “Kickbacks” is a strong word” I doubt VERY much that the Union decides WHAT insurance co. the school system uses? EVERY time a question comes up the “UNION” is blamed. Did It EVER occur to people just how much the NON value added Administration costs the taxpayers? Ask yourself this question. Do the Administrators and administrative staff of the Mauston School System teach our children ANYTHING?
about 1 year ago
As far as sports programs though I think they can be very beneficial to kids and are a great way to teach discipline. Some kids just need the extra curricular activities and now parents have to pay for pretty much everything to have their kids in sports anyways.
about 1 year ago
To laughing citizen,
Union does have to agree to insurance company and/or any changes to any benefits. That is a fact – and not just Mauston schools either. It takes a LOT more to run a school and educate children than just teachers. Who takes care of the teacher’s salary & benefits, who fixes and maintains the facilities so that the students have a clean, safe environment, who prepares the meals which feed our children, who processes all of the records required by the DPI, who keeps track of all and processes all of the purchasing required to buy the needed supplies and textbooks? Who keeps track of all of the financial and educational records of all of the processes as required by the state? Who organizes and makes sure each part of the educational SYSTEM runs as smoothly as possible? Do you really think a school SYSTEM can run without everyone of them? Yes – teachers teach our children and that is a VERY important part, but they are part of a very important team that often gets overlooked as not adding “value”. It takes more than teachers to educate our children.
about 1 year ago
The education system is broken – and we need to re-evaluate how it is structured here…where the losses are…what is a waste of money, and what would benefit our children the most.
Focus needs to be on the kids and their education FIRST and FOREMOST – if ya got a kid acting out do you keep punishing them…ignore them..blame parents only….or do you step back and look at some of the other reasons… Behavorial Intervention Plans are laughable in this district…IEPs are a joke – literally…I’ve seen kids transfer out of this district and go to other districts where staff literally laughed out loud when they read the IEPs – Wollenburg at CESA 5 knows this is a FACT
Again…administration is the first place to look – they guide all of this – start at the top of that totem pole not at the bottom
about 1 year ago
interesting topic here, only if someone had the forsight on this issue before they built a over the top high school I have afeeling this subject wouldnt come up.
about 1 year ago
Hello:
Since I’m fairly certain you are In the know, please figure the salary of all of the positions you list, and when you have that, extract the TWO most beneficial positions, the Maintenance workers, and the Cooks. The Cooks are Part Time, and the Custodial, and Maintenance workers are Essential. MY POINT, they account for VERY little of the budget. Perhaps, the Principals, and the ADMINISTRATOR should share the REST of the duties?
As for the Union picking the Insurance Company. NOT. The package the Union BARGAINS for is JUST THAT. Are you telling me the Union has the ONLY say in WHO the Insurance Provider Is? To put It a different way. Is the Union willing to go on strike to have a certain provider instead of a provider with the EXACT same benefits at a lower cost?
I also forgot to mention ALL of the buses required to transport student to school. How much does that cost?
about 1 year ago
Unknown:
That funny. Like the sign downtown “Field of Dreams” “Build It they will come” EVERY building torn down In this city reduces the tax base, thus making our taxes go UP. What happens when the city becomes a bunch of EMPTY lots? If the school board think they have a problem now, just wait.
about 1 year ago
Laughing citizen, you make me laugh…
I can tell you aren’t “in the know” for if you were, then you wouldn’t be throwing out your assumptions as true.
Walk in the shoes of any person in their position before you decide which positions are beneficial and which are not. Any organization (including schools) has more levels “behind the scenes” which are necessary to survive and operate.
about 1 year ago
Every business or factory that wants to come to Mauston and build, would pay taxes to the school district. Here is where there needs to be economic development in the Mauston area.
It seems like any businesses that has been pointed towards Mauston to build a building or move a business too, has been turned away by either the antics of the city or lak of interest by those that have a need to control. This inlcludes businesses that have been shut down or forced to close there doors.
There is no way that the taxpayers that pay taxes to the Mauston School District will ever get out of this hole if the City keeps turning people and businesses away that want to come here.
The more the City turns down a new business or factory or makes a business close, the burden of the cash needed by the schools gets shifted to us as taxpayers. I CANT AFFORD ANY MORE TAX HIKES…I can bearly afford what I have now and my wife and I both work full time.
It is the Mauston School District taxpayers that need to put there foot down. I am told that the ethanol plant pays a ton of money to the school district in Necedah…so why can’t we have something like that???
Why can’t we have a few people from the Greater Mauston Economic Development group go and visit with some of the big companies about opening plants here???
What about Terry Whipple? Can he help?
about 1 year ago
Hello:
Since you are not aware of the current crisis in our Country? MOST of the industry left in this country is running LEAN. Schools are no different. It Is time they too go LEAN. The Taxpayer can no longer pay for the whims of a small portion of a community. The students of today might just as well learn what lean Is before they go into the job market, because that is just the way It Is. Since your probably wondering what “WHIMS” I am talking about, here Is an example. The SPORTS facility behind the schools. Did It need to be the BEST in the land? Just how much does It cost to maintain this Super Field?
about 1 year ago
Some very interesting debate here.
Laughing Citizen, if you read the article in full you will note that they did say salary plus benefits.
We would all agree that the education of our young people is one the most important things we do. Sooo, when the money is not there to do what we have to do what are our choices? More taxes, cut wages (or at least hold them), close schools, eliminate programs or maybe eliminate some positions?
Everyone has something that is near and dear to them. Teachers want there raises, Lyndon wants there school, sports minded folks want there sports.
You can say that running a school system is not like a business or our home budget but the bottom line if the money is not there something has to give. And we can blame the school board or maybe the city. Someone has to be to blame right? I think everyone needs to have a little give and take, including the Teachers union. Instead of blaming someone or something give us some solutions.
PS, if you feel so strongly perhaps you should publish your names.
about 1 year ago
The proposed district cuts were presented to the staff in a quick 10 minute meeting the same day the cuts were proposed to the board. Staff were not asked for suggestions of what cuts to make. Staff members work everyday with these materials and with students and know what can afford to be cut without a major impact on education. The district went many years without a full time Curriculum and Instruction person. Since there has been a person in this position (that makes above teacher pay) for the last two years, has there been an increase in student performance? Currently the district has two coaches, one literacy, one math, these are two half time positions paid through a grant. I feel they are doing the job similar to the C & I person without the same pay and benfits. Could we do with a half time C &I person and possibly a half time Superintendent or 3/4 time. Let’s make the cuts up high, less cuts, bigger savings. Also these staff do not have every day contact with students.
about 1 year ago
I DO NOT believe we should get rid of the sports programs. There are already enough punk kids in this town, taking away sports would create even more. Having children in sports gives them something to do! Most of the kids that are in sports are the well behaved ones, so why take that away?
One way to raise more money, every time a student skips school they get ticket. The school gets the money. If there parents dont agree then RAISE BETTER KIDS!!!!! That will keep the punk kids off the streets and the school more money.
about 1 year ago
mauston parent: You are 100% correct about the sports programs that the district supports. Parents are already sharing the responsibility for the cost of such programs, and I would hope they not be cut. My Grandchildren all participate in sports, and It certainly shows in their attitudes and grades.
My comment about the facility behind the schools was meant only to emphasize the fact that I think they went too far in building a sports facility.
about 1 year ago
Look Forward people. Not backwards. I’m one of those teachers that faced cut backs. I’m also one of those products of this school system. Work together not against each other. Find a way to make it work. We’re losing students in the district at a greater rate than gaining. This is the biggest issue. How can you help out one of the biggest employers in the city? Support these kids. Don’t turn a blind eye to them because a handful have cause problems in this city. See a sports event, music production, art show, or volunteer at one of the schools. YOU are always welcomed to set up time with a teacher. Best way to see how things work.
about 1 year ago
There are a lot of slams here, but the real question has not been addressed-what should we do about the cuts that need to happen this year? Look at the list-see if you can come up with other ideas. Maybe even research your idea to see if it is feasible. We need REAL suggestions for today. Let’s keep this positive and productive.
about 1 year ago
Are you kidding me? Teachers underpaid? Come on now, lets be real. Where else can you go to college then get a job where you work, well, let’s see barely 8 months a year?? You have summers off, Christmas vacation, Spring Break! Get a real job! Where you have to worry about the economy, taking pay cuts, loosing health insurance, or worse yet, loose your jobs! Teachers should be thankful for what they have!!!
about 1 year ago
I believe they should look at the union contacts – Do you know that when one retires from our school district they receive 8 years of paid health care. I don’t know about you but I certainly will not receive my health care paid for. They should look at a deductable like the rest of us.
Now that they have two principal spots open maybe they should consider not filling them. That would save a lot money.
Lastly – they have cut our school lunch program that are kids are going away hungry – mind you some of these kids are only getting one meal a day and there isn’t even butter for the kids to use on the bread.
Seriously do you think that tearing down of a couple builds is going to affect our schools budget – I do not think they generated 600,00 in tax dollars – maybe the person that posted that should really learn about how taxes work!!!!
What industry has left this area – in fact Mauston Business Park is going strong – the only business that I can remember leaving is Northern Plastic and guess what theywere not paying their bills anyway –
Cut Sports – no way – those that are in sports are already paying a fee – unless of course you receive free or reduced lunch – plus the sporting events charge to get into them they for are making some kind of money to support their programs.
about 1 year ago
Teacher work 8 months a year??? That’s a joke!! Teachers have to work all the time. They work after “contract” hours to keep up with all that is required to educate all of the students. Lesson plans, curriculum, grading papers, calls home, late work, at risk students are all just part of the work we have everyday. Summers??? Do you want to know what summers are full of? Classes, Summer school, more classes. Teachers are the only profession where once you graduate you HAVE to keep going to school FOREVER!!!! It is not free either. You have to pay for those classes that are required of you. Most teachers should punch a time clock and then you would see exactly how much time in and out of school teachers put in. Then you could for sure say we are underpaid. If you are so smart come sit in some classrooms and observe the students and situations teacher have to deal with everyday and then you can say whatever you want until then you have NO idea about the school system in 2010, not what it was 10 years ago.
Actually no one has any right to talk about how much teachers should be paid until they have spent time IN the schools and with the students. Come in anytime!!!
Yeah right!!
about 1 year ago
Nearly every profession has felt the economy’s downturn. As a teacher, I put myself through college–both a bachelors and a masters degree–to the tune of $60000 in student loan debt. I’ve taught 10 years and make $40000 a year–for 50+ hours of work a week, including weekends. Find another profession where this amount of education and time put in equals this amount of money.
The working “8 months of the year?” Find me a teacher who doesn’t work an additional job or take classes (which are paid for out of our pockets) during the 2.5 months of summer break.
But guess what? The vast majority of teachers did not go into teaching for the time off. And we certainly didn’t go into it for the compensation. We are teachers because it’s not just a job. We endure verbal abuse and the spread of misinformation from the public who have absolutely no clue what actually goes on in a school because we believe in the difference a caring, dedicated adult can make to a child. The cynics obviously didn’t have one of us in their lives.
about 1 year ago
I personally am for internet based school, via a public school. Like Wisconsin Connection Academy! Parents need to spend more time with thier kids. Also I am for less sports and more Arts. It has been proven that music and math are linked. If one does well in music they do well in math. Art can help the emotions of “troubled youth” come out, and be very carthardic. Plus the “Arts” can do more for the students then sports. Sports cause injury. Arts can actually help and guide people in life and build onto thier future.
about 1 year ago
Maybe the health insurance packages are a look see. Instead of each teacher getting their own individual health insurance package, teachers married to each other might use the family plan instead, since the plans may be identical which I think might save some money. But is it going to be worth it? I guess in special health cases it might not work, but it is an option to look at. I do think that the Mauston school district is doing everything they can to save money where possible, but since we are one of the poorest counties in Wisconsin, we are in one of the toughest situations one can find. My daughter became a teacher about three years ago and I hear what she has to go through with parents that expect the school to be the “babysitter” for their kids AND to make sure their kids get a top notch education. Parents, wake up! These are your kids. Provide for them, raise them with good morals, and emphasize to them that the world is at their feet. All they have to do is learn from great teachers for a few years of their lives to get a real good education so they too can earn a decent living. We can’t make a kid learn, we can only offer to him/her the oppurtunity to learn. The opportunities are here at Mauston so it is time for the young people to get with it, get off your backsides, and start using your heads. I know many of our young people are good, talented, individuals. But there are some that just need a swift kick to get them going in a forward direction. We all can talk about the shortcomings in the monetary end, but cutting teachers, custodians, sports programs, administrators, educational programs, is not the answer. We should be building this community by bringing in more businesses to help spread the tax base and getting more jobs in the Mauston area. I feel that this town needs more beautification, more green areas, buildings need to be painted, roads need to be repaired so cars don’t disappear in the ruts as on Highway 82 or on North Union street. Another idea is to get the state to allow Mauston another access off the interstate, such as the area by the K-Mart. This would relieve some of the wear and tear of the roads and would allow more exposure of other businesses in Mauston as well as make areas more available for businesses to build near exits of the interstate. Everybody seems to grow except Mauston. Now why is that?
about 1 year ago
Too often the idea of responsibility gets pushed onto everyone else. The idea that it is someone else’s fault is often the case. The parents blame the teachers, and at times, I think the teachers blame the parents. Regardless of whose fault it happens to be, the students are ultimately in charge of the education they want to receive. How often do students show up late or not at all? How often do students view school as a social scene where their “education” is based on who is dating who and who, instead of learning to use proper sentence structure and figure out math problems? There needs to be some give and take on all parties associated within the school. Do parents ever go to school to see what it is teachers are teaching their children? Do parents ever require that their son or daughter is reading at home or doing enrichment learning or homework? Does a parent know what the name of their child’s teacher really is? Or, is school a place for the parent to dump off their child? I believe the teachers make phone calls home to explain to the parents their child is falling behind. Teachers also call parents to explain the wonderful abilitites the students have and to praise them for their work. Teachers also have their gradebooks online. When was the last time anyone held the student’s grades accountable or parents checked the progress of their student? Is a C really that good? Sure, they passed, but in the real world, the C is really not that great. Especially when it comes to competetive markets. Will a C get you the job? Probably not.
What about those cuts at the school? Lets cut teacher pay. Wrong! After all, if they were babysitters like some people agree $3 per hour would equate to about $270 per day if the teachers saw 90 students each day. $2 per hour…how about $180 per day. I dont think teachers make that each day.
Sports programs? There already is a sport fee that people have to pay. And, for the most part those kids in sports have something to do where they are proud to be part of a team. It shows leadership, working as a team, and discipline- again all great aspects for any industrial buisness. All are aspects that are needed to work collectively for a greeater cause.
I forgot to mention that people do get out of the poverty cycle in Mauston. They have to make the choice. You do not have to be a product of your environment. You have to shape your future and get an education!
Sorry for the rambling….
about 1 year ago
Mauston has four schools, plus St Pats, just in the city limits. How many schools does a town of our size need?I keep hearing about dropping enrollment, so why was another school even needed? If they were in such bad shape why are we continuing to use them? As for Lyndon Station, they have one school and taking it away will have a greater negative impact on their community than eliminating one of ours would. Since I live right next to the school I believe would be the first to go, I am not exactly happy about the prospect, but I think its time to do what many have had to do and downsize.
about 1 year ago
Mauston… Build a HUGE school, taxs go up. Enrollment goes down. Don’t let any BIG bizz into town ( wal-mart, target). People go else where with their money ( walmart in the dells or tomah). We also have this trial going on for thats spliting out sheriff dept apart, not to mention who’s paying for this trial… taxpayers. Mauston needs a OVERHAUL! We need to start planing for this towns future or there won’t be one. Now im not even going to touch this “round-about” debate its silly ( its going to cost the tax payers even more!!!). We need educated people in the high positions… I have nothing against the people running this town but there born and raised here and are continuing to NOT make change that is required to make a town grow! Has anyone drove downtown Mauston?! its forgettable to say the least. What happened to the “Mauston Beautifation Project?????” Baraboo/ Reedsburgs CITYS have flurished , HOW?? They dont even have the 90/94 interstate running thru them!!!
I think its time to start change, make something happen, we vote on a bridge, or a round about, well its time to start voting on somethings that make a difference, something that can bring some money to our TOWN! Lyndon Station ( pop. 600) has Parkfest, Mauston can’t even put together a town celebration, because theres nothing to celebrate!! The time has come to OVERHAUL….
This sheriff race is going to be a joke again, another Uneducated Mauston-nite will be running it because we vote our freinds or freinds freinds in. This is our future or even better our childrens future, we need someone in this position that has an nun-bias opinion and isn’t going to let this trial go on for MONTHS AND MONTHS.
We need to Wake up and see that we have resource called an INTERSTATE and we HAVE to take advantage of it! bring in more money, and we wont have to CUT anything!! It starts at the top! Its almost like the people running this TOWN could careless about the future. We need to stand up and let them know its time for a change. TIME for a CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!
about 1 year ago
After reading the proposed cuts, I find it very sad that there are several teachers that are going to be cut, but I see nothing for adminstration. If the superintendent is gone, make the principles learn the job and split it up among remaining admin. Larger paying job not being filled can save a LOT of money. Within the system when cuts are made in lower positions, the remaining employees usually have to pick up the slack. So let the admin pick up the slack for a change.
It is sad that someone wrote that teachers in the school the only ones teaching. Can you step back and look at the big picture. On the playground, you must be careful and courteous to your friend and non-friend. In the lunch room you should be learning good nutrition and proper etiquette. On the bus respect and safety. On the field you learn teamwork and perservance. Please stop taking all parts of the system for granted. Everything your children come into contact with is a learning experience and it takes an army to raise a child to their full potention. Some of the worlds best teachers were not in a classroom. Please look at the actual budget cuts and stop the name calling.
about 1 year ago
It seems to me the mess we are in stems from a very fundamental problem. For years, lots of years, the school systems have been run on a buy and spend first and then simply bill the taxpayers later basis; rather than working from a bugeted amount of money and then determing how to best spend that money. It appears that the taxpayers have gone about as broke as they care to trying to keep up with the philosophy that nothing is too good for the children. A number of areas have been addressed where spending could and probably should be cut. Just how many administrators does it take to run a school distrtict, and what is a reasonable salary? How many active employees have fully paid health insurance plans either while still working or retired in this country today? When did it become the job of the schools to feed and entertain our children? When did it become the responsibility of our teachers to be the primary disciplinarian and character builders of our children rather than the parents? And don’t forget, we had to have that new high school. (It’s funny how a referendum can be voted down multiple times but only has to pass once to become law, now is that fair or what?) Everybody wants to drive a Cadillac, but not everybody has one. But in our educational system we insist on having a “Cadillac” in every aspect of our system with little or no regard as to how it affects the people who are forced to fund it by edict of those who control the budget. Any time we want to spend money we don’t have, we simply trot out the cry “we’ve got to do it for the children” and raise property taxes. This is from a story on WRJC this past December regarding school district priorities. After naming off the top four priorities the source from the school board was quoted as saying, “and as an afterthought, the fifth priority is demonsttrating fiscal responsibility.” That’s where we the taxpayers rate in the grand scheme of things, dead last! If we ever want to get this mess under control and still keep our educational system strong we’ve got to get the horse in front of the cart!
about 1 year ago
Wow #31 TIME FOR CHANGE, You’re negativism is one of the main problems for this town. What have YOU done to improve life in Mauston? Perhaps you would want to move?
Consider a grass-roots approach to change, starting at the bottom, not the top. Practice what you preach and buy local when you can. I’ve experienced too many hypocrits, who talk the talk, then drive out of town to buy.
Wal-Mart does not need, nor want, to come to this tiny town. They know that because of that wonderful interstate you referred to, our residents will simply hop on and drive 20- 30 miles either direction. Really, Wal-Mart is not the answer.
Being unique could be an answer. The Chamber, GMADC and Room Tax Committee are trying to take advantage of the interstate by drawing in tourism.
As for the City celebrations: Have you not heard of the Pumpkin Bash, or St. Pat’s Fall Festival? It’s not easy to get a great festival going, but they are trying.
You really should, too. Try to be more positive – and work on your spelling and punctuation. Maybe the teachers here could help?
about 1 year ago
I just went through the comments and have a thought or two. A few teachers remarked about how many hours they put in and said to follow them around to see the time they put in. How do you expect anyone to take you up on it if you don’t leave a name and contact number. I would really like to do that, especially the teacher who works every night on lesson plans, grading papers, etc. I’ve known a some teachers and none of them worked like that.
about 1 year ago
Dear Tom,
It doesn’t matter what teacher you choose to follow around. Take your pick, or several picks. How many teachers do you know? All of them? Making a blanket statement about all teachers based on the few that you know is just ignorant. I don’t know who your are and you don’t know me. What I know is that I spend an incredible amount of time on the kids I teach. I care for each and every one of them and I do my best to give them all I have. Again Tom, any teacher would be glad to have you follow them around.
about 1 year ago
As the spouse of a MSD teacher, I can tell you that they’re not overpaid by any stretch of the imagination. I am currently unemployed. In a household with TWO college educated individuals, we are currently a mere $200 above the poverty line. Yep, we’re just rolling in the dough.
Are there teachers who are making significantly more than my spouse? Most definitely. However, the have most likely gone out and earned their Master’s degree (do you have one of those Tom?) or are working on their Doctorate/PhD. Others have been teaching for many years, and continually bring that wealth of experience into their classrooms.
Only work 8 months? Yet again, another misguided, misinformed individual. Once again, my husband will be in school himself this summer. Of course this class will only benefit his students, as it is a technology class that in the long-run will improve instruction and education. Not to mention that the course will go towards his license renewal when that’s up. Did you know that renewing one’s teaching license is not like renewing your driver’s license? Teachers have to submit college transcripts that show a certain amount of coursework (I can’t remember the number of credits/courses right now). When he’s not in school for himself, he’ll be teaching summer school himself…which again benefits YOUR kids.