Here’s an informational sheet I received from District 150 on the first day of school:
A recent change in federal law allows Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee school districts with a high poverty population to offer free meals to all students in the approved school. To be eligible and receive reimbursements from the government, a school district must have 40% or more families participating in Federal poverty programs for each school that is approved for the Community Eligibility Option (CEO). CEO is a pilot program for the three states listed above, and once a school is approved to participate, their participation is guaranteed by the Government for at least four years.
That’s right. Because fewer than half of families in a particular school need free or reduced price school lunches, the federal government has developed a program that gives everyone in the school free breakfast and lunch. In District 150, this means 22 out of 28 schools are participating — every school except Richwoods, Lindbergh, Washington Gifted, Kellar, Northmoor, and Charter Oak. So now, the first 15 minutes of the day at Whittier is spent serving kids free breakfast.
Obviously, I have no problem with a program that provides free and reduced price lunches to children in need. But under this program, up to 60% of families who are not at all in need will get free meals. Why? According to a USDA press release, “By streamlining the eligibility and enrollment process, no additional application is required to provide much need nutrition assistance to children in need.” Here’s how another press release expresses it:
“Community eligibility is a great way for schools to cut through burdensome red tape for themselves and low-income families so that children in high-poverty areas have access to the nutrition they need to learn and thrive,” said Agriculture Under Secretary Kevin Concannon. “Schools will benefit from reduced paperwork, parents will not have to fill out duplicative forms, and children in need will get better access to healthy school meals.”
In other words, those in need no longer have to fill out an application form (which the government considers “burdensome red tape”), and the school doesn’t have to process them. But who’s paying for all this convenience? Ultimately, the school district:
Under this option, schools utilize preexisting data to determine the amount of reimbursement they can claim from USDA. The determination is primarily based on the percentage of households in that community who are already participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. Schools that utilize this option agree to provide meals to all children free of charge, and USDA reimburses them for the appropriate amount based on this preexisting data. Under this option, schools will still be responsible for paying the remaining difference between the Federal reimbursement amount and the total cost to operate the program. [emphasis added]
So, the federal government is only reimbursing school districts for those 40% or more students who are really in need. The up to 60% of other children that take advantage of the free breakfasts and lunches who are not in need will be paid for by the school district. This seems a high price to pay for eliminating an application form. On WCBU news this morning, it was reported that District 150 is facing a $2 million budget deficit this year.
UPDATE: I asked District 150 Comptroller/Treasurer David Kinney about the costs of this program to the district, and he had this to say:
Yes, we pay the difference [between the Federal reimbursement amount and the total cost to operate the program]. However, what is important is understanding what that “difference” is. With all formulas worked out, the feds will reimburse us 99.2% of the meals served. We are actually hopeful that we will be ahead with that formula for a couple of reasons. First we will be able to save a small amount in typical administrative costs. Second, we will NOT be in a situation with those eligible schools that we will be chasing down kids or families that haven’t paid for their lunches – which is the situation we have had in the past. What has often happened – and happens in many school districts, kids that are not “free” or “reduced” may spend their lunch money on something else and then charge their lunches – or parents didn’t have the money to give. When these charges accumulate, many school districts enact practices to try to collect those funds. For District 150, all those head aches will actually now go away. At a max of 8/10ths of one percent cost to implement this program, we project we will actually come out ahead.
We also think that with the ease of this program, we will serve more lunches and breakfasts to our kids, making for a better day for them.
He brings up another D150 policy that I find bizarre. One day my wife and I discovered that we owed D150 for milk our daughter had purchased on credit. We never gave her permission to buy milk, nor to have any kind of “credit” account. (We send an orange juice, which you can find at sites like https://orangina-na.com/, with her sack lunch, and would have given her milk money if she had asked for it — she never did.) But apparently at District 150, kids can put stuff on their parents’ tab without their parents’ knowledge. Then one day the parents get a surprise bill in the mail for it. It’s a strange economic system indeed that resolves collection problems by ceasing to charge for goods.
I actually love the guy but the person on this blog is correct, I think. It’s somewhere in board minutes around the same time something happened with security guards. All I recall is security staff not happy that they were slighted and ELITE got a 2 or 3 year contract of roughly 190ish grand. Somebody will have to look that up from a few months back. But does that money go to one person, several people, that I don’t know.
I found the PJS article of Tuesday, July 26 about the D150 Board Meeting. Tried looking in minutes, will try again.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x633529287/ELITE-program-expands-to-Trewyn
Anyway, the D150 Board of Education entered into a partnership with Peoria Park District to expand ELITE program into Trewyn for 3 years for about $192,000. That cost includes 5 ELITE staff people.
Now, take that $192,000, divide it by 3 years, and then by 5 people, and
then complain how Carl Cannon is getting a load of money from this.
Seeing is believing, so the naysayers need to go to Trewyn, see ELITE in action for themselves. If they’re too lazy to get out behind the keyboard, they can go to WEEK-TV website, as they broadcast a story on ELITE at Trewyn Wednesday night. Thank you.
Eazzzzzy dennis. Lets not go all Obama on him and give him a Noble Prize after three whole days of school now. Maybe the former staff could have used a little support from the BigWiGs and maybe they couldve done just fine as well. Just sayin
Dr Kherat was supposed to leave Sept 9 and was asked by Lathan to leave by Friday. Uhhhhhh can 150 implement a decent bullying policy please!!?
Let’s send lathan through Carl’s bootcamp and see if she comes out with some decent manners.
Dr Kherat was supposed to leave Sept 9 and was asked by Lathan to leave by Friday. Uhhhhhh can 150 implement a decent bullying policy please!!?
Mortified,
It is common practice to give ‘two weeks’ notice. When dealing with resigning decision makers, managers, and critical employees it is common practice by employers to remove them from any decision making or authoritative role. This is especially true when the departure is not amicable. The employee is told just to stay home. Typically they are paid for that. It isn’t bullying, just good managerial sense. A disgruntled employee could wreak all manner of mischief before they leave if you didn’t.
But Kherat had a contract with greater notice provisions than 2 weeks, right? Also, typically if the administrator breaks the contract during the school year there are penalties built into the contract. Sounds like there is a lot going on here between the two parties, it is just a shame that the decision for separation could not have been reached over the summer so new leadership could be firmly in place when the school year began.
Old leadership at Manual was eliminated, the school reorganized, and new leadership trained and put in place . . . .the resignation of a principal a few days after school begins and slapping in to replace her doesn’t make it appear that the District is doing its best for the school.
I know that free lunchs have been available for some time Sharon Im just curious why we are so heartless to stop there? Dont these kids all deserve 3 hots and a cot? Im sure that the school could provide a better home life then some of these kids get at home. Why not start housing and clothing these kids also? Im also somewhat curious as to why assistance programs are set up with number of dependents accounted for, aka feeding your kids lunch, why we then need to turn around and provide free lunchs for anyone? Seems as if the government is subsidizing its own subsidy program.
Also to everyone out there with the “well they can give the money back to 150 if they dont need free lunch” Those people are already getting hosed by 150 on their property taxs whether or not they even have kids who attend 150 or have kids period.
Mahkno, thanks for being a voice of reason here.
Mahkno
August 25, 2011 at 5:42 am
Mortified,
It is common practice to give ‘two weeks’ notice. When dealing with resigning decision makers, managers, and critical employees it is common practice by employers to remove them from any decision making or authoritative role. This is especially true when the departure is not amicable. The employee is told just to stay home. Typically they are paid for that. It isn’t bullying, just good managerial sense. A disgruntled employee could wreak all manner of mischief before they leave if you didn’t.
Wow – the thread-jack got thread-jacked.
Contracts don’t mean what they used to mean. As a new teacher, I was constantly threatened with the then fact that I could be sued for my whole year’s salary if I left teaching in District 150 for any reason. Of course, those were the years when there was a teacher shortage. However, now in District 150 there is no penalty for breaking contracts if you leave early. As we’ve seen, with Ungurait and others in District 150, contracts can be broken easily by either side. In fact, the terms of contracts are meaningless.
Off topic, but how much per student did D150 parents have to shell out this year for registration? We paid $60 per student at our new high school and they rank in the top 50 for Illinois (in terms of academic achievement). It seems like we used to pay more to get the kids registered for high school.
“In fact, the terms of contracts are meaningless.”
I guess that depends on your perspective. From the District’s point of view, the McArdle contract wasn’t meaningless. Nor was Ungurait’s contract. Same thing with the opt out clause for the Edison contract.
Jon, for a change you have proven my point. Thanks! Contracts are meaningless. Our perspectives are generally not the same.
Just because you don’t seem to understand the details of the contracts doesn’t make them meaningless. Your “perspective” sounds like that of a child who lost a game and then complained that the game was “stupid” anyway.
This game is stupid, Jon–I quit.
I will say Jon does serve a useful purpose. Running away from him may be the only exercise some of us get.
lol…right there with you, mortified. That game is stupid…glad you quit, Sharon.
mortified, your ad hominems are getting weaker. In doing so, why would you imply that you’re a lazy oaf?
If your ad hominems get weaker, does that mean they became more rationale? We could go on ad nauseam. 🙂
Awwww, Sharon…I knew you couldn’t stay away for long 🙂 You’ve got a little Brett Favre in you, I think.
Jon – good to hear from you. Thought since you moved away you lost interest.:)
The thread-jacked thread-jack has turned into a flame war.
…and to think this started out as a discussion about free lunches for poor kids.
Anon–you’re right, especially those last bits of repartee. However, other issues were District 150 issues that grew out of the one issue about free lunch. Well, even the contract issue was one of the issues. Just mention 150 and we all branch off onto the topic of the moment or leftover topics that are relevant to us. There is no end to the intrigue of District 150.
Dennis let’s use the math equation for the Elite team…..
$192,000 for three years equals to $64,000 a year and $64,000 which would mean that each of the Elite members is working for $12,800 a year. Does anyone really believe that those guys are working for $12,800 a year?
There is one positive note since the Trewyn Principal reported to the news media last week that in less than a week of the new school year they have seen a 98% rise in student improvement.
If Carl’s Elite team is that good then we should dump the superintendent since we are paying her $225,000 A YEAR plus $10,000 bonuses and we aren’t seeing near the success rate from her that we are seeing from Carl’s team that only works for $64,000 a year. So yes Dennis maybe Carl’s Elite is a good thing and a help to the in the red budget too.
Really: The money Carl Cannon and his “team” are receiving is not divided equally among the group. Oh, btw, it’s a part-time gig at best. They are not working 8 hour days at Trewyn….maybe an hour a day. Check it out.
How exactly do you measure “a 98% rise in student improvement” during the first week of school? Do you compare referrals numbers from last year to this year? Do you survey the teachers? Do you just pick a number and throw it out there because you know there are HIGH expectations on this new program?
I was thinking the same thing teachingrocks. What is that 98% about considering they are on heat schedule and doing little to no school work, what’s improved compared to what?
I must have missed the 98% figure–did someone have the audacity to say such a thing to the press? That’s the problem with all these initiatives–Trewyn now with the Elite group and earlier Manual with restructuring and Johns Hopkins. Making all these predictions of success is absurd and then when the expectations aren’t met, total embarrassment or the lie continues. Why can’t new programs be instituted and then wait for the results instead of predicting. It would be less embarrassing. Also, those in charge are set up for failure.
Sharon, yes I heard the new Principal Renee Andrews being interviewed on WMBD 1470 and she said that they already had a 98% success rate. If you pay real close attention she isn’t running Trewyn, Carl Cannon is running the show from hiring, dicipline etc. Renee just has the state required credentials that is needed for someone to be in charge there.
Also, A LARGE portion of trouble makers have been shipped out of Trewyn too in order to help make this a success. Please, don’t misunderstand me, I too want D150 schools to be successful but smoke n’ mirrors games aren’t how you achieve true success.
What is interesting to hear is that when people are talking positively about the success at Trewyn, Carl’s Elite team is getting all of the praise and I haven’t heard any praise for the superintendent. She isn’t the kind of person who seems to like sharing the limelight so Carl’s tenure might be short….LOL
whatever, are you saying that Carl is getting a bigger slice of the D150 pie?
I find it hard to believe that Carl Cannon is actually ‘running’ Trewyn, because it is now a K-8 school. While I would like more data on the 98% improvement statement, I also question the line that the troublemakers have been ‘shipped out’. Finally, Dr. Lathan is not getting $225,000 a year, it less than $200k, unless you are counting fringe benefits. And the 10k bonus is a one-time thing, it does NOT up her salary by 10k every year. Thank you.
Dennis: and pigs fly…
I just received FOIA’d data for discipline records at Trewyn last year—haven’t had a chance to analyze it yet. I asked for the number of students who accumulated more than three suspensions and a large number of referrals. If any of those students have been sent to Woodruff to an alternative school setting, then things are improving. I know that middle school teachers have been hired for Woodruff, so I’m wondering whether or not the district is finally moving the worst of the problems out. If that is the case, I wouldn’t call it smoke and mirrors–I would call it sanity.
Dennis, Lathan is eligible for the bonus for, at least, the first three years–so you might as well count it in because she will get it. She really wasn’t supposed to get it this year–it was supposed to go to the state-mandated mentor. She claims to have had a “free” mentor from the state. Information about the mentor and his/her time spent mentoring was not provided.
How dumb do they think we are? Yes, quoting WMBD 1470, “In just three days the principal says about 98% of the students have already shown improvement.” What was that measuring stick and just what were they measuring?
Sharon, I am glad that you found that statement as I know some, like the good political officer for the party Dennis, would think that I was lying about what the Trewyn principal said.
Dennis, you would have made an excellent re-educator for the old Soviet Union.
Oh Sharon, don’t look for all of the troubled youth of Trewyn to have been sent to the new Woodruff, some were farmed out to the Manual Academy and other schools.
How could 98 percent of the student population improved if there is a totally new configuration this year? Most of the kids wouldn’t have attended there last year, right? Am I correct?
Really, I didn’t say any of that to put Dennis down, at all. Dennis and I agree on many, many issues. He tends to be more optimistic than I am, but the rest of us who have worked in 150 probably tend to the cynical side. It doesn’t hurt for our cynicism to be challenged now and then–just as we perhaps challenge Dennis’s optimism.
I am going to check out the Roosevelt situation–FOIA it just the way I found out that 17 (probably more from what I hear) Lincoln 7th graders were shipped to Manual.
On CJ’s blog, we have great respect for Dennis. He and Sharon both trace back where the source came from, who the source was, and will then report back to us…like Sharon just did. In order to elevate this idea of “transparency” with the district, we let our citizen journalists keep everybody honest. FOIAs are our friend!
I understand your frustration. Manual and Woodruff both probably have former Trewyn students. dave b is correct…last year Trewyn was grades 5-8…this year…K-8.
The school board 15-20 years ago destroyed the neighborhoods when they voted to go to the primary/middle school model. Families readily supported the primary schools, but middle and high schools, not so much. The hope is that the concept of K-8 schools will bring back the “family school” and improved academic performance and respect.
Oops, in checking out the Roosevelt story, I just realized I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I forget that Manual has a 7th and 8th grade, so some Trewyn 7th and 8th graders could well have been transferred to Manual (no skipping grades).
I know where the “98% improvement at Trewyn” was reported at or from. Like Sharon, I’d like to know how they came to that number. I plan on
shooting some video during ELITE’s boot camp sometime this week, and
see for myself this project that I feel will turn around mindsets of the students. (Carl did invite me down 2 weeks ago before school started to
get some ‘before’ shots, but I was swamped that week)
RU Kidding, thanks for compliment, and Sharon, you are right, I tend to look at things as a glass half-full. Always hope for the best in all things. I hope my optimistic attitudes spill over to some other folks.
To Really, all I can say is, ‘nyet nyet’.
Dennis, I do believe District 150 needs to stop the hype about future successes. This premature bragging occurred at Manual big time and now that the three years is up, we all know that Manual did not come close to meeting the NCLB goals as was predicted, etc. Now Trewyn is tauting success after only three days of school. No one with any degree of honesty can say anything is 98% better at Trewyn–that’s just absurd. The first three days of school are always great at every school. The kids haven’t yet experienced the pressures of homework, tests, etc. They are mostly eager to start school. Let’s wait for honest successes; then even if the successes aren’t spectacular, schools can rejoice in any degree of real and measurable success. Yes, Dennis, calling you a Soviet was about as far out as I’ve ever read on this blog–crazy actually.
from Dist. 150 says they will “stop the hype of future successes” when the watch commander stops “jump(ing) to the wrong conclusion”. More…….once it matters.
Press Release, What? Your conclusion is confusing to me. Shouldn’t District 150 respond to those of us who may “jump to conclusions” with the truth instead of with exaggerations and/or untruths? It is the lack of transparency that causes us to jump to conclusions.
Sharon, LOL I didn’t say Dennis was a Soviet. I do feel that his ability to overlook the truth & reality is the same as the old political officers of the USSR would do.
Dennis also reminds me of Bagdad Bob during the invasion of Iraq….What US Soldiers, there aren’t any in Iraq.
There is a fine line between an optimist and a propagandist.
Optimism can be sincere, and Dennis is sincere. I was once a Pollyanna myself–for the first half of my teaching career–it’s a nice place to be. I wish I could return to that frame of mind. Many would disagree, but I still do not consider myself a cynic. Life is too good, but I do wish District 150 would face reality so that we could get closer to an optimistic frame of mind.
Sometimes believing in the best helps it to become real. We need to teach what we expect instead of just running everything down. MHS didn’t make the gains everyone would have liked, but many good things did happen during those 3 years. The % of seniors going to 4-year colleges went from about 3% to about 14% in those three years. Students going to WBL went from 1 student in 2009 to 16 this year!
We need to talk about the positive things that do happen so that the students feel even the smallest of successes. Baby steps forward is still movement in a positive direction. Let’s see those for a while. I’m not saying that the restructuring or John’s Hopkins was the reason for the positives, but showing the students what they can do is better than talking about what they can’t do!!
Notthere, maybe we should, also, be realistic and ask about the number of parents who have pulled their kids out of Manual since Johns Hopkins took over. Of course, the exodus began in the late 1990s when discipline fell apart at Manual. The sad thing is that prior to the late 1990s, many students from Manual went to college. I guess we could mention the new Peoria High principal and the one who just left as Manual grads. I believe that some of 150’s best teachers are Manual grads, and some of District 150’s best teachers started their careers as teachers at Manual.
I am a bit tired of all these percentages being thrown around without any substantial data to prove their veracity. There have been only 3 graduating classes under the Johns Hopkins programs–and students in all three classes began their high school education under the old program under the “old” faculty, so please remember to give them credit for giving these kids the foundation needed to make it in college. Also, the number of students who say they are going or do enter college is not the true test of high school success. The test is how many graduate from a 4-year college. So far those statistics are not available for any of the Johns Hopkins students, so let’s not brag until the results are in.
And some data as to how well these students do in college should be studied to decide whether Johns Hopkins is worth the $200,000 a year.