Welcome New Superintendent

[KeepItPositive]

Welcome to the new Superintendent Mark Klienhans from the Montrose, MI school district.  Sounds as if he might be a good fit.  Wish he could start before June so we don't have to keep paying "double dipping" retired Superintendent Jon White.

Another question I have been pondering, with Temperance Road Elementary closing, is the principal there going to retire (rumored) or will he stay and one of the lower seniority principals be laid off.  I have heard a lot of great things about the TRE principal.  So perhaps the TRE principal will STAY on and be reassigned to take over for the lowest seniority building principal, which I believe would be Mr. Hurley at the junior high.

One last point, TRE is closing and dispersing those 400 kids into the other three elementary buildings.  So therefore the three remaining elementary building principals will be responsible for over 600 students each in their respective buildings.  Or one principal/administrator for 600 kids.  So shouldn't we use that same logic at the secondary level.  The junior high has 1200 students and three administrators (1 principal and 2 full time assistant principals) and the high school has 1500 students and five and a half administrators (1 principal, 3 full time assistant principals, 1 full time athletic director and a half time vocational director.)  It is becoming increasing clear where the next cuts need to be.  The Bedford district is VERY top-heavy with administrators at the secondary level, and I hope that the new Superintendent recognizes that quickly and recommends the next round of cuts where they belong - Secondary ADMINISTRATION!  The numbers do not support the current amount of administrators.  Cut an assistant principal at the high school AND the junior high.

[PackersFan]

Your 'logic', KIP, seems to be based solely on mathematics.  I think there is more to administering than mathematics.

I do agree with your idea of eliminating the athletic director.  Our taxes should go for education...not for extracurricular activities.  We should tear down the stadium...if we're REALLY serious about education.  But they won't do that, of course.

[New to Bedford]

I find it funny to read a response like that from someone calling themself "packerfan". I think you might want to change your screenname to Shakespearefan, Einsteinbuff or BenFranklinFreak if you are really serious about school.

But, on a serious note, I challenge any school to drop all sports. You will see how quickly the students run for greener pastures. You may think that it would only be the kids like the Jackson Lambs, Jared Kujawas or Jeremiah Harris' that would leave, but you would be wrong. Mass exodus.

[Hondo]

Let's get rid of all sports.  In fact;

Lets get rid of the band and any music courses.

Let's get rid of those foreign language courses.

Let's get rid of any "humanities" courses all together.  What good are those?

Buses can go to.

Who needs lunches.  Eat before you come to school and make a sandwich.

Special Ed, forget it.  Put em all in the same class and teach em all together.

[PackersFan]

Let's get rid of all sports.  In fact;

Agreed.

Lets get rid of the band and any music courses.

Agreed...on the band.  We won't need it.  Music is an academic course.

Let's get rid of those foreign language courses.

No...are academic courses.

Let's get rid of any "humanities" courses all together.  What good are those?

Again...they're academic courses. They need to stay.

Buses can go to.

Yup...agreed.

Who needs lunches.  Eat before you come to school and make a sandwich.

Most human beings eat a lunch.

Special Ed, forget it.  Put em all in the same class and teach em all together.

Food for thought.



We could come a long way to meeting our expenses at Bedford if we would eliminate athletics...and the associated underlying costs.  Many high schools and colleges across the country have no athletics program. They are facilities for higher learning...not a training ground for future pro stars.

[PackersFan]

I find it funny to read a response like that from someone calling themself "packerfan". I think you might want to change your screenname to Shakespearefan, Einsteinbuff or BenFranklinFreak if you are really serious about school.

I am also serious about professional athletics...which are self sustaining and don't require a handout from us citizens. 

But, on a serious note, I challenge any school to drop all sports. You will see how quickly the students run for greener pastures. You may think that it would only be the kids like the Jackson Lambs, Jared Kujawas or Jeremiah Harris' that would leave, but you would be wrong. Mass exodus.

I don't know of any high school student who owns their own home.  So I doubt if they would initiate a mass exodus.  But, assuming you're correct...how 'mass' could it be?  How many students participate in ALL the athletics at Bedford?  A couple hundred, maybe? 

Somewhere along the way, our society got sidetracked.  Not all, but most of our schools have an extracurricular athletics program...purely for the benefit of the parents of a small group of students.  And we, as taxpayers, foot the entire bill.

[bedford wife]

Packers Fan....I agree with most of what you said. 

Get rid of transportation.  Most of the places I have lived do not provide transportation to school.  It is an extra and in order to keep a robust and competative academics program, we could cut it.  It will require parents to work together to carpool.

Get rid of the lunch program entirely.  Again, I have been in districts that do not have a lunch program.  Pack lunches for your child and if you currently receive free or reduced price lunch....you can get reimbursement simply by providing a menue that meets the MI/USDA requrements for nutrition.

Sports....I keep hearing that sports in Bedford are self funded.  I don't know that I entirely believe this. 

Children with special needs of any kind, and IEP or 504 should be taught separately.  The "least restrictive environment" is not meant to impede the environment of other children.  By centralizing this more than it is now....we'd save money and kids who currently are pulled out for special services would not have to loose time in their classrooms.


It is time for our district to go back to education, just education.  If we elected to do this we'd save money and be much more effective.  Many of the things this district does are the responsibility of parents!  I would like to see a better votech type program.  In 8th grade...kids should be tested, then tracked for either college or the post HS work force.  Not every kids is university material and not every child would be a good electrician!  It would be lovely to have all the extras but sports can be community based as can band!  Special education is a huge money pit.  The waste on ineffective techniques is horrible!  If a child needs a one on one, they do not belong in a regular ed classroom!!!!!

Notice I did not address any of the loss of jobs.  While that certainly is a downside....when you talk about how to make your system better.....keeping jobs isn't the priority. 

[Mike Malone Sr.]

Wow!!! Is all i can say. It seems like we are giving up on humanity here. This is why this country is in the shape it is in. The answer to the problem is not cutting sports, lunches, busing, etc., but it is getting our politicians to go to work FOR US!!! Bedford township does not get it's fair share of anything in the state of Michigan, period... I agree that there is areas that need improving, or tightened up. Hopefully the new Superintendent will do a good job for us.
 Part of the problem is the charter schools or academy schools. They take away enrollment from the public schools. I was talking with a guy that was tearing down Longfellow school in Toledo. I told him it was ashame that they were tearing down this school, because i felt it could be used for something else such as a school house commons, or something else instead of having another empty lot. He said that the school system wanted the buildings down before the charter schools bought them up. Another charter school called Horizon has opened up in the Sylvania/Douglas shopping plaza. So if they keep opening these types of schools, our public school system will continue to suffer.
 I know times are tough, but please don't give up on our kids.

[StopTheBurning]

We just saw all the scores on the MEAP in the local paper comparing Bedford to the Charter school in Bedford and the rest of Mich.  Apparently kids aren't getting a better education at the charter school.  Toledo might be a different situation.

[bedford wife]

Mike.  There was a FB page started called, "Save Our Michigan Schools".  A large amount of us wrote letters and sent emails.  Not one of us received an answer.  Our politicians, Republican and Democrat, do not feel they owe us an answer.  So while we are fighting with them for appropriate funding......how do we stay afloat?  I believe that school is for public education and when money is short, extra's that won't affect core academics must be cut.  When things improve financially, then we can add back those extras.  I do believe, and studies have shown, that music programs have a direct effect on education.....google that and read the research yourself.  I hate the state of our schools but I am not so blind to think that doing well on an exam, that was basically taught makes our district great!  Our kids deserve more but when things are so very tight....we have to put our resources into those things that directly impact academics.

[StopTheBurning]

I blame our representatives in Lansing for not raising he!! every minute of they day demanding that Bedford schools gets as much money as the other schools in our area.  Every school in the state should get the same money from the state.

[randysehl]

Mike.  There was a FB page started called, "Save Our Michigan Schools".  A large amount of us wrote letters and sent emails.  Not one of us received an answer.  Our politicians, Republican and Democrat, do not feel they owe us an answer.  So while we are fighting with them for appropriate funding......how do we stay afloat?  I believe that school is for public education and when money is short, extra's that won't affect core academics must be cut.  When things improve financially, then we can add back those extras.  I do believe, and studies have shown, that music programs have a direct effect on education.....google that and read the research yourself.  I hate the state of our schools but I am not so blind to think that doing well on an exam, that was basically taught makes our district great!  Our kids deserve more but when things are so very tight....we have to put our resources into those things that directly impact academics.

I actually received a telephone call from Dale Zorn yesterday concerning the letter I had sent about a week ago.  Representative Zorn stated he is preparing some information that will be coming out to residents soon regarding school funding.  He wanted me to know that although Lansing disperses most of the school funding dollars, it is the federal government which has cut it's contribution to education drastically and that is big cause for the loss in revenue.  He also added that the state has cut more from the districts that receive more per pupil than Bedford and the other district receiving minimum funding.  Mr. Zorn promises he is working on this.  I told him that the voters in Bedford (his largest municipality) are watching and waiting for some good news for a change.

[New to Bedford]

I am also serious about professional athletics...which are self sustaining and don't require a handout from us citizens. 

Professional sports teams in America used over 5 billion tax payer dollars from 1987 to 1999 to refurbish or build new stadiums. And since then the Reds, Seahawks, Cardinals, Padres, Bears, Texans, Eagles, Philles and Red Sox have used a combined 2.5 billion in tax dollars to build new stadiums or fix up old ones. I would call that a handout.


I don't know of any high school student who owns their own home.  So I doubt if they would initiate a mass exodus.  But, assuming you're correct...how 'mass' could it be?  How many students participate in ALL the athletics at Bedford?  A couple hundred, maybe? 

School of choice has nothing to do with home ownership. I also don't know any kids that own there own houses. But I have eyes to see to parents of these kids, driving them six days a week and forking over $100 bucks a head just so their little Johnny and Joes can play some tackle football at the age of 8. If they are willing to do that, do you think they would mind driving to Ida, Whiteford, Summerfield, Dundee or Mason? I don't. And as far as a number of students leaving, I will underestimate it at 10 kids per grade. 130 kids leaving would pull almost a cool million from the schools coffers. The district anticipates losing 150 kids this year and it closed an entire building because of it.

[Hondo]

FYI, I have received a response everytime I have asked a question, either by email, snail mail or telephone to an elected official or School employee.  Maybe it's the tone some you use that makes them not respond.

I believe most athletes pay a fee to participate in HS programs.  If I remember correctly, it was a couple of hundred apiece and covered the use of buses, etc.  Also, some programs are not funded by the High School at all (i.e., Hockey).  That cost me around $400 bucks a season and didn't included the use of buses.

What exactly does the school pay for anyway?

Is band gone?

[a2zaw4]

I welcome the new Superintendent, the JOB is going to be HUGE, as there will be fresh eyes on the situation and I am almost certain that changes are going to be made. There is a lot of waste in the Administration, way too many FTE's non teaching staff.