Petition for a Balanced Calendar in Cobb Schools

#146: - Regarding True Compromise

I heard thaT these positions are 4 year elected positons. If so, that means they cannot be voted out until the 2013 election year. Anyone confirm or deny this?

#151: - Re: Regarding True Compromise

Yes, but one of the 4 is up for re-election in 2012.

#146: - Regarding True Compromise 

"The reason why I say that is because there will be an election this Fall and it's going to be a referendum on the Balanced vs. Traditional calendar. Given the popularity of the balanced calendar, it will be an uphill battle for those who support the traditional calendar."

- History suggests the opposite.  Every single time a candidate has publicly stated they support an August 1 start date/balanced calendar:  they have lost to a candidate supporting a later start date/more traditional calendar.

#145: - I don't get it 

 Friends living in some of the country's best performing districts in California, MidWest, and MidAtlantic - are all on traditional, late August/early September start calendars with limited breaks during the year.

Are there any national leading districts on an August 1 start date calendar like that used in Cobb last year?

#133: -  

 Today is a weekday with no school.

This has become a yearly vote, and it's hard to make plans far in advance without worrying about a constantly changing calendar. Whatever the final decision, PLEASE PLEASE just keep it for at least 3 years and stop the maddness.

#131: Kick out the unbalanced four - School Calendar 

 The 3 new board members were voted virtually unopposed,

- how can you be "virtually unopposed", you are opposed or not;  every candidate who won election to the board in the last election: beat a candidate that supported the August 1 start date calendar

- "3 new board members and 1 existing members had a private meeting voting 2 of themselves as chairman and vice chairman";  - how can it be "private" when it is legally announced and televised?

"have strange ties to an individual who has told at least 1 of them to hold strong on the calendar vote and not to forget who put them office and who can take them out, this same person was given by someone a copy of the names address and employment records of everyone who voted to keep the balanced calendar and that person then created a hit list and on at least 1 occasion 1 of the 4 tolled 1 of the 3 to quit being a bitch in front of people for asking about the hit list."

 - alrighty then

#128: - Re: Re:  

 Re:  "-  here's the bottom line - every board member who voted for the balanced calendar and had to face the voters after the vote - lasted only one term"

 That's wrong....Nice spin, though."

It's not wrong, its a FACT.  Every candidate who supported the August 1 calendar date LOST.  Every board member who voted for it and came to the end of their term - QUIT or LOST.

Lame spin.

#157: - Pick one and stick with it! 

 If we can get one calendar for three years, no matter what it is, I will be happy.

#159: - Re: Re: Re:  

 Morgan, Eagle, Banks voted for it - and they are still there - and will be voted BACK in because they actually VISIT their shcools and VOTE the voice of their constituents.

#4: - consider this 

 Your understanding is wrong. Sorry

I concur. Morgan, Eagle and Banks are still there. And the traditional Calendar proceeded by a 4-3 vote. And only Angelucci campaigned with the traditional calendar as a platform issue. So it's by no means a landslide.

Next Fall, there will be an election that WILL be a referendum on the Balanced Calendar vs. the Traditional Calendar- among other issues. And the Balanced Calendar is very popular. That means that the voters will look at that issue and vote- not just vote because they are voting for the (R) or (D) behind their names.

Given that fact, I believe that it will be 4-3 in FAVOR of the balanced calendar after the election. And there will be ANOTHER vote to reinstate the balanced calendar.

Why go through all of that? Let's fix it so where BOTH sides can get a little of what they want. If you want the school year to start late, fine. Therefore, White Water and Six Flags can make their money and revenues to Cobb County will not be adversely affected. If you need breaks during the year, let's have those breaks- after the first 9 weeks, in October. You can still get good deals on cruises, vacation destinations and Disney World would still have that "Free Dining Plan" going on.

And for those who have kids who are special needs and need continuity, they can have that continuity AND still have breaks.

I honestly don't see a down side to the compromise.

#166: One for Compromise -

Re:

"Next Fall, there will be an election that WILL be a referendum on the Balanced Calendar vs. the Traditional Calendar....,

Given that fact, I believe that it will be 4-3 in FAVOR of the balanced calendar after the election. And there will be ANOTHER vote to reinstate the balanced calendar."

- This is not a fact.  This is your opinion.  Many people viewed the LAST election as a referendum.  That is one of the reasons why John, John, and Holli are no longer on the board, and no one supporting the August 1 calendar was elected.

- Since the election is in November, there will be no change in the vote on the calendar next Fall unless one of the existing board members changes their vote.

- Since the community requested (and I believe the board concured) to no longer make changes to the calendar less than 1 year before a published calendar begins, a potentially new board supporting an August 1 date calendar wouldn't vote till late 1/13 for a calendar that would start 1/14.

#164: - Re: Re: Re: Re:

Morgan will likely be back.  Maybe LCE also.

Banks, don't count on it.

#163: -

Attendance was significantlly worse last year with the early August calendar at many lower performing schools.

Reductions in substitute teachers due to reduction in daily compensation last year for substitutes - and also very likely due to teacher evaluation process change - teachers with many absences will be looked at poorly at RIF time.

The overwhelming majority of teachers and administrators would probably support getting free manicures in the teacher's lounge.

I wasn't sure I liked the idea of the balanced calendar until I had a chance to try it. When I did, I liked it. When the new board members came in and changed the calendar back to traditional the most infuriating thing was that it was done so close (almost 7 months) to when the next break (fall 2011) was scheduled. Some people who had made reservations for vacations (like me) and weddings lost money. I am wary of getting into the debate again because people who have vacation scheduled for early August 2012 might get hosed. The board should set a deadline for resolving this issue by sometime this spring and to make any changes to the calendar for 2013-14.

#140: Guest - Re: AGAINST; where is the petition for THAT? 

 As a substitute teacher I have worked for teachers that have taken 2 weeks off for weddings/vacations during the school year. This is not every teacher, but it happens plenty often.  It is those teachers that give the professional teachers a bad name.

#170: J Carter - I oppose changing the calendars over and over

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the current board has agreed (or maybe made policy?) to not change the calendar within 12 months of a start date.

#171: Guest - Re: Re: AGAINST; where is the petition for THAT?

I've seen this also.  The overwhelming majority of Cobb teachers are outstanding, and with the RIF's the overall average performance is even better.  However, my children have come back from school at times, in the middle of the school teaching calendar, and said that their teacher is on a cruise or their teacher shared photos/video with them of a cruise they took the prior week, etc.

#172: - Re: I oppose changing the calendars over and over 

I had not heard that, it would be a good idea in my opinion. Even though some folks want it changed for this fall there have to be people who are already counting on the start date being in mid-August. Also, if this is the policy it would make this petition meaningless since the change would be implemented within 7 months of the next school year starting.

#167: - Re:

- This is not a fact.  This is your opinion.  Many people viewed the LAST election as a referendum.  That is one of the reasons why John, John, and Holli are no longer on the board, and no one supporting the August 1 calendar was elected.

- Since the election is in November, there will be no change in the vote on the calendar next Fall unless one of the existing board members changes their vote.

- Since the community requested (and I believe the board concured) to no longer make changes to the calendar less than 1 year before a published calendar begins, a potentially new board supporting an August 1 date calendar wouldn't vote till late 1/13 for a calendar that would start 1/14.

It is my opinion, based upon fact that there were large amounts of people who took the time to take that poll, only to have the board go in the opposite direction. And you have the fall-out from that, all the way to discussions of recall, accredability and other complaints. And the fact that you have so many people showing up to the board meetings, still angry regarding the decision. The traditional calendar is just not as popular as the balanced calendar, point blank, and those people standing in opposition to it will come out and vote against the candidate that went against it.

But we'll see in November, but I wouldn't want to bet anything on the traditional calendar living past 2012.

But instead of going back and forth, back and forth- let's fix the balanced calendar by having a later start date, breaks at the end of the first 9 weeks and February, and everyone can claim victory.