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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don
@wormeguy.bsky.social
770 followers 630 following 2.2K posts
Studying parasites and frozen frogs in the Arctic. "and his behavior toward authority is highly unusual and most inappropriate." Interests: Parasites, Pedagogy, Politics, and Packers. The postings are my own & do not represent the University of Alaska.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · Aug 15
BTW, I am always Team Humanity, Fuck Yea!

To crib Office Space:
Why should I change? They are the one who sucks.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Since Brandy Harty resigned the board has 6 voting members.

Naomi Hewitt and Audra Halls terms start Monday October 27.
wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
The meeting is adjourned.

Dulian, Doran, and Maple all stated they are ready to vote on this charter application next week.

No one sounded supportive of the PCSC. The charter vote will be held next Tuesday October 21
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Admin: In their first 3 applications PCSC did not include any waiver requests. This is the first application with waivers but they lack justification.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Doran: Local contributions are not required and are not based on a per student basis correct?

Meinert: Yes, that's 100% accurate. The district does have latitude with this funding towards charters.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Doran asks about getting overhead to charters closer to 4% and recommends looking at that more if we want to invest in the districts STREAM proposal.
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Reposted by Don
juneauindependent.bsky.social
juneauindependent.bsky.social @juneauindependent.bsky.social · 6h
Brandon LeBlanc says his actions in a controversial July 30 arrest were proper, and he opted to resign rather than be fired from JPD to make searching for a new job easier and it allowed him to keep his $30,000 signing bonus.
www.juneauindependent.com/post/former-...
Former JPD officer Brandon LeBlanc says his actions were justified as state opts not to file criminal charges
LeBlanc, seen on video making a violent arrest, says he resigned under duress to retain his $30,000 signing bonus and make seeking a new job easier.
www.juneauindependent.com
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Doran: Does the 4% overhead to the district cover the costs of the district?

Meinert: No, what the legislature examined last year was 8%. That gets closer but still doesn't cover all the costs the district provides
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Burgess: 76 students and only half are kindergartners are signed up for wait lists on charters, but if we prioritize the way the PCSC is set up that wouldn't happen. He is concerned that the charter would add any out of district students.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Meinert: Opening a charter would have a large impact on Wood River, UPark, and Anne Wein. We may have to redistrict or close schools after we open this charter.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Doran: The first question on the application is How will the charter differ from other education options? That has struck me through this. Many of these things in the charter other schools are already doing... I feel comfortable with a vote next week. I feel this is a complete application as is.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 5h
Meredith Maple also echoes Morgan Dulian and states she has all the information she needs to make a decision
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Burnett: Do the volunteer requirements for the district apply to charts?

Admin: Yes

Burnett: The FNSB assembly will have to vote on the lease and the charter does not have a building. Certified staff are required for positions like music teachers and we can't use volunteers
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Meinert: We are not privy to the conversations between the chart and the borough but this seems well below market value.

Doran: We have no indication FNSB intends to lease this building. I know a charter looked at leasing parts of Joy and the borough declined.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Dulian: "The amount of changes I would need to see to in this application to move forward approving it... are very substantial... I have what I need to move forward with a vote...I am not in favor of another work session at this time"
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Carroll-Hubbard: I noticed total salaries and benefits are missing the principal salaries. I think there's enough "errors or miscalculations" that could add up to something significant

Chane Beam: $125 to 150 for language arts per student alone. If you have math, double it.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Burgess: This application is supposed to the final plan for the school, correct?

Meinert: Correct. There could be minor adjustments, but this is a final product. Substantial changes would restart the 60 day process for charter approval.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Administration: This is a low estimate

Meinert: It's not enough to do what the charter intends.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Burnett: Charter schools purchase all their own equipment, materials, furniture, etc. I don't see a budget in this application that is sufficient for these things. Would that be correct?

Administration: They have 40K for all laptops, computers, and tablets for the whole school including teachers.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Maple: 108K for all classroom furniture for a building and the rest covered by surplus from other buildings. Is this feasible?

Meinert: I can't give specifics. There will be some surplus but not enough to cover Pearl Creek. The budget is too low for the charter.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Caroll-Hubbard: Can we approve the charter with the statutory issues with their lottery?

Meinert: We wouldn't recommend approving it as is and we let them know back in your February.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Meinert: Effie Kokrine just spent $75K for custodial services and that's a much smaller building than Pearl Creek.
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 6h
Dulian asks what would the actual costs for custodial services for 468 students and the required staff?

Meinert: The only cost to the district is the districts allocation of $3.8 million. The estimates for maintenance and operations are "woefully inadequate".
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 7h
The administration explains where the loss of enrolled students in the district:
56% left the state
22% went to home schooling fron FNSBSD
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 7h
Dulian asks why district and PCSC numbers disagree?

Meinert says the charter started from bad numbers because the charter didn't understand expenditures and allocation funds.

Meinert: "Suffice it to say the assesment of the impacts on the district of the charter group were far from accurate"
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wormeguy.bsky.social
Don @wormeguy.bsky.social · 7h
This slide highlights Meinert's point about the costs of the charter. This is a $2.8 million dollar hole in our budget.
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