Did you know...

... that a 5.36% increase in the school budget will not result in any new programs, teachers or even a new pack of crayons? This increase will only keep things as they are.

... that Lebanon is in the process of suing the town of Columbia for breach of contract? (They didn't send or pay for the contracted 15 students this year. Apparently they have a third high school option now. Did no parents think Lebanon was a worthy school for their children to attend?)

... that our teachers are paid less than the state average? Many numbers were thrown around at the meeting, putting our expenditure per student at somewhere between 149th and 166th in the state (out of 169 towns, but there seem to be more than 169 districts). Somebody found the statistic that our ability to pay for education is ranked at 113th.

... that a seventh grader spoke eloquently at the meeting about the need for a decent education?

... that there is another meeting of the BOF and BOE (public can attend but not speak) tomorrow night in the lower conference room of Town Hall? (There is another meeting scheduled for the BOE on the website, but this one was mentioned at the meeting.)


... that the middle school is in danger of losing a LOT of programs? Look at this, see how little they already have, and then read on (thanks to Edie Ritz):

Here is the status of Exploratory and Phys Ed classes at the Middle School. Now that the pink classes are added, we are definitely in the position of losing more than we have kept in exploratory. (If you are able to read this in color, the PINK classes are on the chopping block.) The list doesn’t show that PE classes will be reduced for next year, and Chorus will no longer be offered at all.

Below are the Exploratory Arts classes in which all students were enrolled in the recent past at LMS. The 2009-2010 classes run for 22 or 23 days, every other day for a quarter of the year. Originally exploratory rotations ran for 30 consecutive school days, with the exception of a few that ran on a day 1/day 2 schedule for 12 weeks opposite Physical Education. Time spent in all courses has been reduced. Those courses listed in red are no longer included in our curriculum. Those courses listed in pink are in danger of being lost for the 2010-2011 school year.

Grade 5:

1. Media Skills

2. Art

3. Computers

4. Technology Education

5. General Music (for a few years, this was replaced by an introductory World Language course that included both French and Spanish)

6. Learning Strategies

7. Guidance

Grade 6:

1. Art

2. Computers

3. World Language

4. Technology Education

5. General Music

6. Guidance

7. Geography Skills

Grade 7:

1. Art

2. Technology Education

3. Computers

4. Health

5. General Music

6. Home Economics

7. Guidance

Grade 8:

1. Art

2. Technology Education

3. Computers

4. Health

5. Guidance

6. Home Economics

... that you CAN make a difference?

Pass it on!