Our Team is excited to announce our new redistricting strategy!

TruthBeTold wrote:

<quoted text>
Are you clarvoyant?
They will get whatever happens.
Not all school boards lurch vote-to-vote and budget-to-budget without long term planning and set priorities as the QCSD Board does. Not all school board members depend on keeping their jobs by submitting to the demands of small special interest groups that got them elected.

Very clairvoyant. And a realist also.

Come on, admit it. You are one of these people who want to redistrict Haycock and pray that the school stays open.

You have to admit, they plan on the school remaining open. Not once on their website or during a presentation do they admit having a backup plan in case of Haycock's closure. This group just wants to ride on the coat tails of a less taxing school district, no other reason. Look at all of their presentations, many slides refer to Haycock's taxes and EIT going own.

Guess you don't know politics, SIG's are the main ways people get elected and re-elected.

NAG - Not Another Group wrote:

<quoted text>
Very clairvoyant. And a realist also.
Come on, admit it. You are one of these people who want to redistrict Haycock and pray that the school stays open.
You have to admit, they plan on the school remaining open. Not once on their website or during a presentation do they admit having a backup plan in case of Haycock's closure. This group just wants to ride on the coat tails of a less taxing school district, no other reason. Look at all of their presentations, many slides refer to Haycock's taxes and EIT going own.
Guess you don't know politics, SIG's are the main ways people get elected and re-elected.

What's a "SIG"?
Not being a part of the Haycock Redistricting group, I certainly don't "have to admit" anything.
I don't pay taxes in Haycock or Palisades but do in other municipalities in the QCSD. I care about HOW the QCSD spends tax dollars. I've written many times that the Haycock School should be closed. In the past I wrote that it should be closed and reopened as district offices and the Milford building sold- too late!

NAG - Not Another Group wrote:

<quoted text>
Very clairvoyant. And a realist also.
Come on, admit it. You are one of these people who want to redistrict Haycock and pray that the school stays open.
You have to admit, they plan on the school remaining open. Not once on their website or during a presentation do they admit having a backup plan in case of Haycock's closure. This group just wants to ride on the coat tails of a less taxing school district, no other reason. Look at all of their presentations, many slides refer to Haycock's taxes and EIT going own.
Guess you don't know politics, SIG's are the main ways people get elected and re-elected.

Funny how 2 people can read the same thing, and "see" 2 completely different things. I read their presentations. I don't see any "plan" to keep it open, and I don't read that they're counting on it. I read that there are two options:(1) send their kids to the Palisades elementary schools, or (2) keep it open if it's financially feasible. Haycock's school is going to close if they do nothing. What's wrong with keeping it open as an option under redistricting? If it has to close, so be it. At least their kids can still go to rural schools in Palisades, like they described in their "full presentation" toward the bottom of their website.

And really, if you're not a Haycock resident, they why should you give a rat's a** about the school? In fact, any quakertown taxpayer should be thrilled to see it finally taken off their hands.

After scanning through this thread I have a question. What about the teachers and the other staff that work at Haycock? Will Palisades put them on their payroll or will Quakertown have to absorb them back into their other schools? Has anyone approached the Qtown teachers union to see how this can be worked out? I would think that the benefits and pay would be diferent between the two school districts.

NAG - Not Another Group wrote:

From what I read one of the key arguments is wanting to keep this "white elephant" open.
I believe that this group is running on a hope and prayer that the school will not close if a change in district happens. As stated in the presentation Palisades is under no obligation to repair the school. Will they take up arms again against it's closing?
They have yet to address the possibility of the school closing.

From what I read , the "group" consists predominantley of taxpayers, without children in the School System. Why would they be hoping and praying they don't close the school? What would be in it for them?

The research and presentation was great, good job. The range of comment on this really is astounding. If you were at the meeting and have a reasonable intellect you would have understood the details which are a win win for both Quakertown and Palisades. One might sound foolish if they did not listen to the presentaion and then make silly comments. The switch does not effect the rest of Q-town district negatively they get out of haveing to repair the haycock school which helps them focus on other school repairs. Palisades gets to avoid cutting programs and increasing taxes for pensions. this is a true example of grass roots movement- power to the peopl- not the Academic Elites.

Power to the people wrote:

The research and presentation was great, good job. The range of comment on this really is astounding. If you were at the meeting and have a reasonable intellect you would have understood the details which are a win win for both Quakertown and Palisades. One might sound foolish if they did not listen to the presentaion and then make silly comments. The switch does not effect the rest of Q-town district negatively they get out of haveing to repair the haycock school which helps them focus on other school repairs. Palisades gets to avoid cutting programs and increasing taxes for pensions. this is a true example of grass roots movement- power to the peopl- not the Academic Elites.

Maybe you have the right to complain, possibly your kids will learn how to spell at Palisades (It appears urban schools can't teach people how to spell):
presentaion - presentation
haveing - having
peopl - people

When you prominently post a website for us to view these presentations, then we can go with the facts found on the presentation.

Reasonable intellect would say close the school and bus them to another school.$5.2 million in taxpayer money for a school housing ~125 students, is ridiculous for either Palisades and Quakertown communities.

It's hard to consider the "presentation great, good job" using old information. It was skewed by the redistricting group to meet it's needs not the needs of Palisades and Quakertown.

If there was an independent study paid equally by the 3 parties then perhaps it might hold some water. It isn't going to happen because Palisades doesn't want you and Quakertown needs the revenue. That only leaves the redistricting group... and you can't leave the fox to guard the hen house.

They didn't answer my question, but what they don't tell people is (according to the Morning Call), it's about a dozen people pushing for this.

NAG - Not Another Group wrote:

<quoted text>
Maybe you have the right to complain, possibly your kids will learn how to spell at Palisades (It appears urban schools can't teach people how to spell):
presentaion - presentation
haveing - having
peopl - people
When you prominently post a website for us to view these presentations, then we can go with the facts found on the presentation.
Reasonable intellect would say close the school and bus them to another school.$5.2 million in taxpayer money for a school housing ~125 students, is ridiculous for either Palisades and Quakertown communities.
It's hard to consider the "presentation great, good job" using old information. It was skewed by the redistricting group to meet it's needs not the needs of Palisades and Quakertown.
If there was an independent study paid equally by the 3 parties then perhaps it might hold some water. It isn't going to happen because Palisades doesn't want you and Quakertown needs the revenue. That only leaves the redistricting group... and you can't leave the fox to guard the hen house.

I thought the only repair that was slated for this school was a new septic. Since the end of the school year there has been nothing printed about any further repairs. A septic couln't be what you are reffering to. If it is wouldn't the School tax and EIT those people pay in one year pay for that, and more? 4.3 million in revenue is a lot of money. Is there something else planned (improvement wise) to be done at the school??

Always and Forever wrote:

They didn't answer my question, but what they don't tell people is (according to the Morning Call), it's about a dozen people pushing for this.

A dozen organizers, or a dozen who are willing to sign a petition?

Since the presentation makes sense (assuming the data are correct), and the interest of the PSD board seems to be leaning positive, rather than speculate about who is driving this group or arguing about motivations, the best course of action would be to send a petition out to all residents of Haycock and see what they have to say.
The point here is to let the citizens of Haycock have a voice rather than the elitist PA board of eductiaon or some court, or even QCSD. If PSD board is OK with it and the residents of Haycock are behind it via the required number of signatures on a petition, then let it happen. You may not agree with the plan, but certainly we should all be able to agree that the good people of Haycock should have a voice in this process and should be heard.
Let the petitions circulate!

All the numbers that I saw were properly sited they came from official sources.
Thank you for the spelling comment, spelling has always been difficult for me I will be more careful in the future.
I know that their are a lot more than a dozen people supporting this.
I can not post any thing on a web site because I am not involved in the group directly, just a taxpayer like you.
Reasonable intellect says if the school is going to close anyway-and we know it is- them just let us, our poor spelling kids, and our tax money go. We can pay for ourselves no longer be a burden to Quakertown.
It really is a win win situation for both parties.
When Haycock leaves the educational cost of those 300 students go too- the school does not have to be repaired. The Haycock student population leaving will alleviate overcrowding and cost of new teachers etc... because Quakertown is projected to have a growth in student population.
Palisades enrollement is going down-if they do not get new influx of revenue they will have to signifigantly cut programs or raise taxes-that's not good for anyone.
I do not know why there is such anger and emotion involved in a matter like this, I want what is best for my kids and my nieghbors as do you and this might just benefit everyone.

ittakes2 wrote:

<quoted text>I thought the only repair that was slated for this school was a new septic. Since the end of the school year there has been nothing printed about any further repairs. A septic couln't be what you are reffering to. If it is wouldn't the School tax and EIT those people pay in one year pay for that, and more? 4.3 million in revenue is a lot of money. Is there something else planned (improvement wise) to be done at the school??

Only using the numbers that were in the presentation, which were all based on old financial calculations, before the economic meltdown.

I believe the presentation also is missing the cost of busing children all over the Palisades district. So again some of the supposed saving are lost on busing.

Again I believe that the presentation was skewed, important facts and figures were not collaborated.

Let the people decide wrote:

Since the presentation makes sense (assuming the data are correct), and the interest of the PSD board seems to be leaning positive, rather than speculate about who is driving this group or arguing about motivations, the best course of action would be to send a petition out to all residents of Haycock and see what they have to say.
The point here is to let the citizens of Haycock have a voice rather than the elitist PA board of eductiaon or some court, or even QCSD. If PSD board is OK with it and the residents of Haycock are behind it via the required number of signatures on a petition, then let it happen. You may not agree with the plan, but certainly we should all be able to agree that the good people of Haycock should have a voice in this process and should be heard.
Let the petitions circulate!

I agree totally. Tired of my tax dollars going to a school that needs $5.2 million in repairs. The faster we can put this aging beast to sleep the better.

Still trying to figure out where people are getting the view that "interest of the PSD board seems to be leaning positive". No news article states that PSD is even interested in taking on this initiative. The board is being polite and letting this group have a chance to express themselves.

I am glad that you know more about education than those people running the Dept. of Education.

Again the main cause of want to change districts, is the possibility the QCSD will close it. And these same people will be upset and on the warpath if they go to PSD and PSD decides to close the school.

ittakes2 wrote:

<quoted text>A dozen organizers, or a dozen who are willing to sign a petition?

I'm not sure, but it doesn't really matter. Proposals like this never happen.

Haycock is closer to Palisades schools than to any Quakertown schools We are totally rural like Palisades. The economic meltdown makes the situation for Palisades even more serious. Where you at the Presentaion? Did you see the same stuff I saw?
I do not think your information is correct.
If Haycock wants to go why does any one else care I would love to see a petition go around.
If some other township wanted to go to a different district I would be happy for them.

I am basing my information on what the group has posted on their website.

Nothing is substantiated. It is just random statistics pulled together to skew the results.
Many of the figures were based on statistics and information several years old.

Anyone can put on a good presentation using bad and incorrect information, look at Toyota and it's recalls.

Why do you care if Haycock goes.
Obviously we are very contentious, why no just encourage us to go?

Power to the people wrote:

Haycock is closer to Palisades schools than to any Quakertown schools We are totally rural like Palisades. The economic meltdown makes the situation for Palisades even more serious. Where you at the Presentaion? Did you see the same stuff I saw?
I do not think your information is correct.
If Haycock wants to go why does any one else care I would love to see a petition go around.
If some other township wanted to go to a different district I would be happy for them.

Parts of Haycock are only 2 miles from Quakertown HS, and a lot further from Palisades HS. Haycock’s been a part of QCSD since the state formed school districts.

Petitions have no legal weight. Get a question on the next general election ballot and you’ll find out how many people want it. The fact is,“Haycock” doesn’t want it, it’s only a handful of people who do. Many more Haycock people are against it.

NAG - Not Another Group wrote:

I am basing my information on what the group has posted on their website.
Nothing is substantiated. It is just random statistics pulled together to skew the results.
Many of the figures were based on statistics and information several years old.
Anyone can put on a good presentation using bad and incorrect information, look at Toyota and it's recalls.

So you were not at the presentaion?