Payson Roundup

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

Remember when education was free thru the eighth grade?
On the first day of school, if you wanted and your parents could afford it you may take a pencil box.
It was not required as the school furnished everything that was needed. Books, paper, pencils, crayolas, glue etc.

Take a look at the list of things that are required for Pine-Strawbery school and Rim Country Middle School on page 4B of tonights paper.

Now I will wander as usual . (:

Pine-Strawberry preschool students need to bring a back pack. I won't go into the complete list.

Rim Country Middle School in Payson is piloting a no backpack policy in order to increase student safety, spinal health and organizational skills.

I realize they are in differnt school districts 13 miles apart, but something is wrong with this picture.

Won't a back pack be more harmful to preschool student's spines than to a middle school 6th grader?

7th and 8th grade students at Middle school are required to have back packs. What happened in a year to change spinal health?

Why are students required to have and to use calculators? Don't they use the paper and pencils they are required to bring to school to do calculations, math, arithimetic or whatever you want to call it?

That question I can answer. NO
When I had a restaurant in Tonto Basin not one of the young employees that were waiters could figure 6% tax on a food bill except for my youngest granddaughter that was 10 yrs old and attended a charter school in Mesa. She knew multiplication thru 15. Didn't need a calculator.

Cont.

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

Maybe the paper will list the things required at all the other schools in Payson. They aren't the same according to the list my granddaughter picked up.

I believe the state should set the agendas and all schools no matter where in the state teach the same thing at the same time. All schools should require the same things.
Not each school district or teacher saying what is required and teaching different subjects in different ways at different times. You should be able to move from one school to another and take up where you left off the day before in a different school district.

Back to the restaurant employees, when was the last time you had change counted back to you in the proper way from any age employee at any business?
My ten year old granddaughter could do it because Grandma said the was the way you are supposed to do it. She did not use the cash register to figure out the change for her and then place a handful of money in the customers hand. She figured it herself and counted the change to the customer one coin and bill at a time.

Maybe that is why she is an RN now. Didn't want to make change. (:

fred_franz (frederick franz) says…

I agree with you Pat. When I went to school, it was free education through 12th grade.
Did you notice that the schools are considering asking for another tax override? We are still paying for the last override which is eventually being automatically phased out. I have a hunch that the taxes we pay are not benefitting the students, or they wouldn't be required to buy a
back pack full of school supplies.
-Fred

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

Fred, You agree with me about the free education.
How about the part where every school in the state teaches the same subjects in the same time frame in the same way. And you would be able to move from one school to another and not be ahead or behind but at the same place in any subject.

No wonder there are so many charter or private schools and home teaching done now.
I wonder how many there are right here in the Payson and Pine- Strawberry Districts.
I think I read in the paper a new one just started in Star Valley.

fred_franz (frederick franz) says…

Pat, with the advent of computers, I suppose it is technically feasible to put all the schools on the same track for subjects and timing. However I feel that as you mentioned, there are many school districts and school boards. Getting all of them to agree is politically undoable on a statewide basis. Do you have any comment on that?
-Fred

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

And another thing keep the teacher's personal beliefs out of teaching. Teach what is in the book.

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

State Board of Education makes the rules.
School districts and teachers follow them. They don't have to agree.
What is undoable about that?
If they don't follow the rules hire someone who will.
Keep politics out of it.
Forgot, all schools should have the same schedule on when to start and finish the school year along with the vacation days.

We have the same traffic laws all over the state.
Criminal codes are the same.
Why not schools?

fred_franz (frederick franz) says…

School boards have a lot of autonomy in deciding things not controlled by the state. Number of teachers they hire, salaries, budgets, etc. I still say that getting all of them to agree is politically undoable. Subject matter is somewhat controlled by what text books are purchased. So you have a good point there. -Fred

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

If the same textbooks were used in all Arizona schools seems there would be a big savings if all bought at one time.

All school taxes should be placed in one big pot. What ever school needed the money use it.

Not the poor neighborhoods doing without while the upper crust schools have padded stadium seats.
I think it is call equality.

Shovelhead (Mike McLaughlin) says…

So you are OK with the practice of distribution of wealth?
What if the junior high had a fund raiser but only one grade participated. Would you give the other grades at the junior high some of the money that was earned?

Shovelhead (Mike McLaughlin) says…

Here is a list that my granddaughter brought home.
4th grade Frontier Elementary School.
She needs…

1. 2 dozen #2 pencils
2. 1 box colored pencils (12 count)
3. 1 box crayons (16 count)
4. 3 boxes facial tissue
5. 1 dry erase marker (blue)
6. 1 yellow spiral notebook
7. 1 blue spiral notebook
8. 1 yellow pocket folder (lien only)
9. 1 report cover (red)
10. 1 report cover (yellow)
11. 1 report cover (blue)
12. 1 report cover (green)
13. 1 composition book
14. 1 3 ring binder(1in. W/clear plastic face and spine)
15. 1 glue stick
16. 1 pack loose leaf notebook paper
17. 1 highlighter

That was to get started back to school!

patrandall (Pat Randall) says…

Shovelhead.
Damn it read what I type. I said school taxes.
I was not talking about a particuilar grade or school having a fund raiser and sharing the wealth.
What part of school taxes did you not understand ????

Was there a line on that list that said the supplies would be shared with other students?
Is that for the whole year or do they have another list for the second sememster?

Shovelhead (Mike McLaughlin) says…

Damn it Pat, read what I type!
I said “That was to get started back to school!”

I agree that all schools should have the basic essentials to meet state guidlines.
Let me explain my position in a different manner!
Aren't school taxes determined by property values in the district?
.If so, parents that pay more in taxes should expect to have a better equipped facility. Why, because they are paying more in taxes. Just like one grade supporting the whole school!