Tonight (2018-03-13) was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education (BoE).
Full disclosure: I sit on the Public Budget Advisory Council. And tonight the PBAC gave it’s budget recommendation to the BoE. It was a group project, and I believe it adequately does it’s required job. Namely, helps get the district through one more year. Maybe I’ve become jaded over the years, but I’m not thrilled with the outcome. Doesn’t really do anything about the larger, long term, challenges the district is facing. But those are also outside of the committee’s charge, hence the ‘adequately’.
Had an interesting thought during the PBAC report. The word ‘Technology’ appears to have multiple contradictory meanings. At some times it means the ‘Technology’ class. Which I think refers to ‘shop’ class, but I will admit it’s not clear. At other times, ‘Technology’ is clearly a synonym for ‘Computer’. Probably should change both names, to more accurately reflect the actual situation.
Annual musical is coming up. “Irene” this year, shows are March 22-24. Doubt I’ll go myself, as musicals never really appealed and I don’t have any family involved with this years. Still, I know alot of people that do enjoy them.
As mentioned elsewhere previously, Opioid Epidemic Forum Wednesday April 11 7PM at the District Auditorium (Middle School). Seems to be open to anyone.
The Universal Pre Kindergarten program received more donations. This seems to happen almost every month. Likely a story behind this trend, I must remember to ask Lisa (Lima Principal) about it at some point.
Next years potential school calendar was discussed. Big change this year is Regents exams were moved. Apparently there is a religious holiday in June the state is scheduling around. Which then impacts local schools. Reminds me of the joke about the guy that was always changing his religion, because everyday is a holiday for some religion. In any case, I liked the colored version of this years calendar. Haven’t seen this before, and I thought it was a nice touch.
Which leaves the big discussion item of the night: tomorrow. Or put differently, how some portion of the high school student body will be walking out of class in protest. Unclear to me what exactly is being protested. That evil idiots exist? Not much can be done about them (or useful idiots, which may relate here). That law abiding citizens are unable to protect them from evil idiots? “If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns“. That it’s possible to die while still a child? “Life is nasty, brutish and short“. Despite the campus being formally closed to the public, I am tempted to go observe in the hopes of better understanding the students thoughts.
The plan as described tonight is for kids to start gathering around 1:15PM. Then wander outside around 1:30 for a parade, some readings, and silence. All done by 2PM, so no ones after school activities are impacted.
Most of this plan was described by a quartet of students. All girls, for whatever that is worth. Does raise the question of what the gender ratio will be at the event. As always, good to have students presenting to the BoE.
In contrast, there was one (1) parent to speak against this event. Mostly she was focused on the timing of the event, and the implied connection to other events. She didn’t want our students to be ‘useful idiots‘ for the agendas of others. She was very clear, any other day she would be all in favor.
Supposedly there will be a snow storm, which will keep the students inside. I wouldn’t be surprised if playing in the snow actually encouraged more students to go out for a break. We’ll see.
All in all, I find much unfortunate about the situation. That evil idiots kill people, that others use those deaths for their own agendas, that kids feel badly enough to (in effect) skip out on class, that the staff lets them, and that it all becomes just another issue dividing us as a nation. Unfortunates abound.
On a more amusing topic, I noticed four small blocks on the wall. I believe the room is missing it’s Fire Marshall approved ‘occupancy cannot exceed’ sign. I should bring that up at some point, wouldn’t want to be ‘dangerous and unlawful’.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the March 13, 2018 meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education.
As has become the norm for this group, Agenda’s and similar information can be found at HFL’s BoardDocs page.