School Budgets getting cut so sharply....school systems may have to resort to....

[Lance 228]

I think the federal, statem and local govs should support the schools outside of what the lotto contributes. They should not even be allowed to figure the lotto money in to the budget for the school systems....if they did that, there would be no issues. Since the feds want to lay down mandates to the state, then they can pay a fair share of it as well.

 

There is plenty of money to go around for the things that are NEEDED...you just have to get rid of the waste on all levels to pull it off...which will never happen in our current political system....never happen.

[cwood78 161]

I agree.....................................

[hhstigerfan 12]

In order to "wean off" something, you need to have something else to eat, lest you die.

 

Ponder this.

 

It was a secondary road. State Road 633 in Russell Co...

Edited April 17, 2012 by hhstigerfan

[redtiger 1,742]

Newest update on Dickenson County school system drama; the "new" plan to cut the budget is now to close Ervinton High and Longs Fork Elementary after this school year. I think the people making these decisions saw how stupid it was to cut everything just to keep a school open(after you cut so much is it really a school in the way we think of our schools?).

 

I hate to see EHS close before consolidation but something has to be done and its the smallest HS. Most of the kids will probably go to Haysi with some going to Clintwood. I am glad to see the Ervinton football players get a chance at some success. Truth be told about half of them work really hard and the other half put out minimal effort (when the team only has 12-15 players no one is pushing the starters, no need to work). Ervinton has 2-3 stud athletes that will be comming back and I WOULD LOVE to see them wearing red next season! I know its bad of me to be excited because of their loss but I cant help myself.

 

As far as LFES is concerned, its about 4 minutes from Clintwood ES so its really not that big of a deal imo. CES will be a little crowded but not over crowded.

 

None of this is official but seems like the most logical idea put forth yet, I personally hope that this is how the budget is met. Do away with a cuple of buildings and give the kids the best education possible.

[1inStripes 933]

Bowen and Hale are excellent athletes at EHS. They had a couple of others as well, but I cant remember if they graduated or not.

[redtiger 1,742]

I know those two were really good. They had another guy in the backfield but im not sure if he graduated or not.

 

IF this happens I see Bowen for sure comming to Haysi, he attended Sandlick then went to Ervinton for HS. Again IF those two come to Haysi, I see them making up the offensive backfield and having a BIG impact on defense.

[gcdevils47 10]

I think we need to do some more consolidating..as bad as it sounds. I love Gate City, I really do. But Scott County is swallowing itself with under funding and having to pay for this "sports complex" that will never be finished, Plus Rye Cove has to truck in there lunch everyday from a nearby elementary school because they don't have a cafeteria. I hate everything around here funding wise, Southwest Virginia is always left in the dark without a candle. Everybody in NOVA needs to remember that we also pay taxes down here so they can all have nice things while we are stuck with text books from the mid 90s. It's a shame, it really is. I wish things could change but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

[bucfan64 309]

In order to "wean off" something, you need to have something else to eat, lest you die.

 

Ponder this.

 

Absolutely! We, just can't quit cold turkey, gotta have a backup plan!

 

The facts are rather simple, this nation was established with the intent of local government being more hands on than the state government and state government being more hands on than the Federal government. This plan has been turned upside down. Today, the folks in DC are at the top of the chain and the folks locally are very limited in what they can do.

 

True, localities would suffer greatly if they began turning down state and federal funds, most likely elected officials would be voted out. However, the more self-reliant a community is the more control that community has over itself, the same works with individual liberty.

 

We are highly dependent upon Federal and State funds, it is our fault, but sometimes before a problem can be fixed we must first admit that we have a problem, which is what I am saying here........we have a dependency problem.

 

I am perfectly aware that we have to have something else before we remove the third and fourth course from the table. That is why a more gradual approach is more reasonable. Bottom line is, we might end up losing a lot of "weight" by taking a more aggressive approach, but hopefully along the way, we can adjust the way we live and hopefully learn to live within our means. I'd much rather be leaner and in control than obese and under the thumb of a bureaucrat in Richmond or Washington.

 

Besides, losing a little bit of weight, is usually good for us .....right? Just as long as it's not too fast and too much at once! I personally don't see anything wrong with trimming government fat, and reducing the amount of Federal and State money that we accept, especially when it comes to local government. All I am suggesting is that local governing bodies, be more considerate and more discriminating when accepting Federal and state funding!

Edited April 17, 2012 by bucfan64

[WaveFan09 50]

as much as i love my Blue and Gold, its time for BCHS, could you have imagined this years team in basketball? Hurley studs with ones from Council, Twin Valley, and Grundy..would have been a Deep bench, and football and other sports

 

-not only does BC need to do this but i think pretty much all of SWVA needs to do some sort of Consolidation

[1inStripes 933]

, Plus Rye Cove has to truck in there lunch everyday from a nearby elementary school because they don't have a cafeteria.

 

You have that reversed. The Intermediate school doesn't have a full kitchen and their food is brought over from the HS.

[Lance 228]

as much as i love my Blue and Gold, its time for BCHS, could you have imagined this years team in basketball? Hurley studs with ones from Council, Twin Valley, and Grundy..would have been a Deep bench, and football and other sports

 

-not only does BC need to do this but i think pretty much all of SWVA needs to do some sort of Consolidation

 

I hope it stays Grundy High when they bring everyone together, but I know they wont have the balls to keep the name. It will be a sad day when there is no more Grundy High School.

[swvacsas2 15]

Most school consolidations don't really save money. The true cost savings usually involve some form of rif and most divisions are reluctant to do that. If new buildings or extra travel are involved the savings will disappear in a hurry. Most SWVA school systems are well supported by local governments- some cuts have been made to state funds. Federal and state monies keep the systems afloat. A great deal of money is still coming in to the school systems- most of the problems with funding involve how the money is being directed once it gets there. The majority of our counties simply cannot afford to spend much more money on education- the tax base isn't there. The time may come and come soon when fiscal restraints will require school sports programs to become community sports programs totally separate from the school system. You can't spend public funds on sports when money is needed in the classroom.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Most school consolidations don't really save money. The true cost savings usually involve some form of rif and most divisions are reluctant to do that. If new buildings or extra travel are involved the savings will disappear in a hurry. Most SWVA school systems are well supported by local governments- some cuts have been made to state funds. Federal and state monies keep the systems afloat. A great deal of money is still coming in to the school systems- most of the problems with funding involve how the money is being directed once it gets there. The majority of our counties simply cannot afford to spend much more money on education- the tax base isn't there. The time may come and come soon when fiscal restraints will require school sports programs to become community sports programs totally separate from the school system. You can't spend public funds on sports when money is needed in the classroom.

 

Consolidations do save money in operations and staffing. I'm positive the money expended in travel doesn't match the savings. But the "saving" bit isn't all it's cracked up to be, for sure.

 

The rest of your post couldn't be more spot on.

[Lance 228]

entire countries have been formed and nations grown out of rebellion for tax percentages far less than we pay...there is more than enough money for everything if it was used more efficiently.

[redtiger 1,742]

Like UVAO said, consolidation does save money, just not the huge ammounts that are advertized. Its kind of like the county living within its means.

 

Youre right on Lance, gov money is not used efficiently.

 

Imo if high level gov salaries were cut and waste was trimmed, then money would not be an issue. Short term it would take more money to get a handle on overspending/waste but in the long run I think money would be saved.

[hhstigerfan 12]

Like UVAO said, consolidation does save money, just not the huge ammounts that are advertized. Its kind of like the county living within its means.

 

Youre right on Lance, gov money is not used efficiently.

 

Imo if high level gov salaries were cut and waste was trimmed, then money would not be an issue. Short term it would take more money to get a handle on overspending/waste but in the long run I think money would be saved.

 

If the majority of the things that were done at the federal level were done at the state/local level, the money would be used far more effectively IMO.

[gcdevils47 10]

You have that reversed. The Intermediate school doesn't have a full kitchen and their food is brought over from the HS.

 

either way it shouldn't happen.

[cityofRaven 2,453]

I'm actually wondering how much longer it'll be before we have some more consolidation in Tazewell County. 20 years? 30?

[1inStripes 933]

either way it shouldn't happen.

 

Considering the Intermediate school is newer, I have no idea why they didn't build a kitchen big enough for full function. That made little to no sense.

[GMan 3,569]

i'm actually wondering how much longer it'll be before we have some more consolidation in tazewell county. 20 years? 30?

 

10-12...

[Deleted Account 5,203]

10-12...

 

If you're talking about consolidating elementary schools, likely earlier.

If you're talking about middle or high schools, likely never.

 

I just can't foresee where Tazewell County would get the money to build two new centrally located schools to go from 3 to 2. Plus, Tazewell isn't big enough to house all the students, if you were going for 1.

[redtiger 1,742]

This may not make sense but im almost never in favor of closing elementary schools. I personally like having very small classes and local schools at that level. I just think its better for the kids, kids that are behind or ahead get recognized earlier and the curriculum can be custom tailored easier. Now by the time kids are 11-12 im pretty sure they can handle going to a consolidated school. In DCs case I wish we were going to have 2 middle schools instead of one.

Edited April 19, 2012 by redtiger

[hoard 18]

If you're talking about consolidating elementary schools, likely earlier.

If you're talking about middle or high schools, likely never.

 

I just can't foresee where Tazewell County would get the money to build two new centrally located schools to go from 3 to 2. Plus, Tazewell isn't big enough to house all the students, if you were going for 1.

 

Agreed...another issue is how the Tazewell students would get divvied up in a two-high school arrangement, assuming they would want the two new schools to have roughly the same enrollment.

 

I suppose they could move Tazewell's Baptist Valley kids and maybe those in the old Rivermont attendance zone to the "Western" school with all the rest to the "Eastern" school but the Eastern school would still be a bit larger.

 

It's also possible they could build one new high school and leave an existing one open (Richlands?), but that wouldn't go over too well with a lot of people.

[gcdevils47 10]

Considering the Intermediate school is newer, I have no idea why they didn't build a kitchen big enough for full function. That made little to no sense.

 

Oh I know, there is also a humongous pile of dirt that is secured by doors in the bottom of the Gate City MIDDLE school (built in the 80s) that was supposed to be a swimming pool. But....never happened. Just imagine if Scott County combined, how dominate we would be in Volleyball, Basketball, and Football. It would be ridiculous.

[swvacsas2 15]

Many years ago a friend of mine at UT worked on a thesis on extra-curricular participation. In rural counties in Tennessee he found a direct correlation between school proximity and turnout. In five mile increments (as I best recall) you could calculate a fixed drop off in participation. Most of our school systems in this area are rural and single schools in big counties usually do not draw well from outside their core areas in activities. Very large rural schools do well for a period- especially by concentrating on one or two sports- but prolonged success in a wide variety of competitions is very difficult.