Kearny School Budget

[Guest Voter]

Did everyone get the mailer from the Superintendent of Schools regarding the School Budget? How much did that "political piece" cost me as a taxpayer? And did the School Board approve it's mailing?

Here is the link to the Budget. I wonder if the School Board would publish on its site in PDF format the line items to the budget. I would like to see the details on the expenditures. $10,000+ per student. Why don't we just shut the school down and send everyone to the best private school they are less than $10,000 per year.

http://www.kearnyschools.com/BOE/2003-2004...05%20budget.htm

[Guest Guest]

Part of his job is to get the budget passed. Did you really expect him not to mail something? I'm sure the BOE did/would have approved the mailing.

[Guest I'm dubious]

Which schools are $10k? I'm dubious.

A 'good' private school is more like a minimum of $17K/yr, when I looked for my son, when he was having trouble. Some were +$30K. I elected to leave him in public shool, for a number of reasons, and increase tutoring and private therapy. BTW, he's an honor roll student in eighth grade.

The public school system is important-more important than private schools. Public schools are the glue that holds the many diverse immigrant groups in the community together. The values of all the different groups in the society have to be expressed by the public school to a greater degree than in a more homogenous private (which I assume is code for parochial) school. The support services of the public school are greater than the private schools; teaching and administrative staff, supplies, equipment, physical plant, and all that other stuff is generally better.

Also, private schools constantly lean on parents for more funds and volunteer labor. These are hidden costs not disclosed in the published price of tuition.

The children attending public school 'pull' the parents into the mainstream American culture. The American common experience is learned through the children, to a great extent. We need that now more than ever, especially since the cultural tide is riding against us. America keeps changing its face, and we need to hold it together by pulling together, not by splintering into special interest sub-cultures.

I firmly believe education is the key to success. It opens the eyes and to the possibilities, the open doors, the doors that haven't been built yet. Then you have a chance to do your part in society. Look at what happened in Great Britain, or other highly stratiified societies with a school system. Read your Charles Dickens.

[Guest priest]

Which schools are $10k? I'm dubious.

A 'good' private school is more like a minimum of $17K/yr, when I looked for my son, when he was having trouble. Some were +$30K. I elected to leave him in public shool, for a number of reasons, and increase tutoring and private therapy. BTW, he's an honor roll student in eighth grade.

The public school system is important-more important than private schools. Public schools are the glue that holds the many diverse immigrant groups in the community together. The values of all the different groups in the society have to be expressed by the public school to a greater degree than in a more homogenous private (which I assume is code for parochial) school. The support services of the public school are greater than the private schools; teaching and administrative staff, supplies, equipment, physical plant, and all that other stuff is generally better.

Also, private schools constantly lean on parents for more funds and volunteer labor. These are hidden costs not disclosed in the published price of tuition.

The children attending public school 'pull' the parents into the mainstream American culture. The American common experience is learned through the children, to a great extent. We need that now more than ever, especially since the cultural tide is riding against us. America keeps changing its face, and we need to hold it together by pulling together, not by splintering into special interest sub-cultures.

I firmly believe education is the key to success. It opens the eyes and to the possibilities, the open doors, the doors that haven't been built yet. Then you have a chance to do your part in society. Look at what happened in Great Britain, or other highly stratiified societies with a school system. Read your Charles Dickens.

shut up you make no sense.

[Guest I'm dubious]

My next to last sentence should read,"with a school system not run by the government."

I should also add that money spent now on education saves big bucks down the road.

And, in New Jersey, the funding system is broken and needs to be restructured for more equitable distribution of the money to the poorer communities. People are highly mobile these days, and money and services get sucked out of poor areas into the richer pockets in the affluent suburbs.

Any comments?

[Jim Mangin]

Which schools are $10k? I'm dubious.

A 'good' private school is more like a minimum of $17K/yr, when I looked for my son, when he was having trouble. Some were +$30K. I elected to leave him in public shool, for a number of reasons, and increase tutoring and private therapy. BTW, he's an honor roll student in eighth grade.

The public school system is important-more important than private schools. Public schools are the glue that holds the many diverse immigrant groups in the community together. The values of all the different groups in the society have to be expressed by the public school to a greater degree than in a more homogenous private (which I assume is code for parochial) school. The support services of the public school are greater than the private schools; teaching and administrative staff, supplies, equipment, physical plant, and all that other stuff is generally better.

Also, private schools constantly lean on parents for more funds and volunteer labor. These are hidden costs not disclosed in the published price of tuition.

The children attending public school 'pull' the parents into the mainstream American culture.  The American common experience is learned through the children, to a great extent. We need that now more than ever, especially since the cultural tide is riding against us. America keeps changing its face, and we need to hold it together by pulling together, not by splintering into special interest sub-cultures.

I firmly believe education is the key to success. It opens the eyes and to the possibilities, the open doors, the doors that haven't been built yet. Then you have a chance to do your part in society.  Look at what happened in Great Britain, or other highly stratiified societies with a school system.  Read your Charles Dickens.

I've read Dickens.

And the BOE reminds me of the line in Oliver Twist:

"Please sir, I'd like some more."

Councilman Jim Mangin

[Jim Mangin]

My next to last sentence should read,"with a school system not run by the government."

I should also add that money spent now on education saves big bucks down the road.

And, in New Jersey, the funding system is broken and needs to be restructured for more equitable distribution of the money to the poorer communities. People are highly mobile these days, and money and services get sucked out of poor areas into the richer pockets in the affluent suburbs.

Any comments?

Yes the funding system for schools in New Jersey is definately broken. But it's not the poorest communities suffering. It's districts like ours and other District Factor Group "B" districts that are getting clobbered in property taxes with no offsetting Abbott aid.

McGreevy promised a new system for funding education that focused on the middle class. Instead we just keep seeing more news reports about additional aid to the Abbott districts.

The property tax crisis that exists in education funding will only be addressed through a constitutional convention calling for a more progressive tax system - like the income tax - to fund education.

On the local level, the property tax crisis in education funding will on be addressed by people learning as much as they can about how their tax dollars are spent and by demanding accountability.

Councilman Jim Mangin

[Guest Guest]

Which schools are $10k? I'm dubious.

A 'good' private school is more like a minimum of $17K/yr, when I looked for my son, when he was having trouble. Some were +$30K. I elected to leave him in public shool, for a number of reasons, and increase tutoring and private therapy. BTW, he's an honor roll student in eighth grade.

The public school system is important-more important than private schools. Public schools are the glue that holds the many diverse immigrant groups in the community together. The values of all the different groups in the society have to be expressed by the public school to a greater degree than in a more homogenous private (which I assume is code for parochial) school. The support services of the public school are greater than the private schools; teaching and administrative staff, supplies, equipment, physical plant, and all that other stuff is generally better.

Also, private schools constantly lean on parents for more funds and volunteer labor. These are hidden costs not disclosed in the published price of tuition.

The children attending public school 'pull' the parents into the mainstream American culture. The American common experience is learned through the children, to a great extent. We need that now more than ever, especially since the cultural tide is riding against us. America keeps changing its face, and we need to hold it together by pulling together, not by splintering into special interest sub-cultures.

I firmly believe education is the key to success. It opens the eyes and to the possibilities, the open doors, the doors that haven't been built yet. Then you have a chance to do your part in society. Look at what happened in Great Britain, or other highly stratiified societies with a school system. Read your Charles Dickens.

If what you say is true, why does Freeholder Cifelli send his kids to private school? Shouldn't his kids be in Kearny's Public Schools.

[Guest cifelli family member]

Which schools are $10k? I'm dubious.

A 'good' private school is more like a minimum of $17K/yr, when I looked for my son, when he was having trouble. Some were +$30K. I elected to leave him in public shool, for a number of reasons, and increase tutoring and private therapy. BTW, he's an honor roll student in eighth grade.

The public school system is important-more important than private schools. Public schools are the glue that holds the many diverse immigrant groups in the community together. The values of all the different groups in the society have to be expressed by the public school to a greater degree than in a more homogenous private (which I assume is code for parochial) school. The support services of the public school are greater than the private schools; teaching and administrative staff, supplies, equipment, physical plant, and all that other stuff is generally better.

Also, private schools constantly lean on parents for more funds and volunteer labor. These are hidden costs not disclosed in the published price of tuition.

The children attending public school 'pull' the parents into the mainstream American culture.  The American common experience is learned through the children, to a great extent. We need that now more than ever, especially since the cultural tide is riding against us. America keeps changing its face, and we need to hold it together by pulling together, not by splintering into special interest sub-cultures.

I firmly believe education is the key to success. It opens the eyes and to the possibilities, the open doors, the doors that haven't been built yet. Then you have a chance to do your part in society.  Look at what happened in Great Britain, or other highly stratiified societies with a school system.  Read your Charles Dickens.

If what you say is true, why does Freeholder Cifelli send his kids to private school? Shouldn't his kids be in Kearny's Public Schools.

Maybe Freeholder Cifelli's children made the decision to go to private school's being that he gave them the choice. I know this for a fact being I am a relative of them, and not someone on here that looks at something on the surface and makes up their own mind on. Now do all the people on here that complain about the taxes of the BOE send their children to the public schools and was that the parents decision or did the kids have the choice of either public or private.

Cifelli and proud of it

[Guest Guest]

Well, some of us cannot afford to pay our taxes and afford private schools for our kids. By sending his kids to private school, Freeholder Cifelli sends the message that the Kearny Public Schools are not good enough for his kids and he undermines the quality of the school by not being involved in making sure the school provides a quality education to his kids (and other less affluent kids in Kearny.) The theory that the public school is the equalizer only works if all the kids are required to go and there were no private schools. Freeholder Cifelli's decision is a personal one but it reflects badly on the Kearny school system. If your Freeholder sends his kids out of Kearny, what does it say about the school system. What other politicans send their kids to private school?

[Guest Guest]

For one Freeholder Cifelli is very involved in the school systems of all the districts in which he is freeholder. Just because his kids chose to go to Catholic schools to continue their learning of the religion doesn't mean that he thinks that the kearny school system is bad. Being he still lives in this town and pays the taxes that support the board of ed show his support of the system. And Plus what purpose does it serve when you bring his 2 young children into this arguement. Hes a good freeholder, good family man, good friend and good towns person. Hes the type of person that at anytime you can rely on him, if you don't believe that than test that out. Those are the values that he and his sister learned from their father. And remember that just because the people in politics are in the focus that doesn't mean that they don't deserve the privacy that all of us have.

[Guest Guest]

Those are the values that he and his sister learned from their father. And remember that just because the people in politics are in the focus that doesn't mean that they don't deserve the privacy that all of us have.

Who is his sister?

[Guest Guest]

For one Freeholder Cifelli is very involved in the school systems of all the districts in which he is freeholder. Just because his kids chose to go to Catholic schools to continue their learning of the religion doesn't mean that he thinks that the kearny school system is bad. Being he still lives in this town and pays the taxes that support the board of ed show his support of the system. And Plus what purpose does it serve when you bring his 2 young children into this arguement. Hes a good freeholder, good family man, good friend and good towns person. Hes the type of person that at anytime you can rely on him, if you don't believe that than test that out. Those are the values that he and his sister learned from their father. And remember that just because the people in politics are in the focus that doesn't mean that they don't deserve the privacy that all of us have.

You have not convinced me. If you can tell me how I can stop paying the school portion of my property taxes, I would appreciate it. You state that "Being he still lives in this town and pays the taxes that support the board of ed show his support of the system." He could not keep his Freeholder job (paid how much per year) and his freeholder car (car, insurance, and free gas) unless he lived in town. So if he lives in town, he has to pay property taxes unless there is a Freeholder exception to paying the school portion of property taxes if you send you kid to private school. (Anything is possible this is Hudson County) In politics, all is fair. Cifelli is a politican. I did not bring his children into the argument, I simply pointed out the facts and even stated that it was a personal decision. However, I think it reflects bad on the Kearny School System when the Freeholder sends his kids out to a private school. With respect to your argument that its for religious purposes, your argument is clever but does not hold water. The real reason is because he feels his children have a better chance at getting into a better college by going to a better school. This is America, where you are free to do what you desire. Let us not make the man a saint because he isn't. To answer the previous poster, his sister is Kearny Councilwoman Barbara Cifelli-Sherry.

[Guest Guest]

First of all, the Freeholder has a right to send his kids to school whereever he chooses, but let's be honest about it. He's probably sending them because one, he can afford to, and two, those schools ( and I know THE SCHOOLS) are MUCH better than Kearny's public school, both educationally and socially. He wants the best for his children and I can't blame him. Let's not sugar coat it, it is what it is.

[Guest Guest]

first off im a family member of the freeholder he sat his children down and asked them if they wanted to continue in public school (which they were in roosevelt and lincoln for 1-8) or go to private school they chose to go to private themselves. And yes his son chose to go to a catholic school for the reason that kearny high doesnt have religious courses, its not sugar coating. if you don't know why something is chosen then don't accuse.

plus the freeholder pays for his own gas he doesn't accept the free gas.

so your saying that if you were elected freeholder you wouldnt take the car that they give you for your elected duties. if you dont like then run and challenge the system, dont complain on this board.

[Guest lostboys]

i wouldn,t send my kid s to these systems either,Kearny that is. Mine are else where also.Cifelli friend.

[Guest Guest]

first off im a family member of the freeholder he sat his children down and asked them if they wanted to continue in public school (which they were in roosevelt and lincoln for 1-8) or go to private school they chose to go to private themselves. And yes his son chose to go to a catholic school for the reason that kearny high doesnt have religious courses, its not sugar coating. if you don't know why something is chosen then don't accuse.

plus the freeholder pays for his own gas he doesn't accept the free gas.

so your saying that if you were elected freeholder you wouldnt take the car that they give you for your elected duties. if you dont like then run and challenge the system, dont complain on this board.

It's really hard to believe you are a family member because you didn't get my point at all. As a family member, can you see Mary Kate in Kearny High? I don't think so and I'm not even a family member. I was not accusing. I will repeat it for you. They go where they go because their parents can afford it and they are better off educationally and socially than in the Kearny Public Schools. I say good for them.