Bay-Waveland School District

[Bay Rat]

Will somebody who is smarter than me and knows more than the Echo please explain to me why the BWSD just noticed that they might have a million dollar shortfall this year and how they expect the city to "come up" with it? Haven't they been running with the same pre-katrina budget with half the enrollment since the storm hit? Why is it that the other school districts are meeting their educational requirements and have newly rebuilt schools ready to open any day now and the Bay-Waveland District has done either? What have these people been doing? Is Ms. Ladner for real in what she said to WLOX that she wouldn't have really understood budgeting unless this had happened. Wow, our school board did a fabulous job finding a new superintendent. I see great things in the BWSD's future.

[Josephine]

Probably because Eddie spent the money or it went into his warchest. I am sure that they had a budget, but you know the BAy, money for the Mayor, and screw the rest.

[Local]

Does anyone care that the school is going to be asking the city for a million bucks to cover their a$$. Where do you think the money is coming from. New taxes that is where. Why should we have to pay for the schools lack of plan with our hard earned money. Don't make any sense. I can't believe nobody is upset bout this. I am tired of our local governmnet wanting us to bail them out of thier mistakes.

[Josephine]

We should pay for the schools because they educate our children. The schools dont plan their financing, the board does. Take up your gripes with them and quit accusing the schools of being the problem. Im running into quite a few idiots on this site.

[Tax if needed]

When was the last time taxes were raised to support our schools? Maybe its' about time for that instead of ignoring the problem like a lot of other problems were ignored by the city under the PAST admin. Education should be a priority no matter how it needs to happen!
If the PAST admin had paid attention then maybe we wouldnt be in this fix. Maybe the new one will get it straight, but I don't know what the school board has to do also to solve the problems. But the city should help, hell it's our kids education! What is wrong with that?

[Concerned Bay Rat]

This is gross mismanagement by the school administration. For this to have existed since Katrina is terrible. A closer look reveals that the number of kids attending the bay schools has decreased, however the number of administrators has not. Basically, the Bay-Waveland school system is severely top heavy with administrators. Cost cutting measures have not been implemented like the other Katrina affected school systems. In fact, it appears the bay system has grown and continues to grow. Bay High got along very well last year with a Principal and an assistant. Now they are bringing in another assistant from D.C., imagine what that is costing the tax payers. Does a smaller Bay High really need 2 assistant principals? I haven’t seen anything in the news about teachers being cut and programs being cut, but they have. It is a shame that the kids are the one’s losing the programs and teachers when actually the cuts should come from the top. One just has to look across the bay to the Pass and see a Level 5 school system that is run very efficient with probably half the administration that the bay has.

[Agreed]

Mismanagement is the understatement of the year. I don't have a problem with giving more money to support our schools but I do have a problem with giving more money to bureaucrats that don't understand even the basics of budgeting or when to say when to say no too much "fat". You only have to look across the bridge to see how a good public school system in Mississippi is run. Their graduation rate is in the 90th % ours is 70 % their testing scores are much higher than ours they have met or exceeded their minimums for NCLB and they have a higher % of highly qualified teachers on staff. They do this with around the same budget we have per student and they ARE NOT raising taxes or asking for a bailout of $1M. Oh, did I mention they are opening a brand new elementary school this fall and are in the process of renovating the other one. Where exactly is our new elementary school? Oh, I forgot still in trailers. You can't throw more money at this problem. It is going to come down to good leadership and it is obvious we don't have it on the school board or in the current administration.

Concerned Bay Rat wrote:

This is gross mismanagement by the school administration. For this to have existed since Katrina is terrible. A closer look reveals that the number of kids attending the bay schools has decreased, however the number of administrators has not. Basically, the Bay-Waveland school system is severely top heavy with administrators. Cost cutting measures have not been implemented like the other Katrina affected school systems. In fact, it appears the bay system has grown and continues to grow. Bay High got along very well last year with a Principal and an assistant. Now they are bringing in another assistant from D.C., imagine what that is costing the tax payers. Does a smaller Bay High really need 2 assistant principals? I haven’t seen anything in the news about teachers being cut and programs being cut, but they have. It is a shame that the kids are the one’s losing the programs and teachers when actually the cuts should come from the top. One just has to look across the bay to the Pass and see a Level 5 school system that is run very efficient with probably half the administration that the bay has.

[Concerned Bay Rat]

Have you noticed that none of the articles in the Sea Coast Echo have mentioned that the Bay Waveland school system has cut teachers and eliminated programs. The choral program at Bay High has been completely eliminated. The fine arts building, that was paid for by the tax payers for fine arts use, is being used by the coaches. My guess is they will tear the room up playing kick ball. Apparently the principal at Bay High could care less about the impact that the loss of the music program will have. What’s next, the band program? An era comes to an end a Bay High thanks to an incompetent administration. They cut teachers while they are continuing to add administration and secretaries. Have I missed something, isn’t the student enrollment 70% of pre-Katrina yet they continue to add administrators and raise you millage. GIVE ME A BREAK!!

[tax payer]

The Bay-Waveland School Systems mind-body-spirit program, which gives scholarships to teachers through fund raising, may be in violation of MS state code and violates Bay Waveland School Board Policy. MS Code Sec. 25-4-105 states that no public servant shall use his official position to obtain pecuniary benefit for himself other than that compensation provided for by law. In other words, teachers can not receive a monetary benefit based on their position. Further more, the Board Policy, dated 3/26/09 , states “There shall be no fund raising for gifts or any gift giving or any exchange of gifts.” This serious violation of board policy (which involves administrators) should be dealt with in a similar manner that other teachers and personnel that have broken board policy have suffered. We cannot have double standards in the Bay Waveland school system.

[short baggy pants]

why not have double standards in the school system we have em everywhere else. let kids go ahead and learn it while they are young.

[question]

I have passed by the building in the Pass, it looks like an awesome building! I have wondered the same thing, how has the Pass done this and yet we have barely a foundation for our new building. It makes me sad everytime I think about it.

Agreed wrote:

Mismanagement is the understatement of the year. I don't have a problem with giving more money to support our schools but I do have a problem with giving more money to bureaucrats that don't understand even the basics of budgeting or when to say when to say no too much "fat". You only have to look across the bridge to see how a good public school system in Mississippi is run. Their graduation rate is in the 90th % ours is 70 % their testing scores are much higher than ours they have met or exceeded their minimums for NCLB and they have a higher % of highly qualified teachers on staff. They do this with around the same budget we have per student and they ARE NOT raising taxes or asking for a bailout of $1M. Oh, did I mention they are opening a brand new elementary school this fall and are in the process of renovating the other one. Where exactly is our new elementary school? Oh, I forgot still in trailers. You can't throw more money at this problem. It is going to come down to good leadership and it is obvious we don't have it on the school board or in the current administration.
<quoted text>

[question]

Have new positions been added while others have been cut? Could you be more specific please.

Concerned Bay Rat wrote:

Have you noticed that none of the articles in the Sea Coast Echo have mentioned that the Bay Waveland school system has cut teachers and eliminated programs. The choral program at Bay High has been completely eliminated. The fine arts building, that was paid for by the tax payers for fine arts use, is being used by the coaches. My guess is they will tear the room up playing kick ball. Apparently the principal at Bay High could care less about the impact that the loss of the music program will have. What’s next, the band program? An era comes to an end a Bay High thanks to an incompetent administration. They cut teachers while they are continuing to add administration and secretaries. Have I missed something, isn’t the student enrollment 70% of pre-Katrina yet they continue to add administrators and raise you millage. GIVE ME A BREAK!!

[Insurance Sucks]

Interesting that the insurance bill for the school district has gone from $147,000 to $900,000 since the storm. If you aren't paying higher insurance rates for your house you are going to be paying higher taxes to pay for the higher insurance costs of the school. I know that insurance has gone up especially commercial insurance but we don't even have the elementary schools built. How much more is it going to be when they are finished? This is sickening.

[question]

I didn't even think about that. I know for sure there is one less building without North Bay building, could they still be paying on the Second St. building? Also I am sure they are probably paying on Waveland Elem. still since it will be used again.

Insurance Sucks wrote:

Interesting that the insurance bill for the school district has gone from $147,000 to $900,000 since the storm. If you aren't paying higher insurance rates for your house you are going to be paying higher taxes to pay for the higher insurance costs of the school. I know that insurance has gone up especially commercial insurance but we don't even have the elementary schools built. How much more is it going to be when they are finished? This is sickening.

[bay tax payer]

Will someone please explain to my why there is over $14,000 in travel expenses listed in the Bay Waveland school docket for June (see the August 1, 2009 Sea Coast Echo) while the school system is running a deficit and raising taxes?$3520 went to an All Suite resort hotel (Caribe Royal) in Orlando , Fla and $3100 for conference fees. This is bad especially since the school system came begging for a tax increase to cover their mismanagement. Incidentally, the conference was organized by a supplier of yearbooks, rings and other school supplies. Doesn’t that look to be a little too cozy with a school vendor? Couldn’t this possibly influence the schools decision when making competitive purchases? Is this a conflict of interest? This looks just like MDOT all over.

That’s not all; the high school principal has an air fare reimbursement of $5594.00. My gosh, did he fly 1st class to Europe or Australia ? Something has to give here. The school system can’t continue to raise taxes if they are going to continue the fiscal mismanagement. And last but not least,$1005 for a rope conference and $685 for lunch. Give me a Break. The Bay Waveland school system is out of control and the taxpayers are footing the bill.

[shotgun]

i needs a job at the school. when theys run out of moneies theys just get more.

[Smarter than you]

The Mind, Body, Spirit Foundation Inc. was setup through the Hancock County Community Foundation which is a separate 503(c)b - nonprofit organization from the School District in which several district administrators serve on the board as part of their civic duties. Several lawyers serve on both the school and community foundation boards to offer legal counsel. The Foundation is a great effort to a community still in so much need. Perhaps you can reference the Biloxi First Foundation for any further comparisons.

tax payer wrote:

The Bay-Waveland School Systems mind-body-spirit program, which gives scholarships to teachers through fund raising, may be in violation of MS state code and violates Bay Waveland School Board Policy. MS Code Sec. 25-4-105 states that no public servant shall use his official position to obtain pecuniary benefit for himself other than that compensation provided for by law. In other words, teachers can not receive a monetary benefit based on their position. Further more, the Board Policy, dated 3/26/09 , states “There shall be no fund raising for gifts or any gift giving or any exchange of gifts.” This serious violation of board policy (which involves administrators) should be dealt with in a similar manner that other teachers and personnel that have broken board policy have suffered. We cannot have double standards in the Bay Waveland school system.

[Smarty Pants]

It is interesting that the school board has two out of towners on it. Leave it up to short pants ed to put somebody that doesn't live here, doesn't have kids in the school system and isn't in the process of rebuilding a home on this board. The lady that doesn't plan on moving back to bsl should resign. It don't care that her kids continue to go to school here. Either make a commitment to be a full part of the community or get off and let somebody who is already living here with kids in the system serve.

[tax payer]

In comparison of the Biloxi First Foundation to the Bay Waveland Mind, Body , Spirit program, the BFF is geared toward innovative teaching and instructional enhancement. Through the BFF, more students and teachers benefit from the wide distribution of grants. This true for most of the other education foundations in the state. With the BWMBS, only a select few benefit from the grants. And with teachers being the recipient of personal grants, this is where the legality of the process begins to look fuzzy.

As for lawyers serving on the boards, this has always been excellent marketing tool for the lawyers and their firms. Most firms encourage participation in non-profit organizations; in fact, close to 80% of the US firms have lawyers that take a role as member or director of these organizations. What better way to make contact with potential clients.

Even though the BWMBS is a 503(c)b- non profit organization, it unfortunately is exempt from reporting to the MS Secretary of State. We can only hope the BWMBS will be fully open and accountable to the public.

[Unsure]

open to what public... they should be open to the donors. They are the ones who gave the money. If they are comfortable with what is happening then what do you care?