ideasfortps.com

Where can I get a copy of the TPS budget?

Submitted by chrismyers on Sun, 02/21/2010 - 11:46

They seem to have mysteriously disappeared from TPS's Web site. Why are they not on the Web site? Yes I can go and "kiss the ring" and ask for it, but it is this type of stuff we should not need to waist any TPS time over. Hey that is a money saving idea, make all public information public.

Heat and power Leverette, Admin Building, and Woodward HS from landfill gas.

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 20:00

Being these three(4 old and new Leverette) buildings are so close together and close to the Hoffman Road landfill, why not the district and the city partner to use the energy generated to power these buildings. Possible savings: $50,000 a year.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/NEWS06/60...

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060926/NEWS06/60...

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&lr=&q=Hoffman+Road+toledo+ohio&ie=UTF8...

School Security

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:59

School Security
Posted on Tuesday, October 23 @ 15:00:41 EDT by chrismyers

Anonymous writes "For the most part, TPS building and campus is 'an accident waiting to happen'. Most of the buildings were designed when shootings and/or hostages were NOT a security factor. I counted the number of ground level doors at Waite several years ago. Care to guess how many there are? Knock on a side door of an elementary building and chances are some unsuspecting student will open the door .

New TPS website

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:58

dj writes "I'm all for open access to elected officials. You do know that emails to the Board members are screened within your (Administration) building don't you? Board members don't want to be bothered with petty annoyances like public questions. Administrators and supervisors I work with like to keep them in the dark on purpose. (Oh well, it's a job!)

So, direct your emails to board members personally (unless they change these soon) -- for all who may need them --

New insurance options

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:57

TPS's own numbers state they will save 8 million a year by switching from self insured to a managed care plan. While a managed care plan would not be for everyone, why not provide some traditional plans and manage plans. Of course there would need to be negotiations with the unions, but it can be a win win because the district would save money and the Unions could keep and save their jobs.

Estimated savings 3-8 million dollars a year depending on plans.

See http://www.ideasfortps.com/downloads/02insprop.pdf for the district numbers.

Implement district school choice

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:57

If you remove district boundaries, schools would need to be much more efficient in their operation. Students would flock toward the good schools rather quickly, and bad schools would be forced to get better and become innovative. This competition will create efficiencies.

Outsource school maintenence

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:55

TPSInsider writes "An article in the Detroit News said Jackson Public Schools expects to save $193 per student per year by contracting out school maintenance.

See: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061124/OPINION01/611...

Have teachers renegotiate pay raises

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:54

TPSInsider writes "Teachers should work with the district to renegotiate pay raises. Maybe they could pursue different health care options and the savings could come back as raises.

See: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061130/OPINION02...

Try to resolve problems first by making a phone call not using a lawyer

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:54

In a similar vein like the be polite thread, if the district has a problem, they should first try to call or contact the person in question using staff to see if it can be resolved. They should not first hire a lawyer at taxpayer expense when something most likely could have been worked out in a conversation with staff member.

Doughnuts for Daylight

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:52

Become an Energy Activist. Sixth-grade students at Buist Academy in Charleston, S.C. created a "donuts for daylight" campaign that raised money from community sponsors for five new high performance windows that let sunlight in while keeping heat out.

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LED Exit Signs

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:52

Ask your custodian what types of light bulbs are used in corridors, classrooms and EXIT signs. Florida's Broward School District is saving $100,000 a year by replacing 40 watt light bulbs with three watt LED bulbs in its EXIT signs.

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Start Student Energy Patrol

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:51

Start an Energy Patrol. The Little Rock School District has pioneered the use of Energy Patrols. More than 1,500 students evaluate and monitor the use of lighting, air conditioning, heating and other energy systems on a daily basis. Their efforts have helped the school district save over $700,000.

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Turn off computers

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:50

Turn off computers and lights when you leave school. A computer left on 24 hours a day wastes $224 a year in electricity. By shutting off their 60,000 computers at the end of the school day, students in Clark County School District in Nevada will save over $1 million in energy costs by year-end 2002.

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Sell naming rights to sport facilities.

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:50

Sell naming rights to district field houses – Annual income of $400,000
Sell advertising in football stadiums and sport complexes – Annual income of $100,000

http://www.commercialalert.org/news/Archive/2002/08/naming-rights-sold-t...

Have volunteer assistant coaches

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:49

Some parents have offered to be assistant coaches. Let them volunteer, but they should be committed.

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Require admins to teach classes

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:49

Requiring all administrators to teach one class a semester so they could see firsthand how programs are implemented and whether they work.

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Use school facilities for meetings and banquets

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:48

Use school facilities for meetings and banquets
Posted on Thursday, November 16 @ 18:00:00 EST by chrismyers

Using free school district meeting rooms for teacher training and banquets instead of renting commercial space.

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Use more in house experts

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:41

Using "free" in-house experts for teacher training sessions instead of paying outside experts.

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VOIP for communications

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:40

Chicago Public Schools deploys citywide VoIP to cut costs, improve communication VoIP to lift $6-million Centrex weight off the city of broad shoulders, IT officials say. By Phil Hochmuth, NetworkWorld.com, 11/07/06 The Chicago Public Schools, the nation's third-largest school system, is starting a five-year VoIP rollout this month to improve communications among teachers and parents, while slashing millions of dollars in recurring telecom and maintenance expenses out of the school's budget, city IT officials say.Read the entire Network World article here.

Sponsors for Sports Teams

Submitted by chrismyers on Sat, 02/20/2010 - 19:39

Have athletic companies sponsor uniforms for district sport teams - Income of $7k a school plus good uniforms.