Another Smart Move (Yea) By The WOS School Board

[77]

Its a sad situation indeed, but it as been going on so long now some people believe its a given. Thats one problem with society today everyone thinks they should be given everything and it is passed down from generation to generation.

[mustang mom]

I'm just wondering why some of you that are SOOO against WO-S and the bus program are even on this forum posting. It is a SPORTS forum, therefore, most of the people that post on here are FOR athletics!! Manbe you need to find another forum since you are so against athletics and so for academics. Don't get me wrong! I'm all about the academics but at our place they both go hand in hand.

So maybe you want to find another place to spend your time. This is a SPORTS forum!!

[Tiger90]

You will see the overall education go down, enrollment go down, crime go up all to save some pocket change in this district. .

I read this whole thread and if this statment is indeed true then your community has bigger issues than a few kids not playing sports.

 

Before folks begin comparing tutorial bus trips versus extracurricular you need to get a better grasp on funding.  Title I etc are federal funds designed for academic improvement.  Strict guidelines must be met to receive these funds.  I assure you football practice does not meet the criteria.  Also setting budgets is not based on the immediate economic situation.  Fuels may indeed be cheaper now but when school began they were not.  This topic has been discussed prior to today.

[rhino1877]

I would like to say that football is not put above everything else. With that being said it is very important and keeps alot of kids in school and actually provides them with an education.

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree that "football provides them an education". Colleges graduate maybe 50% of the football players, and also take into account many of the athletes take the simplest classes available. Students should attend school to get an education, "athletics" should not be the motivating factor to keep kids in school. Some schools simply don't get this. Most of the students depend on it and truely need it.

The GURU will now speak on this most unfortunate of topics! First of all bucky, I believe the comment about football helping kids with education was that extra curricular activities gives kids incentive to make good grades, stay in school, and get a college education. This is 100% accurate in the WOS school district. By cutting out transportation for extra curricular activities you will cut out the number of kids that will participate in these activities and will cause some to even not participate in school all together. I have a brother that has worked in this district and I can honestly say that the mismanagement of money for YEARS has caused this district the hardships that it is currently enduring! Unfortunately, the CHILDREN are ALWAYS the ones that SUFFER! Sorry bucky, but the buck stops here and The GURU has spoken!!

I can only speak for my local school district, Silsbee, on this matter. Silsbee does not provide transportation back home for extra curricular activities, yet they have not suffered any loss to speak of in participation. The only numbers that have dropped in Silsbee are due to the population decline, therefore why we are in 3A now. The percentage of students participating in extra curricular have not changed. Silsbee hasn't provided transportation in years.

I think it's great that WOS was still providing transportation for their students. But in these times, it was inevitable that it would change. I think you'll be suprised that the numbers will not drop significantly at WOS because of these changes.

First things is the numbers will drop.... I know it will happen! as far as Silsbee not providing transportation; the number don't lie. Silsbe has more than 840 students and WOS as less than 680 (and dwindling). I do understand and respect your views, but your district has never provided transportation like this.

[KFDM COOP]

I see 2A in the future!

[AggiesAreWe]

WO-C CISD made wise choice with after hours transportation

The Orange Leader

By The Orange Leader

In efforts to save money, the West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District recently made the right decision to eliminate after hours school bus transportation for student athletes.

In a 6-1 vote, trustees voted to stop providing school funded transportation for students after practices and games.

The school board reports it will save approximately $25,866.96 a year.

Students will still be transported to and from activities on buses yet after the activity is over, buses will only deliver students back to campus.

This was a wise, tough decision for the board to make.

The economy is not what it was once and neither is WO-C CISD.

The service of bringing students home after practice or an activity began many years ago at the district when West Orange-Stark was a 4A or 5A school.

Today, enrollment figures and funding are both dropping within the district.

The Mustangs now operate in the 3A ranks and WO-C CISD was the only district within Orange County to provide the service.

By cutting the after hours bus transportation, trustees kept their focus on education first and extra-curricular activities second.

The after hours transportation was a luxary WO-C CISD can no longer afford. It’s better to trim bus rides than teaching staff or educational programs.

Dr. O. Taylor Collins, WO-C CISD superintendent, also left open the possibility the board could review the after hours transportation at a later date.

However, it is unfortunatte the board did not gather input from WO-S Athletic Director Dan Hooks before the meeting.

We all want WOC CISD athletics to strive for excellence and to continue the long-standing tradition of winning the Mustangs have garnered over the years. But the board’s primary focus should be in the classroom

[td]

WO-C CISD made wise choice with after hours transportation

The Orange Leader

By The Orange Leader

In efforts to save money, the West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District recently made the right decision to eliminate after hours school bus transportation for student athletes.

In a 6-1 vote, trustees voted to stop providing school funded transportation for students after practices and games.

The school board reports it will save approximately $25,866.96 a year.

Students will still be transported to and from activities on buses yet after the activity is over, buses will only deliver students back to campus.

This was a wise, tough decision for the board to make.

The economy is not what it was once and neither is WO-C CISD.

The service of bringing students home after practice or an activity began many years ago at the district when West Orange-Stark was a 4A or 5A school.

Today, enrollment figures and funding are both dropping within the district.

The Mustangs now operate in the 3A ranks and WO-C CISD was the only district within Orange County to provide the service.

By cutting the after hours bus transportation, trustees kept their focus on education first and extra-curricular activities second.

The after hours transportation was a luxary WO-C CISD can no longer afford. It’s better to trim bus rides than teaching staff or educational programs.

Dr. O. Taylor Collins, WO-C CISD superintendent, also left open the possibility the board could review the after hours transportation at a later date.

However, it is unfortunatte the board did not gather input from WO-S Athletic Director Dan Hooks before the meeting.

We all want WOC CISD athletics to strive for excellence and to continue the long-standing tradition of winning the Mustangs have garnered over the years. But the board’s primary focus should be in the classroom

The very first thing I noticed about this post is that whoever wrote it didn't have the ..... to put their name to it. Who really cares if a reporter thinks they made the right decision. No where in this article does it say that at the meeting the board's president said the savings would be approximately $35,000. When it was disputed they all said well we just got these figures today. Therefore they didn't even know what the numbers were before they voted. Maybe the amount of employees should be looked at. It's hard for me to make a recommendation on how to fix the budget when I don't have all of the information. I think that's the boards job. What disturbs me is that they made this decision obviously without all of the information themselves. We have been low performing at the middle school for years with no change. That doesn't make sense to me.

[KFDM COOP]

That 35,000 is NOT correct. The correct figure hopefully has already been given back to the board.

[td]

That 35,000 is NOT correct. The correct figure hopefully has already been given back to the board.

They got the figure from Coach but didn't really agree with it on the spot. They did say they would look into it.

[KFDM COOP]

8)

[KFDM COOP]

FROM WOSHIGH POSTER

td, if you would run for school board you would get my vote, along with many others I would bet.

Seriously, that board member needs to be ran off.  He clearly has no interest in the kids.  How many students have their college paid for because of athletics?  Would these same students be able to afford college without athletics?

I would be interested in knowing how many of the school board members actually visit the schools and see how things are going and how often......

As for the buses being cut off, I nominate the board members to sit with the athletes that wait on their ride when practice is over.  What if their ride doesn't show up?  Should the coaches be able to call the board members and get them to bring the kids home?

[Gabe]

td - A name was not put on it because it comes off our Opinion page. The Opinion page team, myself and our publisher, are responsible for its contents.

Now, I never remember writing $35,000. We received the amount of $25,000 from the district. I have seen the paperwork myself. If this amount is proven to be considerably wrong of course I will take a look at it again and determine if I change my mind how I feel about the issue.

Just wanted to clear the air.

[td]

td - A name was not put on it because it comes off our Opinion page. The Opinion page team, myself and our publisher, are responsible for its contents.

Now, I never remember writing $35,000. We received the amount of $25,000 from the district. I have seen the paperwork myself. If this amount is proven to be considerably wrong of course I will take a look at it again and determine if I change my mind how I feel about the issue.

Just wanted to clear the air.

I don't think that you used the $35,000 figure. That came from The school board president himself in a meeting. Have you looked at the number of employees that we have compared to other 3A district or where else we might cut the budget. I agree it needs to be cut. But if you lose 2 kids because of this you have broken even. I'm just curious as to why you think they made the right choice. Tell me what facts that you have looked into that makes this the right choice. Do you think we will lose any kids?

[woshigh]

FROM WOSHIGH POSTER

td, if you would run for school board you would get my vote, along with many others I would bet.

Seriously, that board member needs to be ran off.  He clearly has no interest in the kids.  How many students have their college paid for because of athletics?  Would these same students be able to afford college without athletics?

I would be interested in knowing how many of the school board members actually visit the schools and see how things are going and how often......

As for the buses being cut off, I nominate the board members to sit with the athletes that wait on their ride when practice is over.  What if their ride doesn't show up?  Should the coaches be able to call the board members and get them to bring the kids home?

I added a little more. 

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[KFDM COOP]

[Gabe]

The Opinion selection gives my reasons, based on the $25,000 figure. Whether it is an accurage figure will determine my future opinion.

[venom33]

td - A name was not put on it because it comes off our Opinion page. The Opinion page team, myself and our publisher, are responsible for its contents.

Now, I never remember writing $35,000. We received the amount of $25,000 from the district. I have seen the paperwork myself. If this amount is proven to be considerably wrong of course I will take a look at it again and determine if I change my mind how I feel about the issue.

Just wanted to clear the air.

I don't think that you used the $35,000 figure. That came from The school board president himself in a meeting. Have you looked at the number of employees that we have compared to other 3A district or where else we might cut the budget. I agree it needs to be cut. But if you lose 2 kids because of this you have broken even. I'm just curious as to why you think they made the right choice. Tell me what facts that you have looked into that makes this the right choice. Do you think we will lose any kids?

I totally believe that we should continue the transportation for the students if possible but NOT at the expense of cutting jobs!!!!

[AggiesAreWe]

td - A name was not put on it because it comes off our Opinion page. The Opinion page team, myself and our publisher, are responsible for its contents.

Now, I never remember writing $35,000. We received the amount of $25,000 from the district. I have seen the paperwork myself. If this amount is proven to be considerably wrong of course I will take a look at it again and determine if I change my mind how I feel about the issue.

Just wanted to clear the air.

I don't think that you used the $35,000 figure. That came from The school board president himself in a meeting. Have you looked at the number of employees that we have compared to other 3A district or where else we might cut the budget. I agree it needs to be cut. But if you lose 2 kids because of this you have broken even. I'm just curious as to why you think they made the right choice. Tell me what facts that you have looked into that makes this the right choice. Do you think we will lose any kids?

I totally believe that we should continue the transportation for the students if possible but NOT at the expense of cutting jobs!!!!

Now there's a voice of reason. Good one Venom33.

[td]

td - A name was not put on it because it comes off our Opinion page. The Opinion page team, myself and our publisher, are responsible for its contents.

Now, I never remember writing $35,000. We received the amount of $25,000 from the district. I have seen the paperwork myself. If this amount is proven to be considerably wrong of course I will take a look at it again and determine if I change my mind how I feel about the issue.

Just wanted to clear the air.

I don't think that you used the $35,000 figure. That came from The school board president himself in a meeting. Have you looked at the number of employees that we have compared to other 3A district or where else we might cut the budget. I agree it needs to be cut. But if you lose 2 kids because of this you have broken even. I'm just curious as to why you think they made the right choice. Tell me what facts that you have looked into that makes this the right choice. Do you think we will lose any kids?

I totally believe that we should continue the transportation for the students if possible but NOT at the expense of cutting jobs!!!!

Now there's a voice of reason. Good one Venom33.

I never said keep it at the expense of anyones job. What I'm saying is that we still have employees like we are a 5A school. If we have too many employees then some positions need to be cut. That has nothing to do with the busing. If we are over budget by a couple of million dollars, that should tell you something.

[smitty]

I had to find myself a way home after practice every time.  What's the problem? 

Source kogt

Buses making late night runs in the West Orange-Cove school district  come to an end Friday after the school board voted 6-1 to stop student transportation after practice and games for junior high and high school athletes.  It's a service that the district has been providing for years and one of the few to do so.  Newton also buses athletes home but that's because of the large area the district encompasses.  They say the reason for the cut is that the district is having to find ways to cut costs.  There was a packed house at Tuesday's meeting filled with people who were upset with the vote.  Athletic Director Dan Hooks spoke and disputed the districts report that it was costing $35,000 a year to bus athletes.  He said his calculation is closer to $9000 but trustees didn't give much attention to the report according to the coach.  The only member who voted against the move was Ricky Jacobs who said he felt the transportation was needed with the districts demographics.  "Athletics is keeping a lot of these kids in school and not all have transportation."

[skipper]

what year did you play at wo-s

[smitty]

Was not there.  Speaking in general.  Saving $35,000 a year is a good thing.

what year did you play at wo-s

[mjones830]

Wow, most students within the WOS school district reside within a  6-8 mile or less radius, all in the city of Orange, What about Buna, Orangefield, Vidor, LCM, Deweyville and other schools in the immediate area.  They have students that reside as far as 20 to 25 miles away from their perspective schools.  They also have single mothers and fathers that reside in these school districts as well.

[rhino1877]

Was not there.  Speaking in general.  Saving $35,000 a year is a good thing.

what year did you play at wo-s

That is what Coach Hooks was saying... It was not even close to 35,000..more like 10,000. And I had to find my way home as well, but the situation is a little more different here.

[td]

Wow, most students within the WOS school district reside within a  6-8 mile or less radius, all in the city of Orange, What about Buna, Orangefield, Vidor, LCM, Deweyville and other schools in the immediate area.  They have students that reside as far as 20 to 25 miles away from their perspective schools.  They also have single mothers and fathers that reside in these school districts as well.

What about them? We aren't talking about them. Don't forget we have an open campus. So how in the world would you know where the kids live? Do the majority of them live in the city? Yes. But again it's an open campus so they don't have to live in the city or the school district.