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Middletown Fall 2013 Voter Guide

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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 29 2013 at 3:33pm
Change takes a village and organization, and of course, leadership.
 
The failure to the present, has been leadership. The Forbes article seemingly incited current council members for a call to arms. Using an analogy, FORBES is highly respected and certainly objective, not written with malice or deliberate attempt to inflict harm. The publication was like going to an oncologist, and being told you have six months to live, get your affairs in order, and make the best of your time.
 
Present council members and MMF, did not like the prognosis. They acted like an ancient witch doctor, and told the patient, no, I don't see it that way. I just have a bad cough, I am going to go for my run, and act like this never happened. Unfortunately, the leadership is the Indian medicine man, not the trained oncologist, as the leadership.
 
Most people I know are hunkering down, prepared to stay here for life (forgetting about that move to South Carolina or Florida for retirement), and insulated. In other words, doing exactly what sj described.
 
But....the continuation of the use of taxes on depreciating assets just won't fly going forward. If it does, Roger Reynolds better hire some extra staff and request added budget $ from the commissioners, to handle the property tax appeals.
 
I recommend you adhere to the oncologist (Forbes) and not the medicine man (council), when plotting your future steps. 
         
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Perplexed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Perplexed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 29 2013 at 4:14pm
Aptly put, Acclaro.  So sad to read the commentaries of Vivian Moon, VietVet, Mike Presta, etc.  They're painfully aware of the better days here.  I commend them for trying to bring about badly needed change.  Stay the course, people.  There is always hope for better days.  You do yeoman work in keeping the bureaucrats and politicians on their toes.
 
ClapClapClap
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processor View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 29 2013 at 4:23pm
Acclaro,
How, on the one hand, can you deride the city council and school board for trying to improve Middletown and, in your most recent post, promote accepting a do nothing fatalism?
 
Reasonable people can disagree on methods, but I can't accept advocating...just let Middletown die.  Maybe it will, but we should go down swinging.
 
 
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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 29 2013 at 5:02pm
processor, please allow me to correct such suggestion of acceptance of Middletown's demise; my point was the wrong leadership, my analogy in the medicine man, in the form of current council, is wrong and ill equipped for the challenges it faces, with the exception of raising taxes, Simply put, that is inevitable. It will come, so one choses to move out and move on, or hunker down, and be prepared to be taxed.
Ms. Andrew has objectively admitted:
1) The new school, Vail, will NOT:
     a) Improve schools
     b) Improve property values
     c) Increase enrollment
Hence; what is left- but a choice of leaving Middletown, avoiding Middletown, or accepting the fate of taxes?
As for motivating students whom don't wish to be motivated, or care, or have dire situations, which we comprehend, if we are to cheerlead now, who does so at the university/ college level? Professors don't, be prepared, or fail. Further, 45% of college grads can't find employment in their field or major; graduating attorneys are working as paralegals for 12.00/hr; physicians are leaving Family Practice, et al. A building does not inspire, nor motivate; hope and drive does, and seeing some glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. All for providing light....just am not sold on the rather anemic payment of the building light, and heat, as a sole means of justification of a building.
 
Ms. Andrew, Darden and UVa law buildings were renovated because of growth, and UVa's great academics for price pt. I can name 20 buildings at Washington and Lee built in the 1800's that are used for classrooms, that chemistry majors use, as with countless institutions.
 
For some reason, Ohio has property owners trained, a building must be torn down every 30-40 years, and a new one built, when surrounded by state and private universities coveting classes in 200 year old buildings. Apparently, William and Mary and Harvard haven't figured out they could save electricity by destroying their buildings every 40 years. .    
 
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Marcia Andrew View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 29 2013 at 5:36pm
Acclaro, I have not admitted any of those things.  A new middle school may not magically a) improve schools [I guess you mean test scores; clearly a new school building will improve the school buildings], b) improve property values and c) increase enrollment, ALL BY ITSELF. BUT, it is a necessary piece of what must be done to achieve those three things.  Also, I think that a new middle school, even if no other improvement occurs, will increase enrollment, because currently a decent number of families, who have been happy enough with the (new) elementaries, leave the district rather than send their kids to Vail.
 
I have no knowledge about UVA Business School (Darden), but the law school has not increased its class size.  I graduated in 1988 with a class size of 375.  I just checked their website and this year's class is 357.  They built new buildings because they knew they needed them to compete with other top law schools for students.  Same concept is a factor here -- all the surrounding public schools have built new buildings recently, and all have open enrollment.
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Neil Barille View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Neil Barille Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 29 2013 at 7:40pm
A vote for this levy is, in part, a continuing manifestation of our "suburbia inferiority complex", as if trying to build schools that look on the outside like a school in Mason or West Chester will magically take us there.  
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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 6:39am
Ms. Andrew......

"A new middle school may not magically a) improve schools [I guess you mean test scores; clearly a new school building will improve the school buildings], b) improve property values and c) increase enrollment, ALL BY ITSELF. BUT, it is a necessary piece of what must be done to achieve those three things".


NO!!!!!!! WRONG MS. ANDREW!!!!! WRONG!

YOUR STATEMENT..."IT IS A NECESSARY PIECE OF WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ACHIEVE THOSE THREE THINGS" IE- TEST SCORES, IMPROVE BUILDINGS, AND IMPROVE PROPERTY VALUES.

THE "NEW" ELEMENTARIES HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2003.(IS THAT YEAR CORRECT?) THAT GIVES US 10 YEARS TO EVALUATE WHAT THE "NEW" SCHOOL BUILDING THEME HAS DONE FOR US. HAVE THEY INCREASED TEST PERFORMANCE? NOT REALLY. NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE AN IMPACT TO ADVANCE THE SCHOOL'S RATING. YES, THEY HAVE UPGRADED THE SCHOOL BUILDING FACILITIES.....SO WHAT? THE ELEMENTARIES LOOK LIKE SMALL COLLEGE CAMPUSES BUT NOTHING EARTH-SHATTERING HAS COME FROM THESE NEW FACILITES. BEEN ABOUT THE SAME AS WHAT THE OLD ELEMENTARIES WERE PRODUCING HASN'T IT? IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE IN THE NEW BUILDINGS? DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT. AND, THOSE PROPERTY VALUES.......THE BUTLER COUNTY AUDITOR HAS ACTUALLY DE-VALUED MIDDLETOWN PROPERTIES IF YOU LOOK AT THE AUDITOR'S SITE. LIKE ALOT OF TOWNS OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, PROPERTY VALUE HAS GONE DOWN ALONG WITH PROPERTY TAXES. THE NEW ELEMENTARIES DIDN'T MAKE ONE BIT OF IMPACT IN HOLDING PROPERTY VALUES IN CHECK. IN A BAD ECONOMY, PEOPLE AREN'T NOTICING HOW NICE THE SCHOOLS ARE. THEY'RE JUST WORRIED IF THEY'LL HAVE A JOB TOMORROW OR NOT AND HOW THEY'LL PAY THE BILLS COMING UP. YOUR ARGUMENTS FOR BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS IS CHECKMATED BY WHAT THE ELEMENTARIES HAVE PRODUCED. THEY ARE A CLASSIC COMPARISON BETWEEN THE RESULTS OF PERFORMANCE IN AN OLD SCHOOL VERSUS PERFORMANCE IN A NEWLY BUILT SCHOOL......NO REAL DIFFERENCE IN END RESULTS. IF SO, WHY DO YOU STILL WANT TO BUILD YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL MS. ANDREW? BECAUSE YOUR BOARD AND THE SCHOOL PEOPLE JUST WANT A NEW BUILDING TO WORK IN, THAT'S IT. MIS-FOCUSED REASON TO MENTION THAT "IF WE GET THE VOTERS, ONCE AGAIN, TO LET GO OF SOME MORE BOND MONEY, THE STATE WILL PONY UP 26% OF THE COST (OR WHATEVER PERCENTAGE THEY WILL PAY). DON'T UNDERSTAND----THE DEAL IS IN THE BARGAIN BIN SO LET'S BUY IT, EVEN THOUGH THE LAST BOND LEVY WE ASKED PEOPLE TO ACCEPT DIDN'T PRODUCE ANY REAL ROI ON OUR INVESTMENT? THE SECOND GO-AROUND IN YOUR BOND LEVY PLAN FOR A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL IS NOT WORTH APPROVING BASED ON YOUR FIRST ROUND OF BOND LEVY MONEY END RESULTS. THIS THINKING REMINDS ME OF THE STAY AT HOME MOM WHO WATCHES THE SHOPPING NETWORKS ON SAT TV AND BUYS ITEMS JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ON SALE, NOT BECAUSE IT IS REALLY NEEDED.

YOU NEED TO PROVE TO US TAXPAYERS THAT THE MONEY SPENT ON THE ELEMENTARIES WAS A GOOD DEAL BEFORE YOU COME AT US AGAIN WITH ROUND TWO FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL. YOU HAVE NOT DONE THAT AS YET. TO DATE, WE THE PEOPLE, HAVE GOTTEN NOTHING FOR APPROVING YOUR 45 MIL BOND LEVY. WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR MORE? NEW SCHOOLS OR NOT, WE'RE STILL AT THE BOTTOM ON INDICATORS, PROFICIENCY TESTING AND STUCK IN CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF SPENDING MORE MONEY IF THE PERFORMANCE REMAINS THE SAME? DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY LEVY APPROVERS DON'T SEE THAT.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 6:46am
Ms. Andrew.....

"They built new buildings because they knew they needed them to compete with other top law schools for students. Same concept is a factor here -- all the surrounding public schools have built new buildings recently, and all have open enrollment"

BUT MIDDLETOWN IS NOT IN THE RUNNING TO COMPETE WITH SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS. MORE PEOPLE LEAVING THE DISTRICT THAN COMING IN. PEOPLE ARE EITHER LEAVING MIDDLETOWN ALTOGETHER OR STAYING AND PULLING THEIR KIDS OUT OF THE MIDDLETOWN SCHOOLS TO ENROLL THEM IN CHARTER SCHOOLS AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS WITH OPEN ENROLLMENT WITH BETTER ACADEMICS AND REPUTATION. ONE REASON THE MIDDLETOWN SCHOOLS HAVE A DECLINING ENROLLMENT, RIGHT MS. ANDREW?

CONTENT (AS IN EXCELLENT ACADEMICS), NOT NEW BUILDING SURFACE FLUFF GETS THE DISTRICT NOTICED AND STOPS THE DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT. NEW BUILDINGS ARE NOT A SELLING POINT IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT SUBPAR ACADEMICS ARE INSIDE.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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ktf1179 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ktf1179 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 9:14am
It not just the students leaving Middletown, there are a lot of people that are leaving Middletown. Everywhere I look in the Ayrshire neighborhood I am seeing For Sale signs in yards of people who have nice and well maintained yards.  These are people who have lived in Middletown for years, who have had enough with the city.  And the people who are now moving into these houses, tend to be people who were able to get the houses dirt cheap and don't care about how their house looks like in the neighborhood. Just drive up Vancouver St., and you will see what I mean.

I can't blame the long time residents for leaving due to the once great school system that is now struggling to keep up with state standards. With the city government neglecting the streets and curbs of the neighborhoods where these people live in.  And add to that the rise of Section 8 people, crime, and drug addicts moving in these neighborhoods, they act like a cancer that slowly drives away the good people of a neighborhood, as replicates itself until the neighborhoods are dead and are no longer desirable to live in, except for other Section 8 residents.

I like to think I am optimistic about the future of Middletown. I do believe that efforts of the School Teachers and Staff are trying very hard to achieve a good raiting for the school dristrict. But they have a up hill battle thanks to the City allowing the Crime to increase thanks to Section 8 housing, and parents that would rather abuse and lock there kids in a basement, then be active and encourage their children to learn and be successful.

I strongly believe that we will start to see an increase in student scores and performance, once the City of Middletown begins to fix the crime problem, drives out the section 8 residents, and improve the infrastructure of the city, and change it's image on the evening news from being a town of shootings and animal / people abuse, to a city that is safe to live in and raise a family. Once that happens, Middletown will become desirable to live in again for the Middle and Upper income people. Once there is a healthy Community then the test score will rise on there own.

Yes a New school would help the environment that the students learn in, but it is only a small solution to a bigger problem. The main problem is the type of citizens we now have living in Middletown. You can have the best teachers, staff and all the tax money in the world for the school system, but if these kids go home to a house that has a parent that is a drug user, or abusive, or neglectful,  that child will act out in school and will lack the motivation to succeed in classes and in life. They will then fall into the trap of Crime, drug use, and Government dependency as they cycle keeps going generation after generation.

And that is why so many people on this forum believes that a new Middle School will not solve the bigger issues that are going on with Student Performance.

My parents suggested that I should vote for the new school, because it will help make the community more desirable to people not from the area, and it will raise property values. That would be true in Mason, and Springboro, but I am not sure if it will work in Middletown.

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processor View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 9:48am
ktf1179,
You make some great points and I agree with nearly all of them except your conclusion to not vote for the levy.  I agree that all the things you mentioned, crime, section 8, poverty, infrastructure, etc must be changed/improved for Middletown to turn the corner and re-become the community it was and the community we all desire.  However, I believe that you can't do it linearly.  It needs to be attacked all at once.  If you try and solve one problem at a time, we all will be dead and gone before we see any major improvements.  I haven't heard anyone claim that the new/re-habbed buildings will solve the academic issues with our schools.  Nor have I heard anyone argue that it will solve the crime and poverty problems.  What it is though is ONE necessary component of the rebirth of Middletown.  It needs to be done.  I agree with your parents.  It will help and make a positive difference.  Ms. Andrew is correct that many people are relatively satisfied with our elementary schools, but move their children, or their whole families before they allow their kids to go to Vail.    As Acclaro stated, we need to improve the demand for Middletown.  Having parents concerned about Vail does exactly the opposite.  We need to remove this as an issue.
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ktf1179 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ktf1179 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 10:11am
Actually my mind is still not made up yet, and I still may vote for the school. As for can I afford the additional taxes? Yes, before I bought my house I setup direct deposit into separate account just for the max mortgage payment of $700 per month, right now I am paying around $676 per month. I would rather the extra money go to paying down the principal instead of taxes, but if taxes go up I have some wiggle room but that would be it. If any other levies were to pass down the road, I would have to re-adjust my direct deposit, which would mean less money for other bills. 
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Perplexed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Perplexed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 10:32am
Comments by ktff1179, Acclaro, Viet Vet, etc., underscore the fact that some disturbing trends are occurring in some neighborhoods east of Brieil Blvd. after all. Why is this?
 
First of all, consider declining residential property values.  Second, a look at demographic data shows that median household income citywide and east of Brieil Blvd. is trending downward.  Third, what is happening to the percentage of home ownership?  Fourth, there's the issue of declining population.
 
Once again, what have senior city staff done to address the above four issues?  How have they fared in utilizing federal tax dollars in promoting safe and physically sound neighborhoods?  What have (and are) their actions doing to remedy the lack of stability in neighborhoods west of Brieil Blvd.  Think about it.
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processor View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 10:34am
ktf..I'm glad that you're doing the research necessary to make an informed decision and are considering all points of view.  I wish more people did the work before forming an opinion.
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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 2:41pm
To be frank, upon reading the posts of ktf and processor, I believe I am reading the prepared talking points of Ann Mort.
 
Lets examine Ms. Andrew's 'May' articulation what may occur with the new building, and now the coupling of the argument new schools are part of rebirth of Middletown? Rebirth....may I get what you are smoking, or lavender scent filing your respective rooms, respectfully stated?
 
Middletown built elementary schools 10 years ago, which did not:
 
1) Raise property values
 
2) Raise scores
 
3) Increase enrollment
 
Now the argument advanced is this cannot be linear in nature, the rebirth, but (I assume), serial. Well, there is absolutely no correlation with building a school upon parity, using the vernacular Neil Bareille used, 'manifestation of urban paranoia" or something similar, which causes a rebirth. Such assertion is frankly, devoid of merit and reasoned thought. Unless you are basing 'rebirth' on a suggestion Middletown gets a new building, so that is rebirth.
 
Here's my suggestion for rebirth:
 
1. Medium income per household, hits $95,000. annually in todays dollar.
 
2. School dropout is less than 2% annually, not 19%.
 
3. 98% of students go on to graduate or at least begin, undergraduate work.
 
4. Schools are Excellence in rating.
 
5. Property valuation for residents per annum, exceeds 10%. Do any of you even have a clue on a 35 year trend line on Middletown? It is negative (-), even keeping up with marginal CPI (inflation), of 2.5% per annum. Consider: Beautiful white historic completely redone, Thorn Hill, bought in 1985, $300,000 sold in AUGUST, 2013, $335,000. Now, take cpi, X 28 yrs: Break even pt would net $510,000 on simple annual appreciation, discounting NFV of capital.
 
Consider- 525 Thorn Hill, 3 acres, prominent physician, moved out, built in 2005 (or thereabouts), 3 acres, custom build, listed currently by Real Living, initial investment > $500,000. Listing today: $359,000, and just LOWERED. Interesting tax valuation is about $160,000 BTW, on a $360,000 house.
 
Consider- former Dr. Jackson Central Ave. house, bought > 10 years ago, $375,000, > $125,000. put in; sold in summer 2013: $285,000. Previous Owner- moved to West Chester- > 50 year resident.
 
And on and on. da Vinci, Curryer, et al.
 
Building a new school does nothing to create a rebirth in Middletown. Its an action to be done, when  the true elements of new generation occurs. Build it and they will come, has failed repeatedly. With one exception. Section 8.
 
I add: how are any of you on the 'rebirth' train, squaring the City of Middletown's own stated goal of getting population down to under 30,000 (that effects school size and housing demand directly), squaring the four corners with some element of property increased valuation? And in light of factual, quantitative data?
 
What brought residents and businesses to Middletown even 30 years ago, IS NOT what will bring them to the city today. Turnarounds work, but only when there is recognition of what needs to be done in amenities. Right now, everyone is chasing a dream of parity so far reaching, making Middletown West Chester, Mason, Indian Hills, it can be described as the Greek figure in myth pushing the rock up hill his entire life.
 
Face facts: if you want to pass the levy state the obvious: it buys the city time.      
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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ktf1179 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ktf1179 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 3:15pm
Am I expecting a Indian hill, Mason, or Springboro in Middletown of course not. But I would like to see is a functional local government that is focused on priorities, and is budget conscious. I would be fine with Middletown being like  Franklin, Lebanon, Miamisburg, and a the schools having Good rating. Would I like an excellent rating absolutely, but I know in a town this size it is not possible.

The Fact is we all need to start to turn this town around our selves, by turning in problem properties and neighbors into the city or police, even if it takes multiple calls to do so. Middletown has a very tough ordinances when it comes to properties, they are even tougher than Springboro. But if no one calls in about problem properties and neighbors, our property values will stay low.

In fact I even mow the lawn of the house next to me, because the owners decided to leave it and let the house go into foreclosure. I have checked with the former owners and the city and they were both okay with me taking care of it.  I do this because it helps keeps the street looking well maintained. I could let it continue to grow, and call the city and wait for them to mow it, but I figure it is just as easy for me to take care of the outside of it when I mow my lawn. And that way I know it is being taken care of. In fact the yard now looks better than when the previous owners lived there.

It is that proactive take charge attitude that we need in this city to begin to turn this city around.
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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 3:21pm
Commendable ktf.
 
If time permits, please lobby council and JG, LL, on putting the city ordinance back in place for road dedication; that is a tough ordinance the city foolishly abolished 'temporarily.' I'd be interested to learn how the road matter and disrepair, figures in your calculus of rebirth. There is no rebirth with roads; it takes priority over a school building.  
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote processor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 3:42pm
Acclaro,
I've been called many names...some good and some bad...but have never been compared to Ann Mort.
 
Regarding property values, look at the Case Shiller index and you'll see that a decrease in property values has NOT been strictly a Middletown issue.  Some areas have had a 40% decrease in value!   It's happened around the country.  Plus, the 525 Thorn Hill was not owned by a physician who moved, it was owned by a business guy who died.  House has issues and was initially listed way too high.  Maybe a seller's issue and not necessarily a Middletown issue. 
 
Ktf...Middletown needs a 1,000 like you.  Keep the faith and the good work.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 30 2013 at 3:44pm
To repeat, I am not saying that a new school building will, by itself, improve test scores.  There are many factors that impact student performance on standardized tests, and the district has initiatives in place to address the factors that we have some control over.
 
HOWEVER, to respond to the several posters who state that test scores have not gone up since the new elementary schools were built, here is the data:
 
3 new schools and 1 renovated school were ready for the 2006-07 school year.  The other 3 new elementary schools and 1 more renovated school were opened for the 2008-09 school year.  So, 2007-08 was the last year before all K-5 students attended new buildings.  Here are the scores for the 2008 school year, compared to last year 2013:
 
3rd grade reading: 2008--65.8% pass    2013--73.6% pass
3rd grade math:     2008--61.5% pass    2013--69.5% pass
 
4th grade reading: 2008--65.3% pass     2013--82.3% pass
4th grade math:     2008--51.3% pass     2013--70.6% pass
 
5th grade reading: 2008--57.1% pass     2013--66.4% pass
5th grade math:     2008--36.7% pass     2013--58.6% pass
5th grade science: 2008--42.4% pass     2013--47.5% pass
 
From 2008 to 2013, the Performance Index score (a composite of the overall test results for all tested grades and subjects) rose from 80.0 to 88.5.
 
THe percentage of students who passed went up in every subject grades 3 through 5 (the grades in the elementary schools).  I am not claiming this increase was the result of new buildings.  The district was implementing a number of programs during this time to improve teaching and raise test scores.  I am just saying, it is demonstrably false to say that test scores did NOT go up during this time period.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 12:48am
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 1:08am
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 6:08am
Originally posted by acclaro acclaro wrote:




http://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/Pages/District-Report.aspx?DistrictIRN=044404
 
 
 



Interesting acclaro.

2012-2013 school year

Grad Rate - F/D

Gap Closing (answers the question- is every student succeeding?)- F

Achievement Perf Index- C

Indicators Met- F

Progress Overall- A

Gifted- C

Don't understand how the overall rating can be an A when the majority of the letter ratings are a C or below.

Not that great, right? Kinda conflicts with the good news on the comparison from 2008 to current on percentages for elementary kids posted by Ms. Andrew. Guess the same set of statistics can be viewed by 10 people resulting in 10 different assessments on whether the glass is half full or half empty. Doesn't this tell us that post new schools hasn't really given us any advantage?

What do you think about this report Ms. Andrew?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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ktf1179 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ktf1179 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 7:57am
I am curious to find out what is happening to these students after they graduate? Are they going to college? What type of jobs are they working? How many end up committing crimes? and How many needs Government Assistance? To me that is how school performance should be judged, by what the former students are doing in the Real World, and not by some government officials coming up with a grading system they think is correct.
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Marcia Andrew View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 1:25pm
Vet, I discussed these report card results for the most recent school year at length (with you) in the discussion headed "Report Cards Are In."  I am not going to repeat.  In short, there is nothing inconsistent between these results and my comparison of the results from 5 years ago.  The data shows -- as I have been saying for 5 years -- that the Middletown School District is slowly increasing the student test scores, but the percentage of passing students is still below where we want it to be.  When you start at 30 -40% passing in some grades/subjects, it takes a while to get to the magic, arbitrary cutoff of 75% passing that the State has determined to be the measure of success. 
 
ktf, we would like to have more data on what happens to our graduates after they graduate, too, but it is mostly not available to us.  We do have an exit survey for seniors as to their plans, but it is their choice to fill it out and not all do.  I don't have the results with me, but a good percentage (my memory is more than 50% but less than 75%) go on to college.  We don't know whether they graduate from college or in how many years.. I think the state is making some changes that will provide high schools with more information about how their graduates do in college--at least if they go to Ohio public universities.  We have no data on type of jobs, crimes, welfare, etc, other than general data that show that high school graduates are much less likely to go to jail or be on welfare than dropouts.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 2:23pm
Ms. Andrew:

"Vet, I discussed these report card results for the most recent school year at length (with you) in the discussion headed "Report Cards Are In." I am not going to repeat"

IF YOU RE-READ MY QUESTION ABOVE, MS. ANDREW, I DID NOT ASK YOU TO REPEAT ANYTHING. I ASK YOU HOW YOU FELT ABOUT ACCLARO'S ARTICLE AS TO THE DATA IT PRESENTS.

Ms. Andrew:

"In short, there is nothing inconsistent between these results and my comparison of the results from 5 years ago"

SO, BY YOUR OWN ADMISSION, THE DATA IN THE 2012-2013 REPORT FROM ACCLARO IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE DATA FROM 2007-2008? NO EYE-OPENING PROGRESS IN FIVE YEARS? WAIT A MINUTE.....YOU PRESENTED DATA LISTED ABOVE IN YOUR POST THAT INDICATES THAT THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT IN MOST GRADES IN MATH AND SCIENCE BETWEEN PRE-NEW SCHOOLS AND POST-NEW SCHOOLS. YOUR DATA SHOWS MEASUREABLE IMPROVEMENT IN PERCENTAGES. ACCLARO'S DATA SHOWS A TREND TOWARD MEDIOCRITY IN LETTER GRADES, INCLUDING, IN SOME CASES, FAILURE. HOW CAN WE HAVE PERCENTILE DATA SHOWING IMPROVEMENT FROM YOU AND A REPORT FROM THE STATE SHOWING THAT'S NOT THE CASE? SOMEONE IS WRONG, AREN'T THEY?

Ms. Andrew:

"When you start at 30 -40% passing in some grades/subjects, it takes a while to get to the magic, arbitrary cutoff of 75% passing that the State has determined to be the measure of success"

OK, LET'S DISCUSS THE TIME IT HAS TAKEN TO GET YOUR STUDENTS TO REACH "THE ARBITRARY CUTOFF OF 75%". HOW LONG HAS THIS PROFICIENCY TESTING BEEN AROUND NOW? OVER A DECADE? 15 YEARS PERHAPS? GIVEN THE FACT THAT EVERYONE, BOTH HIGH END DISTRICTS LIKE LAKOTA, MASON AND SPRINGBORO, AS WELL AS URBAN, LOWER END DiSTRICTS LIKE HAMILTON AND MIDDLETOWN.....ALL STARTING ON THE SAME DAY WITH PROFICIENCIES, RIGHT? WE ALL CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THE HIGHER END DISTRICTS ACHIEVED SUCCESS SO QUICKLY.....THEY HAD LESS ISSUES, HAD "BETTER CLIENTELE" TO WORK WITH, HAD COOPERATIVE PARENTS WHO VALUE EDUCATION, WILLING TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS, AND HAD MORE MONEY TO DO IT WITH THROUGH HIGH PROPERTY TAXES. EASY ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND AS TO THEIR SUCCESS. BUT HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN OTHER DISTRICTS, JUST AS POOR AS MIDDLETOWN, WITH THE SAME DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE SAME ISSUES, HAVING A BETTER TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS, IN TEST SCORES, DISTRICT RATINGS AND INDICATORS MET? SIMILAR COMMUNITIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT SOME FARED MUCH BETTER THAN OTHERS. WHAT DID THEY KNOW THAT GOT THEM TO ACCEPTABLE LONG BEFORE MIDDLETOWN,WHICH IS STILL MUDDLING IT'S WAY TO ACCEPTABLE AFTER ALL THIS TIME? IE....WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG TO GET TO THE BOTTOM RUNG OF THE ACCEPTABLE LADDER WHEN THE MAJORITY OF DISTRICTS ARE ALREADY HALF WAY TO THE TOP? IS IT THE LITTLE MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT OR IS IT THE NEW MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS A POOR DISTRICT BUT MANAGES TO DO WELL IN ACADEMICS? NEVER CAN REMEMBER WHICH ONE. ROSS ISN'T EXACTLY THE NEXT LAKOTA OR MASON AS TO STATUS AND WEALTH BUT THEY DO REAL WELL IN ACADEMIC RATINGS, DON'T THEY? WHY?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Marcia Andrew View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcia Andrew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct 31 2013 at 3:34pm
Vet, you ARE asking me to repeat myself. The data in the 2012-13 report from acclaro is the exact same data that we were discussing in the other thread.  And that data doesn't show any 5 year trends, toward mediocrity or otherwise.  It is a one-year snapshot only.  The only exception is the Value Added grade (shown as "Progress") in which the district earned an A.  That shows the one-year improvement (from 2011-12 to 2012-13).  To see the difference from 5 years ago, I had to go online and pull scores from 5 years ago.
 
Please re-read the other thread. 
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