Bismarck School Board to upgrade computers
By CHRIS CLINE
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 10:14 AM CDT
Updated: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 10:14 AM CDT
BISMARCK — The Bismarck School Board approved the purchase of 50 new computers during a meeting Thursday night. Superintendent Dr. Damon Gamble said the computers will be used to upgrade the district’s computer labs.
“Thse are previous lease computers,” Gamble said. “We are buying them from CDI Computers at a cost of about $15,000.”
The board tabled a measure that would have awarded a bid for the refinishing of the gym floor. Gamble said he wanted to get additional bids before the board makes a decision.
The board did approve a $1,100 appreciation stipend for the school crossing guard. Stipends were also approved for the Bismarck teachers. Certificated staff members will be getting a $1,250 stiphend while non-certificated staff will get $1,000.
The board also approved the tuition reimbursement payments for certificated staff.
Gamble told the board that the superintendent search will wrap up this week. He said the board will start screening and interviewing the applicants beginning as early as next week. He said the district has received seven applicants for his position thus far.
Gamble submitted his resignation to the board during the September board meeting. The resignation is effective the end of this school year. He said the reason for his resignation is that he is ready to “retire.”
Gamble has been the superintendent at Bismarck for nine years. Prior to that he was the assistant superintendent at North County.
Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.
“Thse are previous lease computers,” Gamble said. “We are buying them from CDI Computers at a cost of about $15,000.”
The board tabled a measure that would have awarded a bid for the refinishing of the gym floor. Gamble said he wanted to get additional bids before the board makes a decision.
The board did approve a $1,100 appreciation stipend for the school crossing guard. Stipends were also approved for the Bismarck teachers. Certificated staff members will be getting a $1,250 stiphend while non-certificated staff will get $1,000.
The board also approved the tuition reimbursement payments for certificated staff.
Gamble told the board that the superintendent search will wrap up this week. He said the board will start screening and interviewing the applicants beginning as early as next week. He said the district has received seven applicants for his position thus far.
Gamble submitted his resignation to the board during the September board meeting. The resignation is effective the end of this school year. He said the reason for his resignation is that he is ready to “retire.”
Gamble has been the superintendent at Bismarck for nine years. Prior to that he was the assistant superintendent at North County.
Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.
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Article Comments (11)The comments below are from readers and do not represent the views of the Daily Journal.
Ed.D. posted at Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
"itoldyouso",
I'm sorry to tell you, but they do provide grant monies for that. So, instead of disproving this, you just flat out say that it is wrong? What, did you get tired of trying to prove yourself and now that a logical and factual explanation has been given, you choose to back out by saying the other person in the debate is a liar and walk away? You'd make a great politician, why not try to your hand in it?
In August of 2009, Mehlville received an MSIP grant in which paid out stipends. Are you just ignorant to the truth or are you one of the North County Teachers who hasn't had a raise in the last decade, so you don't believe that anyone deserves any extra money?
I'm sorry to tell you, but they do provide grant monies for that. So, instead of disproving this, you just flat out say that it is wrong? What, did you get tired of trying to prove yourself and now that a logical and factual explanation has been given, you choose to back out by saying the other person in the debate is a liar and walk away? You'd make a great politician, why not try to your hand in it?
In August of 2009, Mehlville received an MSIP grant in which paid out stipends. Are you just ignorant to the truth or are you one of the North County Teachers who hasn't had a raise in the last decade, so you don't believe that anyone deserves any extra money?
itoldyouso posted at Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Ed.D.,
Rather than call you a liar, let me just say your response is the biggest bunch of b.s. I've ever read. None of the grants you listed would ever be permitted to be used for teacher bonuses. In fact, no grant is given for this purpose. I like the way you just resort to making up something. And you want to preach to others about being informed before commenting. Let's be honest. I believer you are informed, but just choose to misrepresent the facts. Bismarck granted teachers a bonus in mid-year with the funds coming from their budget balances. The article mentions nothing about a special grant or any additional services being provided by the staff in return for the income. That, my friend, is not wise in this economic climate. Again, Merry Christmas!
Rather than call you a liar, let me just say your response is the biggest bunch of b.s. I've ever read. None of the grants you listed would ever be permitted to be used for teacher bonuses. In fact, no grant is given for this purpose. I like the way you just resort to making up something. And you want to preach to others about being informed before commenting. Let's be honest. I believer you are informed, but just choose to misrepresent the facts. Bismarck granted teachers a bonus in mid-year with the funds coming from their budget balances. The article mentions nothing about a special grant or any additional services being provided by the staff in return for the income. That, my friend, is not wise in this economic climate. Again, Merry Christmas!
Ed.D. posted at Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 12:42 am
"itoldyouso",
"Do you mind referencing what grant the state gave you in mid-year to pay stipends? I've never heard of such a thing."
- The State did not give ME any grant. I am not a recipient of any grant.
"I've heard of grant monies allocated for salaries for work above and beyond a teacher's contract but, even then, the whole staff would not be the recipients."
- The State does not necessarily have to be the one who is paying out the monies for the grant; there any many NGS (Non-Government Sectors) that provide grants to School Districts who request them and write for them. But if you are wanting just State Grant Associations, there is:
• Enhancement Grant
• MSIP (Missouri School Improvement Program)
• METS
• HSTW (High Schools That Work)
• SIG (State Improvement Grant)
An Enhancement Grant would most likely be what is paying out stipends to the Staff; not just certified. As said, it does not mean it came mid-year, it just means that it has to be used by a certain date.
Then there are thousands of NGS provided grants to K-12 School District.
"Do you mind referencing what grant the state gave you in mid-year to pay stipends? I've never heard of such a thing."
- The State did not give ME any grant. I am not a recipient of any grant.
"I've heard of grant monies allocated for salaries for work above and beyond a teacher's contract but, even then, the whole staff would not be the recipients."
- The State does not necessarily have to be the one who is paying out the monies for the grant; there any many NGS (Non-Government Sectors) that provide grants to School Districts who request them and write for them. But if you are wanting just State Grant Associations, there is:
• Enhancement Grant
• MSIP (Missouri School Improvement Program)
• METS
• HSTW (High Schools That Work)
• SIG (State Improvement Grant)
An Enhancement Grant would most likely be what is paying out stipends to the Staff; not just certified. As said, it does not mean it came mid-year, it just means that it has to be used by a certain date.
Then there are thousands of NGS provided grants to K-12 School District.
itoldyouso posted at Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Ed.D,
Do you mind referencing what grant the state gave you in mid-year to pay stipends? I've never heard of such a thing. I've heard of grant monies allocated for salaries for work above and beyond a teacher's contract but, even then, the whole staff would not be the recipients.
What you say?
Do you mind referencing what grant the state gave you in mid-year to pay stipends? I've never heard of such a thing. I've heard of grant monies allocated for salaries for work above and beyond a teacher's contract but, even then, the whole staff would not be the recipients.
What you say?
Ed.D. posted at Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 7:12 pm
"itoldyouso",
You said, "The decision to pay out stipends in this economic climate is ludicrous and can't be defended"
The stipend the staff received was to be used exactly what is what used for; or the money would have be taken back and used for something else. Do you honestly believe that a School District is going to just send the money back and say, "Well, we decided we didn't want to use your money for what you alloted it to the district for, so here is it". I think not.
All I can say is; don't hate the player, hate the game. These monies that are received from the STATE to be used by the SCHOOL DISTRICT, are going to be used as the STATE tells the SCHOOL DISTRICT how to use them. When a Sup't and the Board of Education is governed by a Grant or Bond, they have to use it in the way it was intended to be used, or they lose it.
Complain to the STATE if you don't like it, not about the SCHOOL DISTRICT. They do what they're told by DESE, Plain & Simple.
You said, "The decision to pay out stipends in this economic climate is ludicrous and can't be defended"
The stipend the staff received was to be used exactly what is what used for; or the money would have be taken back and used for something else. Do you honestly believe that a School District is going to just send the money back and say, "Well, we decided we didn't want to use your money for what you alloted it to the district for, so here is it". I think not.
All I can say is; don't hate the player, hate the game. These monies that are received from the STATE to be used by the SCHOOL DISTRICT, are going to be used as the STATE tells the SCHOOL DISTRICT how to use them. When a Sup't and the Board of Education is governed by a Grant or Bond, they have to use it in the way it was intended to be used, or they lose it.
Complain to the STATE if you don't like it, not about the SCHOOL DISTRICT. They do what they're told by DESE, Plain & Simple.
itoldyouso posted at Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Ed.D,
This country is in trouble because of this type of mentality with regard to finances. Check back with me in a couple of years and let's discuss if this was a good decision. Superintendents get paid to see past their noses. Unfortunately, this didn't happen in this instance. I stick by my position. The decision to pay out stipends in this economic climate is ludicrous and can't be defended by anyone who actually understands the state of Missouri's budget, now and into the future.
This country is in trouble because of this type of mentality with regard to finances. Check back with me in a couple of years and let's discuss if this was a good decision. Superintendents get paid to see past their noses. Unfortunately, this didn't happen in this instance. I stick by my position. The decision to pay out stipends in this economic climate is ludicrous and can't be defended by anyone who actually understands the state of Missouri's budget, now and into the future.
Ed.D. posted at Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 11:39 am
"itoldyouso"...
In this situation, the stipend given to the Certified & Uncertified Staff was an amount of money allotted from a grant to do specifically what they had done with it; to be used as a stipend for the District Staff.
You say, "Apparently the superintendent has already retired or he would know the state budget is heading off a cliff.”. With you obviously researching the above statement before you had written (anyone who holds credibility), did you also find that The Federal Stimulus package already includes $1.3 billion for Missouri Schools? Now, keep in mind that the stimulus that the Federal Government is paying out is completely different than the grant that the stipend was paid out of. With there being approximately 396 School Districts in Missouri (Source: DESE), and 1.3 billion in federal stimulus for K-12 Education, it looks to me as if $3,282,828 will be added to each School Districts budget.
There are also Grant Writers employed by each school that do exactly that, and write Grants for multiple purposes. Public opinion should always have a factual basis.
Bismarck has had a GREAT Superintendent for the last 9 years!
In this situation, the stipend given to the Certified & Uncertified Staff was an amount of money allotted from a grant to do specifically what they had done with it; to be used as a stipend for the District Staff.
You say, "Apparently the superintendent has already retired or he would know the state budget is heading off a cliff.”. With you obviously researching the above statement before you had written (anyone who holds credibility), did you also find that The Federal Stimulus package already includes $1.3 billion for Missouri Schools? Now, keep in mind that the stimulus that the Federal Government is paying out is completely different than the grant that the stipend was paid out of. With there being approximately 396 School Districts in Missouri (Source: DESE), and 1.3 billion in federal stimulus for K-12 Education, it looks to me as if $3,282,828 will be added to each School Districts budget.
There are also Grant Writers employed by each school that do exactly that, and write Grants for multiple purposes. Public opinion should always have a factual basis.
Bismarck has had a GREAT Superintendent for the last 9 years!
itoldyouso posted at Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 12:28 pm
cartwright,
You obviously are one of the recipients of the bonus stipends. I don't resent teachers receiving them. I resent superintendents and boards approving them in this economic climate. Anyone in their positions should recognize state funding is going to be severely impacted in the next few years. Poor business decision. Now that's what I call being too incompetent to understand. By the way, at which point does one become "too incompetent" as opposed to just being "incompetent?"
You obviously are one of the recipients of the bonus stipends. I don't resent teachers receiving them. I resent superintendents and boards approving them in this economic climate. Anyone in their positions should recognize state funding is going to be severely impacted in the next few years. Poor business decision. Now that's what I call being too incompetent to understand. By the way, at which point does one become "too incompetent" as opposed to just being "incompetent?"
cartwright69 posted at Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Nor is it very smart to shoot your mouth off about things you are too incompetent to understand. It is my understanding that the bonus stipends were approved a long time ago. Also, bismarck did not add anything to their salary base.
itoldyouso, you must be from North County where teachers haven't had a raise in about 8 years. If you are not from there, I suggest you move there immediately. You would fit right in.
itoldyouso, you must be from North County where teachers haven't had a raise in about 8 years. If you are not from there, I suggest you move there immediately. You would fit right in.
itoldyouso posted at Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Not very smart giving teachers bonus stipends in this economic climate. Apparently the superintendent has already retired or he would know the state budget is heading off a cliff. I guess that will be the new guy's problem. Merry Christmas!!
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I still don't believe such a grant exists for this purpose, and the article on Bismarck did not mention a grant.