Archive for the ‘Community Information’ Category

NA Moves Forward!

Posted: November 3, 2015 in 2015 Election, Community Information
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A huge thank you to the NA community for voting to MOVE THE DISTRICT FORWARD! The seven candidates elected to the NA School Board are Kevin Mahler, Libby Blackburn, Michael C. Meyer, Christopher Finley, Christopher Disque, Suzanne M. Filiaggi, and Richard McClure.

The election results, per the Allegheny County Elections Division, with 99.55% of the precincts reporting, are shown below:

School Director- 4 year seat

Kevin Mahler=6,623

Libby Blackburn=6,497

Michael C. Meyer=6,447

Christopher Finley=6,158

Christopher Disque=5,470

 Maureen Grosheider=3,571

School Director- 2 year seat

Suzanne M. Filiaggi=7,182

School Director- 2 year seat

Richard McClure=6,584

 

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Vote Today!

Posted: November 3, 2015 in 2015 Election, Community Information
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In a local election, every vote counts. Please take the time and vote today. The polls are open from 7am to 8pm.

Your vote can make all the difference! Vote Today to keep NA moving forward!

2015-sb-ballot-fnl

Photos from the Candidate Event

Posted: November 2, 2015 in 2015 Primary Election, Community Information
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Thank you to everyone who attended our Meet the Candidates event on Sunday.  We look forward to seeing you at the polls on Tuesday!

candidates collage

Grosheider’s Record

Posted: October 28, 2015 in 2015 Election, Community Information
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From 2009-2012, Maureen Grosheider’s record as Board President was one of consecutive tax increases, higher spending, and larger class sizes.  Despite a looming pension crisis, the District lacked a long-term financial plan and failed to establish a reserve fund to defray future pension costs.

In 2009, Grosheider told the Board that the pension spike predicted for future years was so egregious “the answer lies with the Legislature, not the school districts.”  While other districts were putting money away, Grosheider did nothing.  June 24, 2009 School Board Minutes

With no financial plan in place, Grosheider led the Board to raise taxes in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

In June 2012, the District’s Business Director told the Board that “Fox Chapel has raised their millage each year…and put that money into reserve to help offset the pension costs.”  After 3 years of tax increases, North Allegheny had no pension reserve fund.

Grosheider told the Board “Hindsight is 20/20 on things like this.”  June 27, 2012 School Board Minutes

As a result of the District’s financial troubles, NA operated 13 elementary sections above class size guidelines that year.  Some elementary classes operated with over 30 students.

In November 2012, the situation worsened and the District recommended closing an elementary school.  November 28, 2012 School Board Minutes

Despite community outcry around erroneous projections, Grosheider refused to form a community task force.  Later, it was discovered that Board Policy #4215 requires a Citizen’s Advisory Committee and that the Board was not compliant with this policy under Grosheider’s leadership.

In August 2013, after wasting an entire year of Administrative resources on the proposal to close an elementary school, Grosheider said the Board would not proceed with the recommendation—noting an increase in elementary enrollment.  August 28, 2013 School Board Minutes

In December 2013, newly elected school board members took office and new Board Leadership was appointed.  December 4, 2013 School Board Minutes

Under the direction of new Board Leadership, a Budget and Finance Committee was formed, an Elementary Class Size Policy was implemented, and the Citizen’s Advisory Committee was re-instated.

The new Board has also taken steps to prioritize expenditures, grow alternative revenue and establish a long-term financial plan—while Grosheider has undermined these efforts.   During the 2014-15 school year, Grosheider approved more expenditures than any other member of the NA Board—including the new technology plan—but voted against the budget to fund the very expenditures she approved.  July 2014-June 2015 School Board Minutes

On Nov 3rd, vote for the team of candidates committed to Moving NA Forward—BLACKBURN, DISQUE, FILIAGGI, FINLEY, MAHLER, McCLURE, and MEYER!

Misleading Election Signs

Posted: October 23, 2015 in 2015 Election, Community Information
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Please be aware that Maureen Grosheider or her supporters are trying to confuse voters with election signs from the 2007 school board election. These signs are appearing across the District.

The 2007 signs list Grosheider’s name with four other candidates—THESE OTHER CANDIDATES ARE NOT ON THE 2015 BALLOT.

2007 Election sign

Please remember to vote for a team of candidates committed to moving NA forward.

On November 3, vote Blackburn, Disque, Filiaggi, Finley, Mahler, McClure, and Meyer!

 

Meet the Candidates

Posted: October 16, 2015 in 2015 Election, Community Information, Take Action
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Sir PIzza Logo

 

Mark your calendars!

Save NA Schools will be hosting a “Meet the Candidates” event at Sir Pizza (located at the corner of Sewickley-Oakmont & Rochester Road) on Sunday, November 1st from 12-2pm. Join us for pizza and soft drinks as we support 7 of the 8 School Board candidates on the ballot in the general election. We look forward to seeing you there!

Endorsed Candidates on the Ballot for the 4-Year Term

Kevin Mahler

Mike Meyer

Libby Blackburn

Chris Finley

Chris Disque

Endorsed Candidates on the Ballot for the 2-Year Term

Suzanne Filiaggi

Richard McClure

Please note that Richard McClure was not on the ballot during the primary election. He was recently appointed to the Board to fill the seat vacated by Tom Schwartzmier. Save NA Schools is supporting Richard McClure in the general election.

November 3rd Election

Posted: October 9, 2015 in 2015 Election, Community Information, Take Action
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Chris Disque will be running against Maureen Grosheider in this November’s general election. Chris Disque made it onto the Republican ballot in the primary election and Maureen Grosheider made it onto the Democratic ballot in the primary election. The other remaining candidates made it onto both the Republican and Democratic ballots in the primary election.

If you are a registered Democrat, it’s important that you don’t vote a straight party ticket in the general election. If you do, your vote will go to Maureen Grosheider instead of Chris Disque.

Please share this ballot information with friends and family who live in the District.

If you have a group sign from the primary, please put it back in your yard at this time. You will also begin to see individual signs for Chris Disque to help promote his candidacy.

We will be posting additional election information between now and Tuesday, November 3rd to keep people informed. Thank you for your continued support!

November 3 ballot

November 3 ballot

Elementary Enrollment Beats Projections Again

Posted: September 4, 2015 in Community Information, NA School District Communications, Policies and Guidelines
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The 2015-16 school year marks the third straight year elementary enrollment has beat projections.

In 2012, elementary enrollment was projected to decline to 3,278 students by the year 2015.*
Actual 2015 enrollment is 3,484 students (206 more students than projected.)

This year, the District required 153 elementary sections to prevent classes from operating above class size guidelines at the start of the year. The third day enrollment chart provided by the District illustrates that the class size policy passed last year is operating effectively and equitably.
Elem 3rd Day Enrollment 8.27.15-page-001

* In 2012, a consultant hired by the District predicted total elementary enrollment would drop to 3,117 by the year 2017.  This means the District would have to lose over 350 elementary students in the next two years for this projection to hold true. In fact, actual enrollment has exceeded these projections by more than 150 students each year.
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Important Ballot Information – VOTE Tomorrow

Posted: May 18, 2015 in 2015 Primary Election, Community Information, Take Action
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The efforts of the NA community two years ago to bring change to the NA School Board will continue to be undermined if Maureen Grosheider and Joe Greenberg are re-elected on May 19. 
 
We need your vote to elect new candidates in their place.
 
Maureen Grosheider has been on the Board for 2 decades.  To increase her chances for re-election, she is running for both a 2-year and 4-year term at the same time.  Under Grosheider’s leadership, the Board raised taxes 3 years in a row, operated classes above class size guidelines, and relied on inaccurate projections that led to the failed recommendation to close a school.    
 
Joe Greenberg has supported a tax increase every year since he joined the Board.  Like Grosheider, he voted against the elementary class size policy.  When 11 elementary classes started the 2012-13 school year above the class size guidelines, Greenberg stated that implementing a class size policy like other districts was unnecessary.

Please support the 6 candidates who are committed to moving NA forward: FILIAGGI-FINLEY-MAHLER-MEYER-DISQUE-BLACKBURN.

To view the ballot for tomorrow’s election, please click here or see below.

ballot

Keep NA Moving Forward

Posted: May 14, 2015 in 2015 Primary Election, Community Information
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Two years ago, a bipartisan group of NA residents came together to advocate for change on the North Allegheny School Board.   At that time, most of the school board members had been on the Board for over a decade, including Maureen Grosheider–who has been on the Board for 2 decades.
 
Under Grosheider’s Leadership, NA lacked a long-term strategic plan:
  1. The Board raised taxes for 3 years in a row (2010, 2011, and 2012).
  2. Inaccurate projections led to the recommendation to close an elementary school–the District projected an $8 million deficit, but ended the year with a $5 million surplus and an increase in elementary enrollment.
  3. Elementary classes operated above class size guidelines (11 sections were above the guidelines at the start of the 2012-13 school year).
  4. Classroom technology fell behind comparator districts (including Hampton and North Hills).
  5. The District was not compliant with Board Policy #4125–which requires that the District maintain a Citizen’s Advisory Committee to provide feedback on important District matters.
As a result of these issues, the district-wide movement to Save NA Schools took hold and 3 new members were elected to the NA School Board.  After the 2013 election, board members chose new board leadership and began the process of moving NA forward.
 
Under New Board Leadership, the following changes have occurred:
 
  1. A new Budget and Finance Committee, comprised of 3 Board Members, was created to help prioritize District expenditures and develop a long-term plan with respect to fiscal management and tax increases.
  2. A new Technology Advisory Committee, comprised of teachers, parents, and taxpayers, was created to provide a variety of stakeholders with the opportunity to develop recommendations around advancing classroom technology. 
  3. A new Elementary Class Size Policy was created to provide guidelines for determining the number of elementary sections at the start of the year.
  4. A new Alternative Revenue Initiative was created for soliciting “payments in lieu of taxes” from large, non-profit organizations that reside in the District and benefit from the NA brand.  
  5. A new Citizen’s Advisory Committee was reinstated to give NA constituents the opportunity to provide feedback on important District matters.
 
As you can see, many positive changes have occurred under new board leadership.  We believe it’s important to keep that momentum going.  
 
Vote FILIAGGI, FINLEY, MAHLER, MEYER, DISQUE, & BLACKBURN on May 19th to Move NA Forward!
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