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Untapped funding from lunches sought
Published Thursday, November 20, 2008
Matt Lemke
In an attempt to generate additional state funds for the Fergus Falls School District, school board members are urging parents to take the time to fill out financial forms.
Included in the state’s funding formula for public schools are additional funds granted to districts based on the number of students who qualify to receive free or reduced lunch.
“It’s one way that parents can help our school to generate more revenue that will impact the budget for next year,” said school board chair Matt Lemke, “which could limit some of the cuts that we’re going to have to make.”
As of now, 33 percent of elementary school parents have applied for and qualified for free and reduced lunch. At the high school level, that number is down at 18 percent.
In a letter sent out to parents this week, Lemke states that he and other board members believe that there are additional students within the district who would qualify for free and reduced lunch if forms were filled out.
“It’s a very painless way to help school districts get more revenue — making sure parents fill out the free and reduced form.”
Although it is difficult to say exactly how much money this would generate for the district, Lemke said it’s needed.
“As a board, we’re trying to do everything possible,” he said, “especially where the state is financially.”
Lemke likens the free and reduced financial forms to those filled out when students enroll in college.
“All parents fill it out when their son or daughter goes off to college, and you receive help or assistance,” he said.
Funds generated this year by forms will apply for next school year, but that doesn’t mean parents of high school seniors are not able to fill out the form.
Students who qualify will receive free or reduced lunch, and reduced fees for middle school and high school activities.
Forms are to be filled out by parents by Dec. 3.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
While I can appriciate this avenue for revenue it seems a bit shady to have folks sign up for something they may not need. Further this is exactly why I railed against a new school until the school board and the district could get their collective acts together financially. They cried and cried and cried for a new school when they can't even generate enough revenue to operate it. This is totally unacceptable and shameful.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Further this is a great example of why the state of Minnesota's budget is always so overbloated and wasteful.
Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They're not letting folks "sign up for something they may not need". There is an approval process. Some folks are over the limit as far as how much they make. However, there are some out there who are eligible for free/reduced lunch and are not aware that they are.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
O.K. However it still seems to be grasping at straws when what they should have done is not built the new school and focused on getting back in the black rather then spending money all the while sinking lower into the red. I mean who does that? It not brain surgery it's common sense. They didn't and still don't have the money for the basics like new and up to date books and they lay off great teachers every year but somehow were able to bait and switch the public that this was somehow a good idea. Is that the kind of leadership FERGUS FALLS really wants? Well so be it but that's just another example of why myself, and many other former residents simple cannot move back their to raise our children. That's the sad truth and everyone knows it except for the leadership on the school board which would rather delude themselves somehow that everything will be just fine if we can just get a new school. That's the kind of idiotic thinking that got the district in the red in the first place. Poor planning, financial mismanagment and lack of real leadship in the school district.
Posted by FergusFamily (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 1:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
With an attitude like yours, hometown, we don't want you back. People who stay are people who are willing to work for and improve our community. To us, it is worth the labor of love to make Fergus Falls better - not run away when the going gets tough. Good Riddance.
Posted by fergusmnmom (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Luvmyboys your right, their not having people sign up for something they may not need, but from my understanding the school gets awarded so many dollars each year depending on how many free/reduced lunch applications they received the year before. The more applications they receive, the more funding they get the next year.
What really bugs me about the program is the way they calculate your household income. They include income from everyone in household, even if they are no relation to the applicant or child. I don't know if this is the norm throughout Minnesota, but it seems a little unfair to me. So because your room mate makes too much money you aren't going to receive any help, but its not like the room mate is going to fork out money each month to help pay for you childs school lunch.
Posted by JAnderson (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fergus people complaining?...Nah...I can't believe it...I think that is the only thing you residents are good at is whining and complaining. Hometown talks about how they "cried and cried and cried" yet it's the same thing he/she is doing. I love it! HA HA HA!
Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The last time I checked hometown, referendums are passed by majority of voters. Which means that the majority of Fergus Falls residents approved this new school. It amazes me that you are not here, but you have no problem coming in here and slamming our town and our school. I'm sure if i came to whereever YOU are residing I could find something wrong with your district as well. This is our town, and our school and our children. Basically the whiners and complainers are people who do not live here, or people who DO live here but never step up to improve anything. It's easier to sit and bash others instead of stepping up to the plate to help solve issues.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
O.K,
So your telling me your all fine with a new school, but no money to operate it. That's just sensless. As I have said before I see no resaon to return to a town that does nothing but raise taxes, lowers economic opportunity and decides it's ok for my child to have a sub-standard education. Just by the stats alone 33% of residents qualify for free luches which means that just about a third of residents can't make ends meet all the while working their tails off and getting nowhere. Gee sounds like a heck of a trade off to me. Until the residents of FERGUS FALLS decide collectively that they want better for their lives and families nothing will ever change and your ingnorant attitudes prove it.
Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sub-standard education? Are you for real? I have children in the school system and they've been in this system since Kindergarten. Straight A's & B's, doing great in sports and basically well rounded kids. The education that comes out of Fergus Falls is not even close to SUB STANDARD. So because we're getting a new school building that makes our education sub-standard?. Who the hell are you to tell us that we work our tails off and are "getting nowhere". How could you possibly know that? If you want to start throwing the "ignorant attitude" expression around, you may want to take a quick look in the mirror.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Also, What have any of you done to make it better in FERGUS FALLS over the last 20 years that directly improve FERGUS FALLS. In the 18 odd years I have been gone there has been a steady decline on almost all aspects of what makes a town viable, wealthy and ecomnomically stable. That is directly the fault of the citizens who voted in the knuckleheads who run the town and school district. These folks due to there poor managment have ensured FERGUS FALLS will remain in a state of depressed economics for decades to come thus ensuring future generations of children leaving as soon as the chance presents itself.
Posted by JAnderson (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is a decline because you are so cool hometown. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a child(ren) that are apart of that 33% with as little intelligence as you exude. I can't imagine you having anything going for you other than a friend named Helen Keller. (That's a joke if didn't catch it)
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is exactly what i'm talking about.
People like me pointing out the glaringly obvious and instead of any constuctive dialog JAnderson decides to get defensive and act like a clown. Exactly the kind of behavior that keeps FERGUS FALLS where it is.
Posted by Generally_Misunderstood (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hometown, you moved away 18 years ago and despise the place Fergus is today, yet you feel compelled to check in on the events going on here all the while you have no ties or need to even care what is happening here. Is that because your current location may not be offering you what you want or is as blissful as you claim and you long for what might be here? Why exactly do you even care WTF happens to the schools here if you're not utilizing them in the first place?
As a 30 something who moved back to Fergus to raise my children, I know the sacrifices it takes to live in this community. But there are far more positives to life here than any monetary imbalance creates. Simple things as knowing or recognizing the faces in the businesses one frequents has value to me.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LUVMYBOYS,
My comments have nothing to do with the children who go to school there. My comments are that There is a better education your children could be getting and they are not largely due to the fiscal mismanagment of the school district and the taxpayer funds. Yes any school can teach a kid to read and write and add however the enriching education that truely prepares ALL children for the real world, I feel they probably are not getting due to fact that they HAVE NO MONEY! It's not hard to understand that if you have no money to spend on academics then I promise you the district is cutting corners somewhere and most likely at the expense od your child's education. Further just think of all things that money going to the new school could have gone to. Mordern computers and technologies, school trips, more college level classes, more teachers, more extra curicular programs. It's simply the district putting their wants before your children's needs.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
First of all Genreally misunderstood,
Please don't put words in my mouth. I don't despise my hometown, I despise what the city leaders have let it turn into. Secondly, I have family and friends who still live there and are raising children there so that's why I care above and beyond the fact that it's my hometown and miss what it used to be. Lastly, While I can appriciate the sacrifice you made money wise to move back there, I sim ply am not willing to lose that amount of money or raise my kids in a town with no future. It pains me more then any of you know that I cannot enjoy the very things you speak of but until there is real change there then my loyalties must remain elsewhere. Finally, Since I grew up and have ties there I have every right to say how I feel about the dreadful state my hometown has become.
Posted by JAnderson (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LUVMYBOYS,
My comments have nothing to do with the children who go to school there. My comments are that There is a better education your children could be getting and they are not largely due to the fiscal mismanagment of the school district and the taxpayer funds. Yes any school can teach a kid to read and write and add however the enriching education that truely prepares ALL children for the real world, I feel they probably are not getting due to fact that they HAVE NO MONEY! It's not hard to understand that if you have no money to spend on academics then I promise you the district is cutting corners somewhere and most likely at the expense od your child's education. Further just think of all things that money going to the new school could have gone to. Mordern computers and technologies, school trips, more college level classes, more teachers, more extra curicular programs. It's simply the district putting their wants before your children's needs.
Looks as though Hometown went to one of those school’s like FF…..his/her spelling and punctuation is atrocious! Maybe hometown’s folks should have applied for the reduced/free lunch program so his education wouldn’t have suffered due to lack of funding.
Posted by hometown (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JAnderson,
You should stop while your behind. Your ignorance is showing.
Posted by watermelon (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 5:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JAnderson - don't you live in the troll house by the river?
Posted by lookitup (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is no shortage of trolls at the DJ website.
Posted by Mr_Lincoln (anonymous) on November 20, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
a group of classmates who also qualify for federally subsidized lunches sat on a bench. One ate a slice of pizza from the line where students pay for food; the rest went without.Every one should get to eat. parents who cant afford a lunch can afford a apple or banana for their kid.The poor should not get to eat in front of those who dont get food for free.
Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on November 25, 2008 at 4:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
and lookitup should know what a troll is, being one of the biggest sources of trollness.
put down the crackpipe once in a while there cracky.
you might not feel so cranky if you did!
LOL
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