Citizens For A Better Newaygo

03/30/2017

“We must shift the paradigm to think about education funding as investments made in individual children, not in institutions or buildings.” Read more about Betsy DeVos' speech at The Brookings Institution...

In a speech at the Brookings Institution, the education secretary rejected the notion that money was a panacea for the challenges facing public schools.

03/21/2017

We're grateful to all the teachers doing their best in a dark and sterile public institution to educate our children... Read & comment below,

02/21/2017

NEWAYGO: Peg Mathis wrote some GOLD about public education...

"Public Education... is the foundation of our democracy."
- Peg Mathis

That is the single funniest thing we've ever read! Forget that an educator called the US a "democracy" (which we're not) while touting the merits of her educational system. We're "one republic, under God..." Right??? Also, Isn't there a blurb in one of our FOUNDing documents that reads, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..."

Our FOUNDing documents talk a lot about our God-given rights as FOUNDational.....But. Forget that. It's actually public schools! 😂 😂 😂

"Public Education... is the baseline for the American Dream."
-Peg Mathis

Forget Rugged Individualism, American Exceptionalism, or the calling and providence of God Himself. ..It's apparently public schools. Who knew?! 😂 😂 😂

Public School Employees have a notion that no one could POSSIBLY understand the nature of educating kids. They, with faith in their illustrious local bachelors degree, think they are the only ones enlightened. ...the only ones who could really understand. ...the only ones with boots on the ground.
..Forget the ultra-successful DeVos family! Everything the DeVos family touches get's better: Western Michigan wouldn't be a shadow of its glory without the VanAndel and DeVos families. Betsy DeVos is of the caliber that you could have made her Secretary of Defense, Veterans Affairs, or Homeland Security and she would succeed! "First who, then what" -Jim Collins

Forget the DeVos family - Peg's got this! 😂 😂 😂

The hypocrisy of this paradigm delegitimizes Charter, and other PS school alternatives. They rail on supposed "profits". They'll try to tell you how noble Public Schooling is in that it's budget goes "all toward the kids". The only thing wrong with that thought is that it's not true. All "profits" from Charter Schools go to expand into new markets, hire new talent, and purchase cutting edge curriculum TO COMPETE for the best EDUCATION. ...ALL THE WHILE, the public school monster overlooks the greater ratio of money consumed by the teachers union.

Which is the greater consumer of money? It's clear...
Charter School Profit for Expansion < Public School Union-Mafia

"I worry about the future of education" says Dr. Mathis...
Don't worry about education, worry about the $174,306 comp package the superintendent receives in a school district with 0% growth, local poverty, and low test scores. Not that a 'Sup shouldn't make that kind of money, but perhaps a successful one with measurable results. Public Schools aren't performance-driven... Too bad! Education will prevail, good doctor; public schooling will be experiencing a national e***a.

Peggy writes, "our children deserve better" - THAT we can all agree on. The solution? Competition.

The time and focus of so-called-educators spent on building facilities when you have ample space soon goes away when you're competing against schools that believe they have a better and more effective model for educating our kids.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ≠ EDUCATION ...It's just not the same thing. THOUGH locally we've been lucky in the past with a decent public system, the patina of a federalized system is shining through.

Finally, Pegs writes, "I invite Ms. DeVos to come to the Newaygo Public School District..." YES, YES, YES 👍 👍 👍 AGREED! Let's!

That would be phenomenal! We can only imagine the incredible "draining of the swamp" what would happen. She might start with not building facilities when there's ample space to educate our students. Newaygo: It takes an outsider like Mrs. DeVos, and we got a whole administration of outsiders!!!

We "deplorables" can only hope to have the zeal Mrs. Mathis has for her job. After all, her job is the "foundation for all democracy" :) 😳

For all the laughs, read her full article:
http://www.nearnorthnow.com/the-pulse/guest-column-dr-peg-mathis-ms-devos-come-to-newaygo-public-school-district

Newaygo Watercooler Newaygo, Michigan Newaygo Lions Athletics Newaygo Public Schools

02/07/2017

NEWAYGO: Peg Mathis wrote some GOLD about public education...

"Public Education... is the foundation of our democracy."
- Peg Mathis

That is the single funniest thing we've ever read! Forget that an educator called the US a "democracy" (which we're not) while touting the merits of her educational system. We're "one republic, under God..." Right??? Also, Isn't there a blurb in one of our FOUNDing documents that reads, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Our FOUNDing documents talk a lot about our God-given rights as FOUNDational...
..But. Forget that. It's actually public schools! 😂 😂 😂

"Public Education... is the baseline for the American Dream."
- Peg Mathis

Forget Rugged Individualism, American Exceptionalism, or the calling and providence of God Himself. ..It's apparently public schools. Who knew?! 😂 😂 😂

Public School Employees have a notion that no one could POSSIBLY understand the nature of educating kids. They, with faith in their illustrious local bachelors degree, think they are the only ones enlightened. ...the only ones who could really understand. ...the only ones with boots on the ground.
..Forget the ultra-successful DeVos family! Everything the DeVos family touches get's better: Western Michigan wouldn't be a shadow of its glory without the VanAndel and DeVos families. Forget them! Peg's got this!

The hypocrisy of this paradigm delegitimizes Charter, and other PS school alternatives. They rail on supposed "profits". They'll try to tell you how noble Public Schooling is in that it's budget goes "all toward the kids". The only thing wrong with that thought is that it's not true. All "profits" from Charter Schools go to expand into new markets, hire new talent, and purchase cutting edge curriculum TO COMPETE for the best EDUCATION. ...ALL THE WHILE, the public school monster overlooks the greater ratio of money consumed my the teachers union.

Which is the greater consumer of money? It's clear...
Charter School Profit for Expansion < Public School Union-Mafia

"I worry about the future of education" says Dr. Mathis...
Don't worry about education, worry about the $174,306 comp package the superintendent receives in a school district with 0% growth, local poverty, and low test scores. Education will prevail, Dr. Mathis - public schooling may experience a national e***a.

Peggy writes, "our children deserve better" - THAT we can all agree on. The solution? Competition. The time and focus of so-called-educators spent on building facilities when you have ample space soon goes away when you're competing against schools that believe they have a better and more effective model for educating our kids.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ≠ EDUCATION (It's just not the same thing...)

Finally, Pegs writes, "I invite Ms. DeVos to come to the Newaygo Public School District..." YES, YES, YES 👍 - That would be phenomenal! We can only imagine the incredible "draining of the swamp" what would happen. It might start with not building facilities when there's ample space to educate our students.

Newaygo: It takes an outsider. We got a whole administration of outsiders!
We "deplorables" can only hope to have the zeal Mrs. Mathis has for her job. After all, it's the foundation for all democracy :)

For all the laughs, read her full article: http://www.nearnorthnow.com/the-pulse/guest-column-dr-peg-mathis-ms-devos-come-to-newaygo-public-school-district

Newaygo Watercooler Newaygo Lions Athletics Newaygo Public Schools Newaygo Lions Athletics Newaygo Public Schools

​ Guest Column: Dr. Peg Mathis- 'Ms. DeVos, Come To Newaygo I need to preface this by saying this is not intended to be political. I have views and respect both sides of the aisle. Many would say...

02/07/2017

When you read senior public school employees say "public schools work" - It's the equivalent to a microwave salesman touting the benefits of cooked food. There's more than one way to heat steak!

Education works.
The mechanism to deliver education is NOT what needs defense here. Education can flourish in the home, online, in a religious school, a private school, charter school, or a public school.

We believe it's the privilege of the taxpayer to decide where they want to use their tax dollars to educate their children. Betsy DeVos will help with dismantling the union-mafia protected monopoly to give us normal people more options.

If she does for schools what she's done for WMichigan, we're all going to win!


Newaygo Lions Athletics Newaygo Public Schools

02/06/2017

Unsuccessful people will try to tell you that this very successful person can't - That's a significant criticism! Are we defending an institution/system, or do we want the best education for our children?

Let's hope that Betsy does for education what she did for Western Michigan. She is the best person to help heal the rot in our failing public system...

01/09/2017

“There is no such thing as educational value in the abstract. The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts and truths possess educational value in and of themselves is the reason why traditional education reduced the material of education so largely to a diet of predigested materials.”
― John Dewey, Experience and Education

01/06/2017

Public Schools do not work. Effective teachers do.
Public Schools do not work. Caring staff does.
Public Schools do not work. Great curriculum does.
Public Schools do not work. Education does.

Why do you have faith in a process instead of the desired outcome? The ends NEVER justify the means... Newaygo needs education, not a bloated and outdated machine. The only success of Newaygo Schools has been found in the quality (often local) educators.

01/04/2017

The success of the Downtown-Renovation Project (around our cities sesquicentennial) was shown brightest in it's highlight of the historical value of our downtown. The former city manager, although an outsider, was dynamic in bridging many different groups of Newaygo residents in a wonderful common cause. It wasn't perfect, by any means; YET, It was strong forward-focused leadership that respected our past and brought people together around our historic charm and Rockwell-Painted culture.

The failure to defeat the latest millage was because of the conjecture and confusion Newaygo Public Schools created in whether or not the historical school would be razed. The current superintendent took a strong one-sided stance to demolish, and rebuild. Interestingly, the former city manager supported the project to attempt to remain relevant in retirement- not because of the value of the project. The new school undermines his (and countless others) hard work in accentuating the historical value of our small town.

What makes Newaygo a historical town when our train station, court house, civic center, drive-in's, schools, and the like are all destroyed? I hope we're not branded as a gas stop on the way to someplace pleasant where all you can expect is mediocre pizza...

This is the first time NPS will build a brand new school in the face of diminishing attendance, and ample space for expansion. The 1926 School on the hill will be demolished this year with millions of dollars invested in the structure yet to be paid off by the last millage.

12/31/2016

Do the personal finances of elected community leaders matter?

Not so much whether they're rich or poor - but whether they faithfully pay taxes, or whether they've suffered bankruptcies, or whether they're financing unhealthy debt...

Can it reflect their leadership/handling/trustworthiness with taxpayer revenue?

12/14/2016

You can homeschool your children. It's an option that has been really positive for many families in Newaygo!

Although the idea of homeschooling can be overwhelming, know that you can do it. Learning takes place all the time, and just as your child learned to walk and talk with you as their teacher, they can continue to learn at home in a relaxed, loving environment. Homeschooling is not public school at ho...

12/12/2016

We hope this happens locally, too!

Ingrid Jacques of the Detroit News writes that there’s still work to do, but thanks to Betsy DeVos more than half the city’s students attend charters.