Just out of curiosity, earlier in the week I pulled up the Georgia Department of Education web site to see if updated figures for per pupil expenditures had been posted. I was pleased to find that the numbers for FY 2009 were, in fact, there. The amounts for FY 2008 came out back in February, and I was not expecting the corresponding figures for the next fiscal year to be up just yet.
So, without further ado, let’s run the numbers. Insofar as Clarke County’s neighboring school districts were concerned, the per pupil expenditures for FY 2008 were:
Barrow County $7968.16
Commerce City $8692.96
Jackson County $10,279.22
Jefferson City $7738.37
Madison County $8942.75
Oconee County $8542.34
Oglethorpe County $8756.68
State Average $8965.24 (apparently revised from the $8967.83 posted last February)
For FY 2009, the per pupil expenditures were:
Barrow County $7987.92 (+0.25% from FY 2008)
Commerce City $8582.85 (-1.27% from FY 2008)
Jackson County $9689.45 (-5.74% from FY 2008)
Jefferson City $7592.71 (-1.88% from FY 2008)
Madison County $9037.65 (+1.06% from FY 2008)
Oconee County $8577.80 (+0.42% from FY 2008)
Oglethorpe County $8369.55 (-4.42% from FY 2008)
State Average $8895.28 (-0.78% from FY 2008)
Thus, the changes in per pupil expenditures for the school systems noted fell within a narrow band, some coming in a little lower and some a little higher (the percentage calculations are my own). Of course, with the drop in local and state tax revenues, this was to be expected.
But what about the Clarke County School District? Imagine my surprise to find that the revenue and expenditure entries for Clarke County merely read “Data not Reported by this District for this Fiscal Year.”
That being the case, I called the DOE’s Financial Review office over in Atlanta to see what was amiss. In response to my questions, I was told: that the CCSD got its information in late, but that such had been submitted and the revenue and expenditure reports on the state web site would be updated at some point (the Financial Review staff being busily at work of some quarterly report at present) and that it is the Financial Review folks who calculate per pupil expenditures based on the DOE’s FTE count and the expenditure data supplied by the CCSD (which is as I suspected).
As a point of reference, the CCSD’s per pupil expenditure for FY 2008 was $11,180.05. As an aside, I am glad to see that the CCSD has finally started using the most recent, not to mention easily verifiable, information for this figure as opposed to its past practice of employing dated and un-sourced figures. Readers may remember the minor debate concerning per pupil expenditures during the run-up to last year’s Board of Education elections (see here, here, and here).
I will post and comment on the CCSD’s per pupil expenditures for FY 2009 as soon as the information becomes available.
For what it is worth, Clarke County was one of only seven school systems (out of 185) for which revenue and expenditure information is not posted. There was only one such school system in 2008 and only two in 2007.
Friday, December 18, 2009
FY 2009 Per Pupil Expenditures
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Fire Station No. 6 Still Vacant
Yesterday marked nine full months since that late-season snowstorm damaged the roof of Fire Station No. 6, located at the intersection of Olympic and Athena Drives. The facility is still vacant, is still enclosed by a chain-link fence, and still exhibits absolutely no indications whatsoever that it will be operational anytime within the foreseeable future.
Though we are busily contemplating redoing the streetscape around City Hall (didn’t we do that just a few years ago?), potentially spending far more for a new jail than necessary, pouring millions into the former bank building next to City Hall (which housed the bank’s operations just fine until a few months ago), flushing millions down the toilet on an unneeded Tennis Center, begging the General Assembly to allow the Unified Government to jack up taxes, and wanting to take even more property off of the tax digest, we apparently have no interest in funding a project that directly impacts public safety.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to rehash the details concerning the continuing saga that has been Fire Station No. 6. For that, readers may consult the Banner-Herald’s coverage of the issue here, here, and here. For what they are worth, my previous laments on the matter date from March, April, May, June, and July. Suffice it to say that money appears to be of little concern when we are talking about frivolous expenditures (and yes, I understand the legalities of SPLOST – which to my mind is just another reason to vote down the next iteration of it) but appears to be the sole determining factor when we are considering much more important ones.
Well into the holiday season, not a word regarding the repair or reconstruction of Fire Station No. 6 has appeared in the Banner-Herald, Flagpole, or on the Unified Government’s web site since the height of the summer. I daresay that if Fire Station No. 3, the Classic City’s own little Taj Mahal located in Five Points (complete with any number of different kinds of bricks and stone, ornamental iron work, and a clock tower no less), had to be closed for some reason or another, it would not remain so for a single day longer than required to get it back up and running – funding sources be damned.
The residents who live in that formerly unincorporated area of Clarke County, that area euphemistically termed the “general services district,” seem to be of lesser value than those located within the former city limits and, consequently, get the shaft yet again.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Athens Symphony & Chorus Christmas Concerts
Christmas Concerts to be Presented December 12 and 13
The Athens Symphony will present its annual Christmas concerts featuring the Athens Symphony Chorus Saturday, December 12 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 13 at 3:00 p.m. at the Classic Center in Athens. This year, the symphony is partnering with the Salvation Army in collecting canned and other non-perishable foods to help feed Northeast Georgia families.
In addition to selections from Handel’s Messiah, the concerts will include J.S. Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria; Dream Pantomime from “Hansel and Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck; and a variety of Christmas carols and medleys. As a grand finale, Conductor Albert F. Ligotti will lead the orchestra, chorus and audience in a sing along of holiday favorites.
“The Christmas concerts have become a tradition of holiday celebration for many Athens families,” said Ligotti. “I’m hopeful that the spirit of joy that we share through this music will be further shared through our drive for the Salvation Army.”
Symphony’s New Movement
The Athens Symphony is partnering with the Salvation Army to collect non-perishable food items for families in need this holiday season across Northeast Georgia. Audience members are encouraged to bring canned or boxed goods with them to the Classic Center to donate to the drive.
“We really wanted to give back to the community that has supported us for the last 32 years,” said Dr. Dick Hudson, president of the Athens Symphony. “We know that the need for these goods is particularly acute this year, and we’re proud to offer our audience an opportunity to get involved.”
Collection boxes will be placed outside the Classic Center all day December 12 and December 13. Audience members may drop off donations on their way to the concert, or any area residents who wish to contribute may drop items off with no concert ticket necessary. All goods collected will be donated to the Salvation Army.
A Most Wonderful Christmas
The programming for 2009’s Christmas concerts includes a variety of traditional and contemporary seasonal selections. “Just about everyone’s favorite is bound to be represented,” noted Ligotti. As in years past, selections from Handel’s Messiah will be featured, including the Overture, the Pastoral Symphony, and the majestic Hallelujah Chorus presented with the Athens Symphony Chorus.
The Hallelujah Chorus concludes Part Two of Handel’s most famous oratorio, describing the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. After composing this section, Handel is said to have exclaimed, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself!” Upon hearing one of the earliest performances of the Hallelujah Chorus, King George II spontaneously rose to his feet in a spirit of exaltation—a tradition repeated by audiences to this day.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria, both devotional pieces characterized by their simple but universally stirring melodies, have become not only a staple of Christmas celebrations, but also familiar and beloved pieces in traditional wedding literature. The Dream Pantomime from “Hansel and Gretel” by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck is an all-orchestral movement from a full opera based on the fairy tell by the Brothers Grimm.
Following the intermission, the Christmas Concerts’ program moves from inspirational classical selections to contemporary Christmas pops selections and carols to include Joy to the World, Deck the Halls, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, The First Noel, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, O Come, All Ye Faithful, White Christmas and many more.
At the concert’s close, the audience will join the Athens Symphony Chorus in a Christmas carol sing along, forming a chorus of up to 2,000 voices in the hall of the Classic Center Theatre.
Admission to the Christmas concerts is free but tickets are required for entry, and will be available for pick up at the Classic Center Theatre Box Office beginning Monday, November 30 at 10:00 a.m.
The Christmas concerts feature the Athens Symphony Chorus, a group of volunteer singers including seasoned choir singers, enthusiastic amateur singers and former and current professional singers. Membership to the chorus is open to any adults over the age of 18 with the ability to read music.
Anyone interested in joining rehearsals for the Pops concerts this Spring may find more information at the Athens Symphony Orchestra’s web site and Facebook page. Those interested may also contact the Athens Symphony Orchestra by email or by calling (706) 425-4205.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
SecDef Robert Gates To Address UGA Commencement
Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates will address the University of Georgia’s fall undergraduate commencement ceremony, which takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, 18 December, at Stegeman Coliseum. See the UGA announcement and the Banner-Herald article.
Note this from UGA:
Gates' talk is not open to the general public and, for the first time in years, UGA is requiring family members and friends to present tickets to get into the ceremony. The university is allotting six tickets to each eligible student. . . . The commencement speech will be broadcast live on Charter cable channel 15 and will be streamed live at www.uga.edu.
Athens Symphony 2009-2010 Season
Season Opens November 15
The Athens Symphony will open its 32nd season with its Winter Concert, November 15, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. at the Classic Center in Athens. As a special twist to the annual concert, Conductor Albert F. Ligotti has put together an all-orchestral program featuring Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Ballet Suite.
In addition, the concert will include Alexander Borodin’s Overture to Prince Igor; Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 4 in C minor; and the Funeral March of a Marionette by Charles Gounod.
“It is a treat to present the music of the most famous ballet ever written to the Athens community,” said Ligotti. “It’s exciting to think of the possibility of potentially acquainting children and adults with this iconic masterpiece for the first time.”
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, commissioned in 1875 by Moscow Imperial Theatre director Vladimir Petrovich Begichev, was the first ballet ever set to the score of a symphonic composer. Based loosely on Johann Karl August Musäus’ “Der geraubte Schleier” (The Stolen Veil) and the Russian folktale “The White Duck,” Swan Lake is the tale of the beautiful Odette, cursed by the villain Von Rothbart to appear in the form of a swan during daylight hours, and her love Prince Siegfried, who is tricked into declaring Von Rothbart’s daughter Odile as his bride.
Ligotti has included a nod to fall in this season’s Winter Concert, with a piece by romantic composer Charles Gounod that’s perfectly suited for Halloween.
“Everyone knows the Funeral March of a Marionette as the theme song to Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” said Ligotti. “As soon as you hear it, you can just see Hitchcock’s shadow stepping into that drawing of his profile--it’s a really fun piece for the orchestra to play.”
Admission to the Winter concert is free but tickets are required for entry, and are currently available for pick up at the Classic Center Theatre Box Office. Tickets are provided on a first come, first served basis, so patrons are encouraged to secure theirs as early as possible.
Chorus looks to hit a High Note
This season, the Athens Symphony Chorus will again join the Athens Symphony Orchestra in presenting their annual Christmas and Pops concerts. The chorus is seeking singers of every voice type to join this November, as they begin preparing carols and selections from Handel’s Messiah for the Christmas concerts. “
The symphony’s Christmas concerts have become a staple of holiday celebration in the Athens area,” says Ligotti. “The Athens Symphony Chorus offers the opportunity for many people to get involved in this community tradition.”
Sopranos, altos, tenors and basses of any level are invited to join the chorus with no audition required. Singers need only be over the age of 18 and able to read music.
More information regarding this Sunday’s concert and a full schedule of chorus rehearsals may be found on the Athens Symphony Orchestra’s web site and Facebook page. Those interested may also contact the Athens Symphony Orchestra by email or by calling (706) 425-4205.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
SCHS Pigskin Finalé
My alma mater Indians Indians dropped a 23-26 decision to the Jackson County Panthers last Friday evening, thereby finishing the season at a disappointing 3-7 overall and 2-5 in Region 8AAA. After beginning the 2009 season with a 30-point loss to Flowery Branch, the Indians’ other six losses came by a combined 36 points, showing that, win or lose, the team was competitive in the remainder of its games.
Just how disappointing the season was may be gleaned by reviewing the past few seasons: in 2006, the Indians finished the campaign at 10-2 overall, 6-0 in Region 8AAA, losing to Carrollton in the second round of the state playoffs; in 2007, the Indians posted a record of 11-1 overall, 6-0 in Region 8AAA, losing in the second round of the state playoffs to Chamblee; last year, the Indians completed the season at 8-3 overall, 6-1 in Region 8AAA, losing to Flowery Branch in the first round of the state playoffs.
Oh well, as is said by sports fans the world over – “Wait till next year.”
Monday, November 9, 2009
Georgia Republican Gubernatorial Debate
The Clarke County Republican Party is sponsoring a debate featuring GOP candidates for the governorship of Georgia. The debate will take place at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism auditorium at 7:00 p.m. on the evening of Tuesday, 19 January 2010.
Invited Republican candidates for the office of Governor include:
• Georgia State SenatorJeff Chapman of Brunswick
• United States Representative Nathan Deal of Gainesville
• Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel of Atlanta
• Georgia State Senator Eric Johnson of Savannah
• Businessman Ray McBerry of Cumming
• Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine of Lawrenceville
• Georgia State Representative Austin Scott of Tifton
Moderating the debate will be WNEG-TV news anchor Ray Metoyer. Panelists include WALB-TV news anchor Dawn Hobby, WGCL-TV news co-anchor Stephanie Fisher, and WGAU radio news director Tim Bryant.
Radio and television broadcasts will cover the entire state. WNEG of Toccoa, WALB of Albany, WGCL of Atlanta, and WMAZ of Macon will televise the debate live. Several other TV stations around the state will have access to the feed for later broadcast. Also, the debate will be broadcast live on WGAU radio in the Athens area and will be available across the state on many of the 114 radio stations affiliated with the Georgia News Network.
Mark your calendars now.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
SCHS Pigskin Update
Since last I posted, my alma mater Indians have split two games, dropping a 14-16 road decision to the Franklin County Lions two weeks ago and posting a surprising 23-17 home win over Elbert County last Friday (the Blue Devils had only a single loss to Eastside prior to losing to the Indians). This week, the Indians (3-6, 2-4) play host to the Jackson County Panthers (3-6, 0-6) at The Reservation in Toccoa in the finale to a disappointing season.
Regular readers, such as you are, may notice that I have posted very little of late. It is not that I lack interest in the ongoing shenanigans of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County and the Clarke County School District. That is hardly the case, but life is such that I do the time right now to do any such posts justice.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
SCHS Pigskin Update
My alma mater Indians righted the ship last week by posting a 31-14 win over the visiting Morgan County Bulldogs. This week, SCHS takes on Franklin County in Carnesville. After dropping their first two games of the season, including one to top-ranked Gainesville, the Lions have recorded wins in four of their last five contests. The rivalry between the Indians (2-5, 1-3) and the Lions (4-3, 3-1) goes back a long, long, long way.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Kemp Debuts New Campaign Web Site
Secretary of State candidate and Athens native (not to mention fellow Commission district 1 resident) Brian Kemp has a brand new campaign web site up and running. Check it out here.
