Do You Wonder How The Mehlville School District Spends It’s Money?

Do You Wonder How the Mehlville School District Spends its Money?

Community Members to Learn Details at Dec.10 COMPASS Meeting

St. Louis, Nov. 29, 2007 – Providing a quality education to more than 11,000 children in the Mehlville School District is an investment the entire community shares, but what are the facts behind Mehlville School District finances? COMPASS participants will have the opportunity to react to information about District finances, including revenue, expenses and property tax reassessments at the next meeting on Monday, Dec. 10 from 7 – 9 p.m. at Bernard Middle School .
St. Louis University School Finance Expert Dr. Bill Rebore will present a detailed report on Mehlville School District finances at the meeting which will run from 7 – 9 p.m. at Bernard Middle School, 1054 Forder Road.

    

Hundreds of parents and residents are participating in COMPASS (Charting the Oakville-Mehlville Path to Advance Successful Schools).  Throughout the year-long COMPASS program community participants will have the chance to study and provide feedback on topics such as curriculum, finances, communications, technology, staffing, and safety and security. At each meeting, participants learn the facts about each topic and then search out possible solutions.  Ultimately, COMPASS will utilize the data it compiles to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan for the District and a list of recommendations to present to the Board of Education in May 2008. 

All meetings are held at Bernard Middle School, 1054 Forder Road, from 7 – 9 p.m. The entire community is welcome and encouraged to register by calling 314.467.5002 or emailing   compass@mehlville.k12.mo.us.

Filing Dates Set For Mehlville Board of Education Election

Mehlville School District

News Release
Contact: Patrick Wallace

(314) 467-5152
For Immediate Release

November 29, 2007

Filing Dates Set For Mehlville Board Of Education Election

      The Mehlville School District will begin accepting Board of Education candidate applications at 8am on Tuesday, December 18, 2007, for the upcoming April 8, 2008 election.  Candidates must file in person in the Superintendent’s office at 3120 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63125. 

      Applications will be accepted between 8am and 4pm, Monday-Friday, until January 18, 2008.  The last day to file will be Tuesday, January 22, 2008, from 8am – 5pm.  Applications will not be accepted during the Mehlville School District Winter Break, December 22 – January 2, nor will they be accepted on January 21, as offices will be closed in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  In addition, no applications will be accepted on days that district offices are closed due to inclement weather or after offices close for an early dismissal. 

      All candidates must comply with local and state requirements.  Applicants must be at least 24 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a resident of Missouri for one year preceding the election, and must be a resident taxpayer of the Mehlville School District.  Candidates will be required to show a paid real estate or personal property bill from the preceding year.

There are three Board of Education seats up for election on the April 8, 2008 ballot.  Board of Education members with seats expiring this term are vice president Karl Frank Jr., director Cindy Christopher and director Ken Leach. Successful candidates will serve a three-year term.  Seats on the Mehlville Board of Education are unpaid positions.

Oakville High School Journalists Honored At National Convention

Mehlville School District

News Release

Contact: Patrick Wallace

(314) 467-5152

For Immediate Release

November 29, 2007

Oakville High School Journalists Honored At National Convention

Three Oakville High School journalism students won national write-off competition awards at the Journalism Education Association (JEA) Fall Convention held recently in Philadelphia. More than 4,700 students from all across America, Canada, England and Brazil attended the four-day conference.

A total of 1,922 students entered the write-off contests with only 662 (35%) earning awards. The write-off contests lasted approximately two hours, with each student allowed to enter only one competition. Schools were also limited to one entrant per category. Awards were presented to entries judged as Superior, Excellent or Honorable Mention.

 Lisa Giljum won an Honorable Mention Award in the Yearbook Copy and Captions: Student Life category. Ryan Kulage earned an Honorable Mention Award in the Newspaper Commentary Writing category. Anthony Vitale scored an Honorable Mention Award in the Newspaper Sports Writing competition.

Students traveling to the JEA Convention attended learning sessions in the areas of newspaper, yearbook, photojournalism, design, broadcast, advertising and leadership.

Jeff Kuchno is the Oakville High yearbook and newspaper adviser.

Weekly Mehlville Update – November 30th, 2007

Friend,

Happy Friday!  Another week has come and gone and our students and staff continue to do amazing things.  As always, attached are the news releases I sent to the media this week.

In other news, I’ve been asked to pass along a couple of items of interest.

#1 The Mehlville High Choir is having a pair of Madgrigal Dinner and Show nights and they’d love to have you join them.  The events will be held on December 6 and December 7 at St. Martin of Tours on Ripa Drive & Telegraph Road (across from Forder Elementary School).  The show starts at 7pm – tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for students and $12 for children under 12.  To purchase a ticket, contact Angie Hendrick at 467-6253.

#2 The Bernard Band Parent Organization is having a fund-raiser at Cici’s Pizza on S. Lindbergh from 3 to 9pm on Tuesday, December 4.  If you are looking for dinner ideas that evening, stop by Cici’s and help the Bernard Band students.

There, now you can finalize your dinner plans for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  I’m here to help, folks.

There are many things happening around the District, especially along the lines of winter programs.  You are always welcome and encouraged to check out our talented students in action.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 13 at 7pm at the John Cary Early Childhood Center.  On the agenda for that evening is a subject sure to grab the attention of many parents – Weighted Grades.  I’ll make sure the Board Book is posted online by Monday, December 10.

Speaking of December 10, that is the night of the next COMPASS meeting at 7pm at Bernard Middle.  The subject is also one that will turn heads – SCHOOL FINANCES.

Finally, I hope to send to you on Monday a sneak preview of the December issue of the Messenger, which is due on your lawns (inside the Post-Dispatch or Suburban Journals newspaper) next Wednesday, December 5.  I”m still waiting for an electronic version from the printer that I can forward to you.

That’s it for now.  Enjoy the weekend.

Go MIZZOU!

Patrick W. Wallace, APR
Director – School/Community Relations
Mehlville School District
Phone: (314) 467-5152
Fax: (314) 467-5198

The Excel Magician: 70+ Excel Tips and Shortcuts to help you make Excel Magic : Codswallop

Many of our students and parents are either learning to use Excel, or are using Excel on a regular basis.  Here are 70+ tips, sites, and books to help you out…

The Excel Magician: 70+ Excel Tips and Shortcuts to help you make Excel Magic : Codswallop
The Excel Magician: 70 Excel Tips and Shortcuts to help you make Excel Magic

Are you working with Excel and want take your Excel skills to the next level? Or do you want to learn Excel and don’t know where to start? Check out these 70 tips and shortcuts that will help you make Excel Magic.

 Click here to read on now…

The 10 Worst Presidents – USNews.com

For those who are interested in Presidential Politics.

The 10 Worst Presidents
Introduction

It’s too soon to judge the current one, but for past presidents, the verdict is in. U.S. News has averaged the results of five polls to make a gallery of the worst chief executives. The years before the Civil War produced an era of failure: Six of seven presidents who served from 1841 to 1861 made the list. Learn More | Poll

Featured Video: Executive Editor Brian Kelly interviews Jay Tolson, U.S. News historian and author of the worst president series, about his findings.

Click here to read the list… 

Forgiveness: How to let go of grudges and bitterness – MayoClinic.com – Parenting

I believe, to truly be effective in public policy, you have to become a master at forgiveness. Occasionally, it will become necessary for others to forgive you for everyone to move on as well. That is just the nature of the beast. Hopefully, most public officials strive to forgive more than to make decisions that require forgiveness. Regardless, here is a “how to,” that will help everyone get along a little better.

Forgiveness: How to let go of grudges and bitterness – MayoClinic.com
What are the benefits of forgiving someone?

Researchers have recently become interested in studying the effects of being unforgiving and being forgiving. Evidence is mounting that holding on to grudges and bitterness results in long-term health problems. Forgiveness, on the other hand, offers numerous benefits, including:

* Lower blood pressure
* Stress reduction
* Less hostility
* Better anger management skills
* Lower heart rate
* Lower risk of alcohol or substance abuse
* Fewer depression symptoms
* Fewer anxiety symptoms
* Reduction in chronic pain
* More friendships
* Healthier relationships
* Greater religious or spiritual well-being
* Improved psychological well-being

Click here to read the rest of the article now… 

A Big Thanks to Randy Lowry for his letter to the editor of Call Newspapers

i.call
Time to give credit where it is due, former Mehlville candidate says
November 28, 2007 – I wanted to take the opportunity to let the citizens of the Mehlville School District know of what appears to be a very well-kept secret — the current school board really does care about you and the children that attend our schools.

Although it is fashionable to criticize this board, it’s time someone gave credit where it is due. As a former candidate for the board, I have had several opportunities to interact with this group and they have always been responsive, pleasant, and, most important, accessible.

To watch them work so well with our new superintendent, Terry Noble, is a welcome change from past administrations.

The time has come to judge this board on its accomplishments, not the sins of past ones. We should seize the opportunity to come together as a community and create great things for our schools and our children.

Mr. Noble is clearly the right person to lead the district and the board that hired him deserves credit. I have no idea which members of this board will decide to run for re-election next April, but rest assured they will have my vote.

Randy Lowry

Oakville

Cyberbullying and OHS Students Highlighted on WB11

Friend,

I thought you’d be interested in the CW 11 news report airing last night about Cyber Bullying.  Oakville High School teens, along with former OHS student Chad McCord (a suicide victim in 2004) are featured.  It is a very interesting report every parent should see.

Check it out http://cw11tv.trb.com/news/?track=nav    Click on the cyber bullying segment, it starts with a commercial.

Regards,

Patrick W. Wallace, APR
Director – School/Community Relations
Mehlville School District
Phone: (314) 467-5152
Fax: (314) 467-5198

Cyberbullying is covered in Mehlville’s Board Policies – Policy JFCJ

Missouri has been in the news nationally, as of late, for a case of cyber-bullying leading to an apparent suicide.  I thought that readers of this blog would like to know that cyber-bullying is a punishable offense, enforceable by the the Mehlville School District.

Policy JFCJ – Bullying – Cyberbullying
Bullying — For purposes of this policy, bullying is defined as intimidation or harassment of a student or multiple students perpetuated by individuals or groups. Bullying includes, but is not limited to: physical actions; including violence, gestures, theft, or damaging property; oral, written or computer-generated taunts, including name-calling, put-downs, extortion or threats; or threats of retaliation for reporting such acts. Bullying may also include cyberbullying or cyberthreats. Cyberbullying is sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet or other digital communication devices. Cyberthreats are online materials that threaten or raise concerns about violence against others, suicide or self-harm.

More on Materialism and Self-Esteem / Researcher finds materialism in children and adolescents linked to self-esteem

Researcher finds materialism in children and adolescents linked to self-esteem
Researcher finds materialism in children and adolescents linked to self-esteem
Peer pressure, targeted marketing campaigns and bad parenting have all been blamed for increasing materialism in children. Until now, there has been little evidence showing when this drive for material goods emerges in kids and what really causes it. In one of the first studies to focus on the development of materialism among children, Deborah Roedder John, a professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, reveals that a young person’s level of materialism is directly connected to their self-esteem.

Click here to read on… 

Weekly Mehlville Update – Mehlville Football Panthers State Championship Results – 11-24-2007

Friend,

Happy belated Thanksgiving.  I wanted to wait until today to send my update to include news about the Mehlville High State Championship Football Game.  Sadly, MHS fell to Kansas City Rockhurst last night at the Edward Jones Dome by a 28-9 score.  However, the Panthers of Mehlville put up quite a fight, actually leading the high-powered Rockhurst team by a 9-7 score at half.  Mehlville Coach Heyde, his staff and players should hold their heads high.  Rockhurst has now won 8 State Championships, including 3 during this decade.  Congrats to St. Louis’ best Class 6A football team, the Mehlville Panthers.  By the way, Mehlville had a great crowd supporting them last night, more on our side of the dome then on the now 8-time state champs.

I don’t know if I ever had a chance to mention in my weekly updates that the Oakville High swim team finished 6th in the state this year, coming in as the highest scoring team in the state from the St. Louis area.  Add to that the MHS soccer Final Four appearance and the OHS softball 2nd place, and our District had a remarkable fall sports season.  Congrats to all of our coaches and players.

This coming week, UNICOM ARC invites you to participate in an open focus group about Mehlville School District communication efforts.  If you haven’t had an opportunity to take part in a previous focus group this fall and would like to share your thoughts about the District’s communication efforts, please attend this focus group on Tuesday evening (November 27) at 6pm at Central Office.  If you need more information, give me a call on Monday or Tuesday during the workday.

I am including with this email the news releases I sent last week (November 16).  I was hard at work on the upcoming Messenger this past week and did not send out any releases on Wednesday.  I’ll send fresh news releases this coming Friday (Nov. 30) and will copy you on them.

Also included with this email is Dr. Knost’s Character Plus Word of the Month attachment.  I received numerous positive emails in response to including the Word of the Month in October and wanted to send you November’s as well.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Just think, Winter Break is only 4 weeks away.

Finally, I’ve been asked to pass along that the Mehlville Mothers’ Club is hosting a fund-raiser for the Class of 2008 all night graduation party.  All you have to do to help is eat at CiCi’s Pizza on Thursday, November 29.  There will be a box for you to drop your receipt into and the MHS Mothers’ Club will receive a percentage of sales that day.

That’s it for now.  GO MIZZOU!

Regards,

Patrick W. Wallace, APR
Director – School/Community Relations
Mehlville School District
Phone: (314) 467-5152
Fax: (314) 467-5198

What Makes Us Moral — TIME

One of the comments on my web site includes a paragraph on the “immoral instruction” of public schools.  I quickly responded with the fact that morality is somewhat relative to your culture, your religion, your country, etc.  When I said it, I did not mean that there is not an absolute good, and an absolute evil, but that in philosophical terms, absolute good and evil is somewhat subjective.  This article from TIME magazine does a very good job of explaining my position on relative morality.

What Makes Us Moral — Printout — TIME
We’re a species that is capable of almost dumbfounding kindness. We nurse one another, romance one another, weep for one another. Ever since science taught us how, we willingly tear the very organs from our bodies and give them to one another. And at the same time, we slaughter one another. The past 15 years of human history are the temporal equivalent of those subatomic particles that are created in accelerators and vanish in a trillionth of a second, but in that fleeting instant, we’ve visited untold horrors on ourselves—in Mogadishu, Rwanda, Chechnya, Darfur, Beslan, Baghdad, Pakistan, London, Madrid, Lebanon, Israel, New York City, Abu Ghraib, Oklahoma City, an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania—all of the crimes committed by the highest, wisest, most principled species the planet has produced. That we’re also the lowest, cruelest, most blood-drenched species is our shame—and our paradox.

Click here to read now… 

Young warned over social websites – BBC

BBC NEWS | Technology | Young warned over social websites
Young warned over social websites
Laptop computer
An ICO website aims to help young people protect personal details
Millions of young people could damage their future careers with the details about themselves they post on social networking websites, a watchdog warns.

The Information Commissioner’s Office found more than half of those asked made most of their information public.

Some 71% of 2,000 14 to 21-year-olds said they would not want colleges or employers to do a web search on them before they had removed some material.

The commission said the young needed to be aware of their electronic footprint.

Click here to read the rest now… 

Harry Charms Students Into Success – Newser

Here is one fun way to raise test scores…

Harry Charms Students Into Success – Newser
Harry Charms Students Into Success

Posted Nov 22, 07 5:42 AM CST in World, Culture & Society Editor’s Choice

Harry Charms Students Into Success
Source: KRT Photos
(newser) – The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry it is not, but a suburban Nottingham school is using Harry Potter’s magic to get results. Primary students chose JK Rowling’s enchanted novels as their curriculum theme, a system school officials launched to raise lagging test scores. Subjects are laced with riffs on the books, and activities plunge students into Harry’s supernatural world. • The theme system, which has also embraced chocolate and the Titanic, worked: The school languished in the lowest quarter of English schools but has surged into the upper echelon, Time says. Officials branded the school “outstanding,” noting its success with students with learning disabilities and behavioral problems. “It’s made school a lot easier and better,” gushed one 10-year-old Hermione-in-training.

Mehlville takes underdog role into title game vs. Rockhurst – StlToday.com

Mehlville takes underdog role into title game vs. Rockhurst
FOOTBALL
Mehlville takes underdog role into title game vs. Rockhurst
By Brian Jerauld
SUBURBAN JOURNALS

Last year at this time, after a semifinal loss to CBC, Mehlville running back
Joel Fieseler’s head hung in disappointment.

But on Friday, as students, parents and fans mobbed he and his teammates,
Fieseler tilted his head back and flashed a smile up to the heavens.

“We’re going to the Dome,” he yelled at the clouds. “We’re going to the Dome.”

This Friday at 6:30, Fieseler and his fellow Panthers (10-2) will take the
field in the Edward Jones Dome for the 2007 MSHSAA Class 6 Football
Championship game. Mehlville earned its invitation after a 19-13 semifinal win
over Pattonville Friday night, and will face undefeated Kansas City Rockhurst
for the state title. The game will be televised live on FSN Midwest, with
play-by-play by Dan McLaughlin of Cardinals, Blues and Mizzou basketball
announcing fame.

Click here to read the rest… 

Memory of loss spurs Mehlville

Memory of loss spurs Mehlville
Memory of loss spurs Mehlville
By Nate Latsch
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
Friday, Nov. 23 2007

The Mehlville football team’s celebration of its 19-13 semifinal playoff
victory against Pattonville was a year in the making.

The Panthers knew how terrible it felt to lose in the same game because the
year before, they had walked off the field and watched CBC celebrate its first
trip to the championship game. They didn’t want to feel like that again.

So last week, when the final seconds ticked off the clock, some players chased
after defensive coordinator Brian Morris with a water bucket. Then, senior wide
receiver Justin Carter said, “We were just running around like some chickens
with the heads cut off.”

Click here to read the rest now… 

Quick Facts, history and other information about the Mehlville School District

Most of this information is pulled from a brochure and powerpoint presentation created by the Mehlville School District.

“Focused On Success”

2006 and 2007 Distinction in Performance Award Winner

Granted by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

Early Childhood Program

• New state of the art John Cary Early Childhood Center
• Five satellite sites to better meet the needs of students.
• Serves students form birth to age five
• Offers diagnostic evaluations and screenings, special education services and the Parents as Teachers program.

Ten Elementary Schools – Elementary Student Achievements

• Nine students earned perfect scores on the state-wide MAP test
• PBS Writing Award Winner
• Greater St. Louis Science Fair Finalist
• 14 Gateway Young Achiever Recipients
• KMOV Junior Stars Winner
• Numerous ‘Do The Right Thing’ Award Winners
• Barnes & Noble Poetry Contest Winner

Four Middle Schools – Middle School Student Achievements

• 56 Glory of Missouri Award Winners
• 18 Gateway Young Achiever Award Recipients
• 15 Duke ACT Talent Program State Qualifiers
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee Finalist
• MCTM Math Competition State Finalist
• Missouri Stock Market Game Regional Champions
• Dred Scott Documentary Award Winner

High Schools

• Two traditional high schools, Mehlville and Oakville.
• One alternative High School
• The Class of 2007 received more than $6 million in scholarships
• 89.6% of students go on to post-secondary education.

High School Student Achievements

• One National Merit Finalist
• Seven National Merit Commended Students
• 2007 State Water Polo, Third Place
• 2007 State Football Finalist
• 2007 State Softball, Second Place
• 2007 Nationally and State Honored Band and Choral Programs
• 2007 All-State Academic Baseball Team
• 2007 Missouri Junior Miss Award Winner
• Prudential Volunteer of the year Award Winner.
• KMOX Student of Achievement Winners
• Four Missouri All State Band Students
• Missouri Stock Market Game District Champions
• Speech and Debate Finalist
• SkillsUSA National Champion
• Future Business Leaders of America State Finalists
• Five National Journalism Conference Winners.

The Mehlville School District at a Glance

• 11,500 Students
• 18 Schools
• 89.5% of Students Enter Post-Secondary Education
• 95.2% Attendance Rate
• 65% of Teachers Hold a Master’s Degree or Higher
• 99.6% of Classes Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers
• Serving the Mehlville, Oakville, Green Park, Concord, and Lemay Communities.

District Offices

3120 Lemay Ferry Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63125
Phone: 314-467-5000
www.MehlvilleSchoolDistrict.com

Superintendent: Mr. Terry W. Noble

The mission of the Mehlville School District is to ensure that all students reach their potential by preparing them to be lifelong learners and responsible citizens through a dynamic curriculum, student-centered instruction, a safe and nurturing environment and community collaboration.

—–

The Mehlville School District

In The Beginning

• 1840: The citizens of the Point School area built their first school, a log cabin.
• 1841: A log cabin was also utilized as the first St. John school to serve the Mehlville area.
• 1842: The people of the Washington School area decided to build a one room school house.
• 1844: members of the Oakville School Board voted to build the first Oakville School.
• Oct. 27, 1951: Citizens of the Mehlville, Oakville, Point, and Washington areas voted for consolidation into one reorganized high school district.

Facilities

• Community’s largest single employer
• Over 1,300 staff and faculty members
• 11,000+ Students
• 1 Early Childhood Facility
  • 5 satellite programs in other elementary buildings.
• 10 Elementary Schools
• 4 Middle Schools
• 2 Traditional High Schools
• 1 Alternative High School
• Member of the SCOPE Consortium

Staffing

• 17 Doctoral Degrees
• 16 Specialists Degrees
• 546 masters Degrees
• 193 Bachelors Degrees
• Beginning teacher salaries are ranked 19 out of 21 St. Louis County School Districts
• Teachers at the top of the pay scale are ranked 18 out of 21 St. Louis County School Districts
• Class sizes do not exceed the maximum allowed by the state, but are typically above the state ‘desirable’ level.

Students

• 28 languages represented
• 1000+ minority students
• Approx. 1,800 special education students
• Approx. 400 gifted students
• Nearly 900 VICC students

Academic Achievement

• 2005-06 school year – students earned $6 million in scholarships
• Over the last five years – students claimed more than $25 million in scholarships
• 2005-2006 Distinction in Performance

Communications

• Mehlville Messenger
• Advisory Committees
• Website

Technology

• Current technology plan recognized by DESE as a ‘model plan’
  • Approved by Board but not fully funded
• Technology staff is half the size of other Districts that are smaller than Mehlville

Safety & Security

• Current technology plan calls for cameras in and around all campuses
  • Funding does not permit full implementation
• Board approved installation of buzzer systems at all elementary and middle schools
• Some cameras will be installed at the high school entrances.

Finances & Resources

• Current tax levy (blended rate) 2007-2008: 3.2731
  • #20 out of 23 St. Louis County Districts
  • 2.98 lowest – 5.5685 highest for 07-08
• Local revenue per pupil tax rate
  • Assess valuation/100 x 3.6443/enrollment
  • 2007-2008: $5,483.92
• Per pupil expenditure: $7,143 (2006-2007)
  • Total expenditures/average daily attendance

Edge: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE By Steven Pinker

I have received a couple of comments on my blog about violence in public schools.  I thought I would pass this post along about the History of Violence.  You might be surprised…

Edge: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE By Steven Pinker
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

In sixteenth-century Paris, a popular form of entertainment was cat-burning, in which a cat was hoisted in a sling on a stage and slowly lowered into a fire. According to historian Norman Davies, “[T]he spectators, including kings and queens, shrieked with laughter as the animals, howling with pain, were singed, roasted, and finally carbonized.” Today, such sadism would be unthinkable in most of the world. This change in sensibilities is just one example of perhaps the most important and most underappreciated trend in the human saga: Violence has been in decline over long stretches of history, and today we are probably living in the most peaceful moment of our species’ time on earth.

Click here to read the rest… 

Thought of the Day – Black swan theory – Wikipedia

This is very interesting.  It kind of works like this, ““If someone narrowly escapes being eaten by a tiger in a certain cave, then he learns to avoid that cave. Yet vicious black swans by definition do not repeat themselves. We cannot learn from them easily.”  For instance, we think we can historically prevent 9/11, by our hindsight.  (The simple, hindsight is 20/20 concept.)  However, as it explains below, black swans happen unexpectedly.  Keep reading.  Also check out this article for more information.

Black swan theory – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The high impact of the unexpected

Before Taleb, those who dealt with the notion of improbable, like Hume, Mill and Popper, focused on a problem in logic, specifically that of drawing general conclusions from specific observations. Taleb’s Black Swan has a central and unique attribute: The high impact. His claim is that almost all consequential events in history come from the unexpected—while humans convince themselves that these events are explainable in hindsight.

Are the family clichés true? – Independent Online Edition > Science & Tech

Are the family clichés true? – Independent Online Edition > Science & Tech
Are the family clichés true?
The middle one’s always difficult, the eldest is a bossy boots and the youngest is a tearaway. But are the family clichés true? Finally, scientists have the answer. Steve Connor (youngest of two) reports
Published: 19 November 2007

What kind of a person do you imagine when you think of an eldest child? Do you think of a conscientious, hard-working conformist? A proud brother or sister who shoulders responsibility – with or without encouragement? What if I were to ask you which member of your family is the most extroverted, or the naughtiest? Do you think of your younger sibling? Does the thought of a middle child conjure pictures of a tortured soul, forever torn between two extremes?

The difficult middle child, the spoilt only child, the wayward baby; few of us escape being labelled according to some sort of sibling stereotype. But what, really, are we to believe about the role our position in the family plays in determining our personality? Are the stereotypes true – or is the psychology of birth order just a load of hokum?

Click here to read the rest… 

Talking With Others May Make You Smarter – US News

Talking With Others May Make You Smarter
Talking With Others May Make You Smarter
Time spent socializing raised peoples’ test scores, researchers say
Posted 11/18/07

SUNDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) — The gift of gab could boost brainpower, new research suggests.

A U.S. team found that talking to another person for 10 minutes a day improves memory and test scores.

They found that “socializing was just as effective as more traditional kinds of mental exercise in boosting memory and intellectual performance,” lead author Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, said in a prepared statement.

In one investigation, they analyzed data on 3,610 people, ages 24 to 96.

They found that the higher their level of social interaction, the better their cognitive functioning. Social interaction included getting together or having phone chats with relatives, friends and neighbors.

Click here to read the rest now… 

Los Angeles Times: Obama calls for $18-billion boost in education spending

Obama mentions one key statistic in this article that I cite all of the time.  However, he is coming in about $3 higher than me.  Maybe he is adjusting for inflation.  According to the education foundation funded by Warren Buffett, for every dollar spent on Early Childhood education, you save $7 (or $10 according to Obama) on future tax expenditures, like reduced welfare rolls, and prison populations.

Los Angeles Times: Obama calls for $18-billion boost in education spending
Obama calls for $18-billion boost in education spending
By Michael Finnegan
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

11:31 AM PST, November 20, 2007

Manchester, N.H. — Barack Obama proposed an $18-billion increase in federal education programs today, accusing Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards of shortchanging public schools.

The Illinois senator outlined a broad agenda to expand early childhood education, reduce high school dropout rates and improve substandard schools in impoverished areas.

Sketching a bleak portrait of the nation’s school system, Obama lamented the millions of students who read below grade level, get too little math and science instruction and wind up unprepared for college.

Click here to read the rest now…

A Personal, Personal Property Taxes Story – St. Louis County Property Taxes

Note: the information below only provides an estimated tax amount and does not include taxes paid for debt service to pay off Mehlville bond issues, or other taxes paid to other taxing entities, like local fire districts, Special School District, libraries, sewer districts, zoo-museum district, etc. The overall increase in revenue for the Mehlville School District is 2.61% (not including debt service), which is typical of a semi-annual cost of living adjustment (CPI) year.

The Mehlville School District, as a taxing entity, did exactly what it is supposed to do. When assessments went up, we rolled back our tax levy to match. The difference is, this year was also a CPI (Consumer Price Index) year. This essentially allows government taxing entities to raise taxes every other year, but only at the CPI or cost of living increase for the economy. Note: Taxing entities are not allowed to do this every year, so while it is a cost of living increase, it is a biannual cost of living increase, meaning that, barring other tax levies, taxing entities never fully keep pace with the economy.

Soon, there is going to be an online calculator available either through my web site or the Mehlville School District’s web site that will allow you to calculate the following information yourself. In the meantime, here is my personal, personal property tax story:

In 2006, my land and house were appraised at $137,900. At that point, the county calculates an assessed valuation. From what I can tell, they arbitrarily selected 19% as the figure to multiply your appraised value by.

Therefore, my assessed valuation in 2006 was:

$137,900 x .19 = $26,200

Now, to figure out how much in taxes I would be paying to the Mehlville School District for 2006, I would have to find the voter approved residential tax rate charged by the Mehlville School District, which in 2006, was 3.5755. This 3.5755 value is essentially 3.5755 dollars for every $100 in assessed valuation.

Therefore, my taxes paid to the Mehlville School District in 2006 were:

$26,200 / 100 = $262 x 3.5755 = $936.82

Now as you probably know, 2007 was a major reassessment year for St. Louis County. The average assessment in St. Louis County was a 15.6% increase for the residents of the Mehlville School District. Keep in mind, this is for the Mehlville School District, not the whole St. Louis County area. I think the county average was closer to 20 something percent.

I won’t go through all of the calculations, but if my house was assessed at the average rate of 15.6%, my appraised value would have been $159,412.40, my assessed valuation would have been $30,288, and the total taxes paid to the Mehlville School District would have been $951.48, an increase of $14.66, or 1.57%.

At first glance, you would think, “No way! My appraised value went up 15.6%, therefore, my taxes to Mehlville should go up 15.6%.” Well, that is not how it works. Because of Missouri’s Hancock Amendment, Mehlville was required to roll back its levy, minus the 2.6% CPI that we talked about earlier.

So this means that Mehlville’s Residential Tax Levy went from 3.5755 down to 3.1414.

Now for the real world. An average is an average. If your house was assessed at an amount greater than 15.6%, your taxes paid to Mehlville would be higher than the average increase of 2.6%. If your house was assessed at an amount less than 15.6%, your taxes paid to Mehlville would be less than the average increase of 2.6%.

It just so happens, my house was assessed at an amount much higher than the average 15.6%. My assessment came in at 37.49%. The typical first thought would be, “That is crazy! My taxes are going up37.49%!” Well, as I mentioned earlier, that is just not the case. They still will go up, because of the CPI, but not as much as you might think.

So, here is how it calculates out:

In 2007, my house was assessed at $189,600. That is almost 37.5% higher than 2006. Therefore:

2007 Assessment:

$189,600 x .19 = $36,030

Now, I would divide this by 100 and multiply the result by the reduced Mehlville School District residential tax rate of 3.1414 of every $100 of assessed value.

So:

$36,030 / 100 = $360.30, then $360.30 x 3.1414 = $1131.66

What’s the difference?

2006 was $936.82, subtracted from 2007’s $1131.66, equals $194.84, or a 20.80% increase.

The idea, is that those who’s assessed valuation was higher than 15.6% would pick up a higher tax burden than those who’s property values were taxed below the 15.6% average.

The key here is to realize one important thing. Even though my house was assessed at a 37% higher rate than the previous year, my taxes to Mehlville did not increase 37%. They increased 20.80%, or only $194.84.

Just as an FYI. I live in School District 120 – Mehlville, sub-code H. In 2006, all of the taxing entities in my area had a combined residential tax rate of 6.4151%. In 2007, because of the increase in overall assessment, the taxing entities in my area of Mehlville are now taxing at a combined residential tax rate of 5.8568%.

For me, that means, on a CPI year, my residential property taxes increased $429.03, or 25.53%. ($194 to Mehlville, $205 to other taxing entities.)

Also, when Mehlville presents this information at the next COMPASS meeting, they will be working with the “Blended Tax Rate.” This is a very complicated issue. Essentially, there are four tax funds. The residential, which is what I have been talking about, the agricultural rate, the commercial rate, and the personal property rate (like cars, boats, etc.) For ease of explanation and calculation, the blended rate (a combination of all four tax funds) is used to show the complete picture. The complete picture is what I said earlier, that the average taxpayer in the Mehlville School District will pay an additional 2.6% in taxes to the Mehlville School District. Again, this is typical of any CPI year, and would most likely have happened regardless of reassessment.

Thoughts, ideas? Stay tuned for the online calculator to see where you fit in this picture….

Parents told to watch out for dangerous toys – CNN.com

Parents told to watch out for dangerous toys – CNN.com
Parents told to watch out for dangerous toys

* Story Highlights
* Toy industry still “full of safety loopholes,” consumer group says
* Government watchdog urges parents to read warning labels
* Toy hazards include falling, choking and burning, regulators say

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators sought Tuesday to restore parents’ confidence in toy safety, urging vigilance during the busy holiday shopping season with little mention of lead hazards that have prompted a record number of toy recalls.

Consumer groups, though, warned that they found numerous cases where toys that posed a choking hazard or lead danger had improperly made it to store shelves. “Consumers looking for toys still face an industry full of safety loopholes,” said the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

Click here to read the rest now!