Please visit XposureKidsRadio and listen to some of wonderful radio clips our Xposure Greenburgh 6, 7 and 8th graders created during Thursdays program. http://www.xposureschools.com/greenburgh/radio.php
The students split into 4 groups and selected the following topics: Breaking Oil dependence, Wall Street Meltdown, Entertainment, Sports.
They researched each topic using the Internet and were tasked with writing the copy, and uploading it to the Smart Board teleprompter which they controlled. Each group was then given a max of 2 minutes radio time for their show
There are still a few openings for students interested in this very special after school program -- a program that I think will be replicated in many other school districts in the coming years.
The Lanza Family Foundation has increased the grant of $167,550 by an additional $17,000+, reducing the town's after school contribution to about $150,000. In years past the town has spent as much as $190,000 on after school programs --so this year we are reducing our contribution and getting a substantially better program.
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47 comments:
Feiner is playing fast and loose with the numbers when he says in past years the town has spent as much as $190,000 on its after school program.
First of all, there is no line item in the town budget for "after school" program. So, there is really no way to know for sure how much the town has ever spent.
From 2006 through 2008, however, there is a line item for "part time education programs" in the amount of $190,000. However, when residents questioned how much of the town's budget was devoted to the town's after school program, they were told that $150,000 of the $190,000 was for that program, and the balance was for other "educational programs."
The truth is no one outside of the community center really knows how its nearly $4 million annual budget is spent. For example, if the number is $150,000 for the after school program, how many teachers is that? How are they paid? By the hour? Or by stipend? How long do they work? None of this information is set forth in the town budget -- but it should be.
But one thing's for sure, there's no basis for Feiner to say the town spent as much as $190,000 on the after school program unless he's prepared to say when and how that sum was spent.
When the town abuses taxpayers by spending millions of dollars on a program without demanding any accountability to the public, as it does with the community center, it's hard to take Feiner seriously when he tell us how much money he pretends he's saving us.
And the Xposure program isn't saving the town a dime. It is instead costing us plenty in unacountable tax dollars. This radio program Feiner touts is pure PR intended to distract the public from the real problem taxpayers have on their hands here.
Anonymous--whoever you are--
Xposure is open to everyone in unincorporated Greenburgh. Our children are our most precious assets. After school programs are important, not only for our children but for parents. These programs provide parents with the ability to continue to work while our children are being educated.
Oh please. "our children are our most precious assets"
Yes, but only if your child attends Greenburgh Central.
How come no one has mention the money GC spends on the after school and daycare programs at Lois Bronz, Ann & Andy & Creative Beginnings? Why has no one mention the money GC spends on the Early Childhood Program?
Free busing to these facilities, free food, free daycare.
Stop the nonsense. These "precious assets" have enormous advantages available to them that you would be hard pressed to find in any other school district or town. The biggest problem is that not all children and families are encouraged to participate so the very same, very small population reaps the benefits.
Look at Yonkers. They were cutting thier athletic programs until donations kept it afloat. Does anyone in their right mind think for one second that these programs, paid for by the citizens, are available anywhere else? Yonkers? Bronx? Scarsdale? Edgemont? Rye? Hell no!
How is it that 1/3 of the school aged children living in GC get these over the top advantages?
Wasteful and disgraceful. Now we have another duplicated program, Xposure, to add to this list.
When will anyone care about the other 2/3 of the children living in GC that get NOTHING? When will anyone care about the families going broke paying for the other 1/3 privladged few.
Stop using emotional blackmail by using terms "the good of our children" " our precious assets"
Manipulative BS. Your precious babies have plenty while my precious babies get nothing.
They only thing my kids had was the DARE program, cut by Paul, replaced by Xpousure. AND it was taught during school hours, tuition paid for by me. Not you, me!
I can't believe the level of dishonesty, waste and manipulative menusha that goes one in this town.
Every, single, citizen should be disturbed.
10:03 is correct. Feiner has no idea what the numbers are. He just pulls them out of his arse and tosses them around for fun. He lies like a rug too.
We still have to pay $150,000.00
for something that only satisfies the so called underpriveledge children of Fairview.
Are we paying for all their equipment also.
Paul you know that this is bull.
So the Lanza foundation gave up some more money which will not help the tax payers one bit.
The hole that you are digging for youself is getting deeper.
Maybe in the next election you could run for mayor Of Fairview since you are so happy with what you are accomplishing in the area.
Don't think for one minute that the rest of the unincorporated area will be voting for you.They have had it.
The more you speak of this program the worse it's getting because of the lies.
The school programs are great .By the way the funds for these programs are already paid for by the taxpayers.
Paul ,stop the BS you are loosing big time.
You have spent our hard earned money with no explanation to benefit Fairview.
Have you totally forgotten that there are other parts of town. Why do you come arround trying to show the residents that you are interested in what they say when you know that your lying.
My suggestion to you is just to set up camp at the A&P in Fairview where you are accepted with open arms.
You have proved one big point to all the taxpayers that there should be term limits .
Yes you have spoiled it for someone who may be benificial to greenburgh by being such a smuck.
Here we go agian some more lies from our supervisor.
He cannot understand that we have no more money to play his foolish games.
Paul leave office it's is not a play thing for you anymore.
You have done enough damage for a few years to come.
The more you expose these children with the thought that they are poor you will have them on welfare for the rest of their lives
You have given into the people that they must receive benefits from all angles.
We pay for our children to have activities outside the school system. Because of you they don't.
We pay for babysitting because of you it is for free.
We pay rent because of you they live by section eight.
Have you ever had an investigation of these participants who receive freebees including meals. NO.
These are all things that we have but we pay for.
You gave them so much that the Greenburgh ship is sinking real bad and there is no one to put it affloat unless someone with a good mind and managerial skills can figure out how to bring the ship back up.
Today, we could put up Bozo the Clown for supervision & Bozo would win.
This will be Paul's undoing for sure. He will be treated as he has treated us with disdain, disrespect, disloyalty, and selfishness.
Make no mistake people!
Paul is taking food out of the mouths of children to give it to those who are well fed.
The GC school district has robbed the people of thier money and denied a proper education to thousands of children living in the school district.
Do not stand for either one any longer!
Demand that Unincorporated Greenburgh take care of ALL of its children and families!
Is the $17,000 also a matching grant?
The word is that the Town must also add $17,000.
What is the extra money for?
Agree with 10:09. Listen to the news. The fed was very cautious about not sending out a signal to financial institutions that it's ok to steal money from the people for themselves. They wanted to remove the motivation for haphazard spending, gross profit taking. Many were opposed to the bailout just because of this.
Here in Fairview Greenburgh,we do not motivate people to aspire to anything more than learning how to work the system to get things for free. There are other blogs on the Internet were former Fairview residents often refer to Greenburgh as "Freeburgh" and laugh about it.
The GPD laughs about how no police enforcement is need at Fairview before 12 noon because most households don't get out of bed before then. No jobs. No motivation to get jobs. Yet we give special police detail to the GHA and they feel they shouldn't have to pay what they agreed to pay for. What do Fairview children learn from this?
The Fairview community does not give back to the Greenburgh community. It does not volunteer to make a difference in its community, it only lobbies for Greenburgh to give them more. It never thanks us either.
What are were really teaching the children of Fairview? We are teaching them nothing more then to have great expectations with no effort to achieve them. We teach them to work at looking for handouts and tell them that they should expect them because they deserve them.
Paul is a great supporter of "keeping the man down" yet behaves as a guilty party and throw more and more money at them to absolve his guilt.
Do you believe?
I ask again, do you believe?
Do you believe in Xposure?
If you believe, I want you to rise up out of your chair right now and I want you to take your hand and place it atop the radio,
I want you to hear and feel the goodness and the glory and I want you to heed the teachings of the little servants of our savior,
And I want you to sing and blog the praises of Mr. Thomas endlessly and I want you to volunteer your sons and daughters to join his most precious flock,
And I want you to make out your $300 checks to Mr. Thomas and know ye that he works in mysterious ways but that the teachings of the internet surely argue against the wisdom of contributing the millions and millions of dollars that were spent foolishly upon that false god made in the image of stone and glass as though it were some pagan idol, the Gordon Parks Library.
And I want you to speak no more of harsh words and false aspersions to all persons connected with Xposure,
And lastly I want you to join with me in prayer and ask that Mr. Thomas and his flock do what the world's leaders cannot do because they do not abide by the wisdom that from your children you'll be taught; harken ye unto the miracle that shall be revealed to true believers when Mr. Thomas speaks to all, coming to you through the radio and the wisdom of his 7th and 8th graders who -- on next week's radio show -- will solve the world financial crisis having passed the 30 minute Xposure course on the stock market.
Wall Street and markets abroad, rise up and be healed.
Amen.
Father, forgive them (Lanza Foundation), for they know not what they do.
The money spent on Xposure will result in the cutting of 2 to 3 jobs of town workers. Workers with families! This will result in a service loss to you all.
All in all, i have to say Xpousure is well worth it! Don't ya think?
We love you Feiiiiiiner,
Oh yes we dooooooo.
You give our money away
that much is truuuueeee,
To those who who don't need it
We're THROUGH!
Oh Feiiiiiiner, we love yoooou!
Mr. Feiner, Are you a masochist? Why would you even post this??
He's not a masochist. He's getting great enjoyment at pissing and ripping us off.
All the comments are going to deaf ears since the complaints are against the residents of Fairview.
If it were in reverse Feiner would be up our backside.
So many of you bloggers are so naive.Do you think yelling at Paul is going to make a difference?You have to understand that Paul is a POLITICIAN, not a "corporate executive" by any stretch of the imagination. All of your blabbering about Paul's financial mismanagement has nothing to do with Paul's forte or focus. He's a POLITICIAN, he buys votes with the budget. Fairview and GC vote and the rest of you don't.Get it?!!Instead of waisting your time whining and complaining on Paul's blog, get involved in the political process, find someone to run against Paul and work your tail off to get him out of office.Paul's game is to divide and conquer. All of you that feel disenfranchised, must unite and send him packing. If you don't understand that and do something about it (like I intend to), Paul (Fairview & GC) wins and you lose.
This is mindboggling.
First, Ms Whitehead and the no-show jobs, etc.
Second, the Xposure program -- which is clear why Paul tells us to listen to their program, because there sure isnt much to read about it.
We should have given the homework program more time. Want to bet the after school program for the Edgemont kids has allotted time. Like they would even want their kids in this program. No certified teachers, no background.
You guys don't know what you're talking about! Xposure is getting rave reviews from parents, educators. OTher school districts are asking educators to monitor the program. Children love getting educated.
What evidence is there that Xposure is getting "rave reviews" from anyone?
The town entered into the contract with Xposure without obtaining a resume from Ray Thomas, its director. Mr. Thomas, who apparently is not a college graduate, does not have a written curriculum, and is not apparently certified by anyone to work with children, is now responsible for hiring "teachers" to work with the town's underprivileged children, for which the town will pay Thomas $150,000 and for which the town will pay the "teachers" another $150,000.
What idiots in town government thinks that this is responsible decision-making? If ever there was a case for a town NOT being in the business of educating children, this is it.
If there are any Greenburgh Central administrators or teachers who are "raving" about the program, and I doubt that there are, it is only because the cost is being charged not to Greenburgh Central, but to all of unincorporated Greenburgh -- without our consent.
I can't imagine any parents whose kids are in the program who are "raving." They have to shell out $300 per kid for a program that previously was for free. And where does that $300 go, exactly? The town hasn't said.
And don't let anybody suggest that there are "other school districts" who are monitoring the program for their own kids. There are no school districts in unincorporated Greenburgh other than Greenburgh Central who have any interest whatsoever in this program. They recognize a scam when they see one.
And they would never be so irresponsible as to place the care of children in the hands of someone who is not certified, never went to college, and won't even produce a resume so that his background can be confirmed.
At a recent town board meeting, Sonya Brown said that of course the town received a resume from Mr. Thomas. FOIL requests for that resume have demonstrated that no such resume exists.
Ms. Brown and Mr. Feiner will have a lot of explaining to do when the true facts concerning Xposure come to light. In the meantime, residents would be well advised to demand that the program be canceled. Immediately.
If the children are getting a better education with this program then close central seven schools.
Sorry teachers you don't know how to teach the children in your district.
Paul decided this program was better for the children than your work in the classrooms or after school help.
.
Mr.9:41: Xposure's Ray Thomas is not receiving $150,000. His salary is reported to be in the $30 grand range. My recollection was that he subjected himself to significant background checks conducted by the police and he passed with flying colors.
Xposure is a successful story. despite your insults.
The fact is we dont know what Mr. Thomas will be paid. The prior year IRS filings of Xposure seem to indicate in the 30K range, but that was before the Lanza grant and the Town contract. Face it, with outside orgs, we have no control over salaries -- whilst at the same time we are putting our employees under strict controls.
Why don't you naysayers visit Xposure?
Facts yes. Facts Helpful.
Racist comments not helpful.
See xposure.
observe the kids.
watch them learn.
then report to us.
I don't give a rats a$$ who raves, who's qualified, blah, blah.....
The town is NOT IN THE EDUCATIN BUSINESS.
Greenburgh Central has the highest per student spending in the entire COUNTRY. We are paying this in taxes. Why should we pay more to supplement any educational program? EVER?
I listened to their "radio" show. Only one child appears to be able to READ properly. Why? There are many to blame for this.
Why should we throw good money after bad on the same group of kids? IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH IS SPENT!
Paul, you have stepped out of line with this one. Way out of line and this little pet project of your will bite you in the a$$.
You are being SPITEFUL and insulting to all Greenburgers.
How many kids are enrolled? I ask this because after listening to the radio clips it appears that the same 3 or 4 kids are the only ones participating.
How many of their families paid the $300. enrollment fee? How many of those who didn't pay have kids getting paid by us, every week, to attend? Xposure was replaced by the after school program? How many are now attending the GC after school programs at Ann & Andy, Creative Beginning and L. Bronze?
People! Don't be fooled. Nothing was "replaced". Programs were added and yes, you are paying for them.
How can we teach our children anything when town leaders deceive, lie and play the shell game at every turn?
Xposure belongs in the school district. Period!
I suspect the town board was in cahoots with the SD on this one. to DECIEVE the public.
Way to go!
Feiner is being disingenuous when he anonymously blogs that Thomas will only be paid $30 "grand" something -- not the $150,000 that another anonymous blogger reported.
Under the contract with Xposure that Feiner signed, the town will indeed be paying Thomas $30 "grand" something, but Thomas is then permitted to ask the town to cut checks to "Xposure" for the balance of the $150,0000. Since Thomas is Xposure (the company does not identify any other employees other than Thomas), the $150,000 balance would almost certainly go to Thomas himself.
And what's worse, Thomas doesn't have to do anything to earn that $150,000 other than to say he's "running" the program. What the program does, how many kids it enrolls, how successful it is, etc., it doesn't matter. Thomas gets his money all the same.
The biggest ripoff in the contract is the statement that the "vouchers" that Thomas submits have to be approved by the town comptroller, Kolesar. But there's no basis by which Kolesar can turn down a request for payment, so having Kolesar sign off on the checks means nothing. If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.
Sonya Brown tried to get a summer school project passed and paid for by the town, a few years ago. It was denied by the town board, so she ran for office and won. Now the town is in the education business to suppliment the school district. Makes no sense
There are still a few openings for students interested in this very special after school program -- a program that I think will be replicated in many other school districts in the coming years.
DING!
How is this even legal? Why are we spending money to educate? There is a clear precedent set by the current use of Xposure in school districts. It is marketed at school districts.
The Town's operation of the Xposure after school program is NOT LEGAL. In its audit of the WestHELP fiasco, the state comptroller stated that, "The general function of providing education to children is a school district, not a town purpose." To get around the state laws against using town taxpayer dollars to aid an individual school district within a town, the Town pretends that the program is open to all children in unincorporated Greenburgh.
In fact, the program is, for all intents and purposes, open only to children in the Greenburgh Central school district. This is demonstrated by the fact that the Town provides bus service for those children from the schools in that district to the community center, and for no other children. This is also shown by the fact that only children from the Greenburgh Central school district are enrolled in the program.
Even if it were legal for Greenburgh to operate the program for all children in "unincorporated Greenburgh," and it is not, the Town is also violating the laws requiring that such programs be open town-wide and paid for town-wide.
Residents are encouraged to register their complaints about this unlawful town practice with the State Comptroller and the State Attorney General. Demand that these state agencies take action to stop Greenburgh and its politicians from violating state law.
Oh please, you people, get a life. The Feiner machine will never be defeated. This is ward boss politics at its essence. Feiner's playbook is straight out of Plunkett of Tammany Hall, which is an unbeatable formula on the very local level: constituent services and distributing patronage to people who actually vote. If Feiner opponents couldn't get their act together behind a qualified candidate like Greenawalt 3 years ago, or Lasser 5 years ago, they will never find anyone to bring him down. Seriously, how many more capable people are there who would be willing to give up their real jobs, get down and dirty campaigning against Pothole Paul, just to be Greenburgh town supervisor for $105,000 and have to attend all those insane meetings? Paul is very clever at finding wedge issues to divide his opposition. Just look at how he got Hal Samis's endorsement last time around. Sorry, but the dozen or so anti-Feiner posters on this blog won't cut it. Since Paul seems to have given up on higher ambition than being town supervisor, he will be here as long as he chooses. Get used to it.
10:17,
Ya don't say!
DING! DING! DING!
PS There is no transportation to children living in Greenburgh Central that don't attend school there. k-8 estimated to be over 800 of them. No flyer's sent to the private elementary schools in Un-Greenburgh, in GC boundaries either.
And what is this craziness where kids are bussed from GC to private out of SD boundaries day care centers? Can anyone shed some light on this?
Sorry 11:37. You are wrong. People become complacent when times are good. These times are anything but good & we have a mickey mouse supervisor who isn't cutting the mustard and this time, if a half way decent candidate emerges, I'll bet they win.
And to think how many mafiosos are in jail for doing the exact same think that is going on in Greenburgh.
Are there any honest people left who claim to protect the residents.
Hey guys you have hurt each one of us for the rest of our lives since you have taken away our way of life.
We are now answering to a dictatorship one who sees no further than his nose.
We have to take what he places before his board and then is passed down to us the public.
We have to pay whether we like it or not for this program that is not and will not benefit the children .It is another babysitting arrangement meant soley for the children at FAirview.
We in the other areas would never insult the teachers the way SOnya and Feiner have done.
We pay good money for our schools why must we pay to match a grant given for this program when we did not vote this in.
This guy is a farce but when he is exposed let's see how Feiner and Sonya handle it.
It looks like Sonya was elected to satisfy the black people at the north end of town well she has succeded inspending our money on this program.
Watch out this Sonya is not sitting in that seat to represent the whole town,
Her goal is to help steal our money to serves the Fairviewites.
See how she kept quiet on the subject of the no show jobs ,the supposed hiring of felons who receive good money .
Well she started on a bad foot but we have to put up with her until the next election comes arroung or maybe she will resign.
Is there any elected official that listens to all the people or are they working just to rip us off.
Greenburgh Central School District with just 1,800 students is the per pupil spending leader among independent school districts in the county, according to the state at $28,322 per pupil on a $51 Million budget. A distant second is Briarcliff Manor at $25, 914 per pupil (with 1,800 enrollment), $46.7 Million budget.
No matter how much money Greenburgh Central spends per pupil, it still does not justify saddling unincorporated area taxpayers with the cost of Greenburgh Central's after school program. Town officials know they are violating the law, but don't think anyone will do anything about it. Write to the state comptroller and state attorney general and demand that they investigate and put a stop to Greenburgh's illegal taxing of unincorporated Greenburgh to pay for Greenburgh Central's after school program.
Very true 12:34 but the GC spending is staggering and highly questionable given that enrollment is at best half of the overall K-12 population in the district.
People need to know what they are paying for at GC as well. More babysitting!
GC spending is staggering largely because of the costs of busing nearly half the school age population to nearby private and parochial schools. GC taxpayers can remedy the situation by working to improve their schools, but so many have thrown up their hands in frustration, it's not hard to see why that hasn't worked. In the meantime, though, there's no reason in the world by taxpayers in unincorporated Greenburgh should subsidize the school district itself. That's not only an illegal use of town taxpayer funds, but if the town is there to provide supplemental funding, which it is, GC has one less reason to take their own steps to improve their schools.
1:06 I beg to differ.
The cost is staggering not because they bus to private schools, because their spending is out of control!
If you ask for the information you will find that the busing is incidental as they do not add buses for private schools only use buses in between runs to GC. While it's true that gas is costly and they "could" have drivers work less hours, there are approximately 11 million tax dollars per year going into GC by families that have their kids in private schools, that is being squander by the district.
If these families enrolled their children, GC would implode as it could never handle the influx of students without doubling school taxes district wide.
So,you are wrong. It is in fact true that because these kids don't attend GC, it allows for this staggering amount of money to be spent ineffectively & frivilously.
It galls me that GC would have you believe otherwise. Last check back in 2005 these "extra runs" were costing an extra 55k per year. There is no way in hades that the SD and those that attend ,have the better end of the bargain.
It's horrifying that this amount of money is wasted on, by all accounts, a poor education.
correction:
There is no way in hades that the SD and those that attend ,DON'T have the better end of the bargain.
a school district that buses 50% of its kids out of the district should be taken over by the state.
another evil allowing central 7 kids to tuition in to high performing school districts like edgemont and ardsley at half the cost of private schools.
central 7 should be put into receivership.
Half the price of private schools?! Where? Sign me up! The private schools in GC run from 4.5-7K per year. Half? I highly doubt it.
I agree. The state should take over GC.
TDY C/C ACTING COMMISSIONER UNDER POLICE INVESTIGATION
FACTS
Police arrive at Community Center on Sept 13th
Upon their arrival, Valerie Whitehead abruptly leaves Center.
She doesn't return until 5 days later.
She doesn't contact staff.
At least 15 staff members are asked to report to Greenburgh Police for questioning.
Center’s security tapes taken by Police.
Time cards taken by Police.
5 p/t staff including Whitehead's nephew somehow put in 50 hours per week.
The Center is closed for evening programs during September.
Whitehead authorized these hires and their excessive hours without the knowledge of the Town Board.
Whitehead stops staff meetings.
Whitehead attempts to block transfer of James Robinson to Center.
Whitehead offers no statement on occurrence or explanation.
HAL SAMIS IS RIGHT, THE PUBLIC DESERVES ANSWERS.
PAUL WE ARE WAITING.
INVOICE FOR GAY SILVERMAN
Whereas you have entered into an agreement to rent space at the Theodore D. Young Community Center, and as a good responsible taxpayer, conscientious of the financial burden placed on our valued town residents, this letter serves to remind you that you owe $20,000.00 in rental fees which was duly noted from last January. Simply put, we taxpayers don’t know where you get the chutzpa from, to go to a town board meeting and play victim while shamelessly pandering to temporary commissioner, Valerie Whitehead. Add to the fact that you put down the efforts of the entire staff, who work hard every day to put out the best programs possible plus contrary to your comment, do indeed welcome everyone who enters through the center’s doors.
Now let’s figure this out:
A Valerie desperately needs money.
+ B You haven’t paid your bill.
= C: More shady wrongdoings!
Can you smell kickback?
It’s highly suspect when the department head praises the efforts of a space renter who is ten months behind in her rental fees. The temp lady should have initiated some efforts to collect money that was due to the town!
Paul, please investigate this.
PS. Gay, I’m sending you some kneepads. They should be useful at your next town board meeting.
$20,000K owed by private team using a Town facility - Can we send the account to collections??
Pay your bill StealStreaks Gay Silverman.
Why aren't you collecting this $$$ Paul - Help the taxpayers out collect revenue.
Ooch - politi-tricks and payoffs - are you getting kick backs to Paul. Oh know - you and your father - real estae tycoon are making $$ at Westhab/tab/shab/shinola + shiiiiiiit
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