In a Newsmakers interview with Judy Stiles, Joplin R-8 Board of Education President Annie Sharp said the district has put special effort into making sure that everything that was needed for athletics was included in the new Joplin High School.
"We've beefed up our athletic complex," Ms. Sharp said, 'because we figured this was never going to happen again."
In the interview, she also says the following:
-"We welcomed the state audit.
-On the first day of school- "There will be cameras everywhere. It's going to be an awesome time."
-On the new style of education at JHS- "It looks like mass chaos, but it's a great way to learn. The students can handle that kind of freedom."
-On the loans the district is taking- We're not going to the voters. That will be a loan the school district takes out. There won't be any new taxes."
-On the six-and-a-half mile ribbon- "We're trying to make the Guinness Book of World Records."
Anne has the mantra down, doesn't she? It's not about academics. It's about sports and the cameras.
ReplyDeleteIf kids can learn with this kind of freedom, Anne Sharp, why does your district have such sucky scores? Lowest in the area.
How much better it would have been if you had, just for once, admitted things aren't going well but you will do what it takes to set things straight. You just sold out the whole district to try and protect an image that is tarnished beyond repair until Huff and his idiot backers get shown the door. What a huge sorry mistake you have made, Anne. You let us all down. We expected better but you're just like Steele, Sticklen, and Landis. All you care about is protecting image, not making things better.
I guess Joplin Schools are getting as desperate as we are hearing. They're so desperate to break records that they'll go after the Guiness records since they can't do it in the classroom or on the field.
ReplyDeleteStupid and tacky. Predictable from that organization.
Did I honestly hear her say they are focusing on staff retention? When the hell are they going to start? After they cut the cooks and bus drivers several days' pay? Or maybe after they spend teacher raises on bull crap to make CJ look good.
ReplyDeleteWhat crap. No wonder no one can stand it there. Their cheer captain with the hard hat is as clueless as her squad of seven.
Good gawd, R8, give it up. Ribbons and cameras. So much fun. Did you forget why you got that new building. Joplin is grotesque. No priorities. Everything is a show. No taste. Pitiful, pitiful, pitiful. No wonder you are the lowest district around.
ReplyDeleteOn the loan: That will be a loan the school district takes out. There won't be any new taxes.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell are you paying your loan payment with then, lottery winnings? You got a sugar daddy somewhere? Or is it coming out of staff pay? Everyone that doesn't work at JSAB, that is.
Please, just stop talking. The more you all try to spin the more sickening it gets.
It'll be a special school for sure. Probably the only brand new, $150,000,000 school that isn't safe to be in. But they can have tournaments outside! That's what matters.
ReplyDeleteYeah, goodness knows, it might be awhile before all of your facilities get wiped out again. Better exploit this situation all you can for sure. Not too many of those silver lined funnels come through like the last one.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to see why CJ is still with R8, isn't it? No one there has a lick of sense.
Dear Suzanne, Childress Sharp,
ReplyDeleteNot all of us who grew up with you are independently wealthy. Some of us have had to bust it all our lives, and it is painful when you disrespect us this way by making light of wasting tax dollars that we worked very hard for. Why are you doing this? Your community wants you to get rid of your superintendent. That's why there were changes made on the Board, and you know it. But you still cling to him and hurt us and our children's learning.
Whatever he has on you, get a lawyer and get rid of him. There is no saving this situation. Quit continuing to say things that are foolish in hopes that if you say them enough, we will believe them. We don't and won't. Do your job you were elected to do, which is to protect the education of our children, not the image of your precious prima donna.
Anne is a very sweet person, but she has no concept of reality. She has never had a job in her entire life and lives off of money she gets from her Dad...which is a ton of oil money. No clue.
ReplyDeleteEvery dollar spent on loans is a dollar not spent on academics or that staff she's wanting to retain.
ReplyDeleteIdiocy. Please, let the state take over. Anything is better than this.
No pool for the swim team though.
ReplyDelete8:04 - I was thinking the same thing, where does she think the money is coming from to pay the loan????
ReplyDeleteAgreed-stop talking!!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this unique in the nation claim is just bullsh*t. Either they are lying or they actually believe it, but it's still just plain bullsh*t. The six and a half mile ribbon is probably unique, but why not just do a Christo inspired stunt and wrap every building in blue tarps?
ReplyDeleteCredit where credit is due department: Thanks for explaining how loans work Ms. Sharp. Spend now, pay back later, with interest. No new taxes, just getting the money from somewhere else. Suggestion- let the public know how this budget magic works by using different colors of ink for the new tax spending and the old tax spending.
All of those glitzy new stadiums mean nothing when our teams cannot beat the KC teams in our district, Waynesville, Lebanon, teams in our conference, nor local schools like Webb City and Carthage. Why you ask? All of the potential good athletes are going to area schools. It was a mistake to build 1 HS. Joplin is a 2 HS town. Just think if we could have built 2 equal HS? Our teams would have had the opportunity to win, better academics with smaller class sizes, and brought in more revenue playing local teams. On average, how many people from Waynesville or Camdenton come to watch the games? But if we played in the conferences with WC or the Springfield schools, how many more people would come to watch? This entire deal with the new HS was shoved down the voters throat, and way too quickly without public input or legitimate thought put into it. This district made a "knee jerk" emotionally fueled decision. It will hurt our kids and community for years to come.
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like the voters of Joplin need to clean house.
ReplyDeleteNext April - vote her out ! Remember this garbage when she runs for re-election.
ReplyDeleteAnd dear Lord ! Do NOT vote for Jeff Flowers if he runs again.
Anne is a nice person, and she cares about Joplin's students and schools. But she's not a leader, and she's not very smart, and she's never really had a job at all. She's in over her head here, but she is trying. I don't know if her efforts will be enough.
ReplyDeleteWho cares if the new high school will be unique in the nation? It is a uniquely ugly building for sure but will the students be better educated?
ReplyDeleteNobody gives a crap about that stupid ribbon or the Guinness Book of World Records except the Board, especially at the cost of $15K. The money to pay for that will probably be pennies dropping from heaven like the money to pay back the $8 million loan.
I agree that Annie Sharp is a very nice person but she's definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed. Mike Landis doesn't have the capacity for independent thought and is just another pathetic sheep following the flock (= current superintendent...doesn't really matter who it is) and Debbie Sticklen is about as dumb as a doorknob.
So there you have it folks, when the cameras show up, which is what this is about anyway, there will be our leaders smiling and confirming for the world just how dumb they are.
For a number of reasons I hope Joplin is never hit by another disaster. If that should happen we would probably never get a dime in donations or an hour of volunteer assistance after the way the City of Joplin and Joplin R-8 have squandered what was so generously given to us this time.
4:53 AM
ReplyDeleteSPORTS BULLSHIT......... School is about education not sports. My son plays football. But shit get real. The education is important.
Oh, PLEASE get over the 1 high school thing! THAT'S all about sports!
ReplyDeletegood grief