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Mid Winter Fun Fest <br />The Orono Elementary TTA is planning the annual <br />"Mid-Winter Fun Fest" Carnival to be held on Februaiy 2 <br />from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Orono Middle School. <br />Funds from the Carnival provide field trips and a <br />variety of school related activities for all elementary <br />students K - 4. <br />In conjunction with the carnival, a raffle fcatunm^ <br />many wonderful prizes will be held. <br />The chairpersons are looking for volunteers to help <br />with the Carnival and donations of prizes for the raffle. If <br />interested in volunteering, contact Carnival chairpersons <br />Will and Carolyn Endsley (473-8232) or Tim and Sandy <br />Pattrin (475-1921.) For raffle donations, contact raffle <br />chairperson Susan Vickerman (473-7410). <br />MOMS <br />It's not too late to find out about <br />Orano”MOMS**. "Meet Orono <br />Moms" is a very informal group <br />of Moms who get together to <br />discuss school issues, kid issues <br />and the hows, whys and wheres <br />of our district. Many friendships <br />are made and ideas exchanged. <br />This group meets the third <br />Friday of the month, November <br />16> at Trinity Lutheran Church <br />on County Road 6. Plan to come <br />and bring a friend for some <br />coffee and conversation. Stop in <br />between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. for a <br />break in your hectic schedule. <br />Middle School Volunteers <br />The middle school staff appreciates the excellent <br />volunteers who have helped us in thv past and wish to <br />encourage anyone who can spare some bme on a regular <br />basis to volunteer this year. Library help once per week or <br />twice per month, 9.-00 - 12:00 or 12:00 - 3:00 is especially <br />needed. Please call Zoe Palmer at 473-7301 if you are able <br />to help out. <br />School Finance Lawsuit <br />In the next several months, you will be hearing a lot <br />more atK’^ut the school finance lawsuit in Minnesota, now <br />scheduled to go to tna! in February'. <br />The diffcrcni^c between school funding :n Minnesota <br />and several other states with similar lawsuits is that <br />Minnesota already has a state funding system that assures <br />reasonable funding for all schools. <br />Often referred to as the "equity" lawsuit, this suit <br />could actuallv can've venous educational inequities for the <br />children in the Orono School District and throughout <br />Minnesota. It would also take away the right of <br />communities to pass referendums for building bonds or <br />operating levies necessary to maintain their quality <br />pnigrams. <br />The heart of the lawsuit is a demand for et^ual dollars <br />spent on all students - regardless of differences in costs or <br />communitv needs and expectations. <br />Orono'Schcxil Distnet and the 23 other school districts <br />in the Oganization of Intervening School Districts iOlSD) <br />are formally "interx'cning ' in the lawsuit and sidiiig with <br />the State against the plaintiff school distnets. The OISD <br />districts support the State's current education funding <br />s 'stem, which attempts to address the varying needs ot <br />local school districts. <br />Equal dollars do not mean equal education, because a <br />dollar in one part of the state docs not have the same <br />purchasing power as it does in another part. In addition, <br />school districts with highly trained, experienced staff have <br />significantly higher salary costs than districts with less <br />ovpt.*nenced staff. <br />Unless this lawsuit is deteated, either the Courts or the <br />Legislature will dictate statewide equal funding with no <br />Uxal options. Districts like Orono, still faced with higher <br />than average costs, will be forced to drastically cut <br />personnel and programs to bring expenditures within the <br />new revenue limits. And, regardless of local <br />circumstances or community desires, there will no longer <br />be a referendum option if our residents want more <br />educational programs than the stale allowance will buy. <br />Anyone who would like more information about the <br />lawsuit is welcome to call the Superintendent s Office <br />(473-7313), and ask tor a copy of The Full Story of the <br />School Finance Lawsuit." <br />Student Directories <br />Student Directones are still available in the individ al <br />school offices. We would appreciate your picking up your <br />copy (S4) al your earliest convenience. Directories will <br />also be available in the middle school the evenii.gs of <br />conferences. You will find this directory very useful and <br />helpful for your family You may even find that more than <br />one directory is needed! As with any large publ.crfuon <br />there is room for improvement. If you have any <br />corrections, questions or additions to this useful tool, <br />please contact Kathv Hayes at 476-6920. We plan to <br />publish a corrected list in the December or January district <br />newsletter. Copies arc going fast, don t miss out!