re: Runnels School Closing - Not Just High School

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Property is not in St George it is right over the line. Good chance a charter school would buy it. If national group is looking to open or move a charter school you can buy this ready made school for cheaper then can build. Was completely rebuilt after it flooded in 2016.

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worth more to a developer than a charter school.

I don't have any connection to the school, and I'm sorry for those of you who do.

My guess, based upon everything I have seen over last few months, is that when the HS closed, or really, going back to when they first issued a plea for help, there was probably a crisis of confidence among the parents, who reacted by finding new schools or holding back payments (with good reason). That could have impacted their thoughts about being able to stay open.

It does appear that, through commission or omission, there are financial issues. I don't understand how a 50 year old school can be "fully mortgaged". Even if they were underinsured for the flood, FEMA was throwing money around at all the schools. How does this happen?

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The already marginal enrollment in those grades contains a significant number of Monthly Contracts, requiring relatively little cash at enrollment time, with a significant fraction of the payments not due until the summer months

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Are they the only private school around that hasn't moved to the "tuition loan" model?

There are some accusations of inpropriety, which I get, completely. But this almost seems like an issue of not making prudent financial decisions over time, more so than intentionally trying to steal money.

Timing is terrible. Hopefully y'all can find new options.

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This is so sad. I hate to see this school close it’s doors. What it boils down to is more and more middle class people want/depend on free shite and so they will choose put their children in government funded schools... public, magnet, charter etc. Religious schools aren’t far behind and even the good ones will have no choice but to take vouchers in order to keep their doors open. When that happens, private education is done. Sad, sad days ahead.

Thanks Jindal, Chas and Caroline Roemer, Eddie Rispone, Steve Carter, Senator Conrad Appel, etc etc

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So... you realize that in most states not named LA, over 90 percent of parents (including a lot of conservatives) send their kids to public school, right?

In most places, private schools are reserved for the ultra-rich, ultra-religious, or ultra-badasses who get expelled from public schools.

From your post, I am assuming you don't support the concept of public schools. Which, while I disagree with you, is something a number of people believe in.

I don't get you blasting Jindal, Chas Roemer, Rispone, etc. The actions they have taken have made our public schools better. If we are going to spend tax money on public schools, shouldn't we get the best ones we can get? Should they have instead acted to make the schools WORSE?

Again, LA is last in most things, and has the highest percentage of kids in non-public schools. So... maybe more private schools ISN'T the answer?

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actually to do the loan model - it's an outside agency that over sees that and they generally want to see the books.

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Well, it's usually a bank. And I guess since the loan doesn't require a credit check, the bank tries to use the school's finances as a proxy for lending decisions. And if you won't open the books... they won't work with you.

Never thought of it that way.

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Also when you are doing the loan model that also means NOBODY is going without paying (unless their tuition payment is coming from a dedicated fund)

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The two years my kids were in a Catholic school, the first year we paid it all up front, the second year, we paid half up front and financed half. So in our case, the bank didn't require the full amount financed, in fact, it was the school that told the bank how much to finance for us. So if you had kids getting discounts on tuition, the bank just wouldn't finance as much.

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It's bad.

I've looked into this before, and it seems to break down into two areas.

1) Pure waste... too much overhead at state and district levels, too many people getting paid outside the classroom

2) Special ed... we have an insanely high population of kids on 504 plans, some of which costs a lot to implement.

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bingo.. although some parishes manage their special ed programs well.... ok a handful - the rest are money pits( which is shameful). likely why charters are cleaning their clocks.... I was on a private school board for 6 years and we did very well with 4700 less per student than nearby public schools

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Just going to leave this here

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Holy shite. Out of touch doesn’t even begin to describe the Runnels as it relates to this situation. They need to be scared of what might happen to them. That’s a clear violation of their fiduciary responsibilities.

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. YOUR taxes that YOU pay cover a smidgeon of YOUR kids education.,like I said, people have become accustomed to “free”shite and that’s clearly what the government wants.,The I pay for it so I use it argument is getting old.

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People go to public schools everywhere else and are fine. This is a Louisiana thing. Good public schools have parent involvment and community involvement.

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The initial "plea for help" back in October was from Dr. Runnels. That initial letter painted a much more dire situation than did the subsequent letters that were from the Board of Trustees.

The letters from the Board of Trustees that made emphatic statements that the 8 and under grades were profitable and were in no danger of closure are a serious problem, especially if they are unable to repay the parents.

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Dr. Runnels needs a spokesperson

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But not the Board of Trustees, apparently.

Old people who have a pastoral view of what "they nutured" do exactly as he did - talk to everyone, use "plain language" and don't use a flack.

This seems to further my thought that this guy might have been a nice caring man but for various reasons (some likely outside his control and some likely self-inflicted) he lost the ability to shepherd the school through this.

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I honestly feel like single people should be allowed to not pay school taxes. Heck I'd even get a vasectomy. You wanted a child, pay for your child's education.

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We should at least be able to use it as a deduction on our income tax filing.

WOW. RIP to a great small community and very competitive school in sports.