I get a lot of e-mails about gifts for Moms, Dads and grads. Last year, I blogged that what grads want is plain old cash. Don’t get clever, just hand over the Benjamins.

Mom and Dad want greeting cards, gift cards and a few hours of your time — simple.

Finally a web site agrees. Here are the results of ShopAtHome.com’s latest survey results:

23 percent of moms and 30 percent of dads prefer gift cards over traditional gifts like perfume or clothes

Both moms and dads (52 and 48 percent, respectively) want their loved ones to spend $30 or below on a gift
22 percent of moms and 17 percent of dads prefer a simple greeting card
59 percent of graduates would like money as a graduation gift
In a press release, Lesley Kennedy, ShopAtHome.com senior managing editor suggests, “If you can save money finding a discounted gift card online and pair that with a heartfelt homemade card, a home-cooked meal or a simple phone call to say  ‘thanks, Mom and Dad.’”

Kennedy added that you can buy and trade gift cards on sites where you can save up to 30 percent on the cost.

ShopAtHome.com was founded in 1986 by husband-and-wife team Marc and Claudia Braunstein. It provides online coupons on the web. The survey took place on ShopAtHome.com’s Facebook page with more than 4.4 million Facebook fans. It had 1,825 respondents from April 18 to 24, 2013.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom of three and step grandmom of one.

To see the preliminary 2012 -2013 budget pages, click here — thanks to No New McDowell on Facebook.

In other news, the district’s business manager will now report directly to the board — read Erica Erwin’s column here.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three and stepmom of three — all graduates of Millcreek elelmentary and middle schools along with McDowell High School.

Click here to read the op ed by courageous Joseph Barber Pinto, at left. He is a student at McDowell who hopes the award-winning speech and debate team survives the Millcreek School District’s budget crash.

Erica Erwin’s story in today’s Erie Times-News delves into the Millcreek Township School District’s $8.8 million deficit for the 2013-2014 school year.

Acting Superintendent William Hall announced the bad news last week. He mentioned he had a “wow” moment when he discovered the budget deficit in November. That was November, folks. In another report, a school director also said “wow” in comment to the budget woes last week. Here’s some media advice to the current board and administration:

Don’t say wow. If you want to regain trust among Millcreek residents, wow isn’t going to do it.

Go to the Jay Badams and Matthew Cummings School of breaking bad news. And hurry. Badams, leader of the Erie School District, presented plans to all the media in advance of laying it out to the public and school staffs. In Erie, before he suggested closing schools, Badams told everyone that the Erie district owned a lot of real estate and schools weren’t full. Is that the case in Millcreek? About 16 years ago, boundary changes sent my kids from Vernondale to the new Tracy school — we had heard that eventually Ridgefield and Vernondale would close. Now, we’re hearing it again. Bring out the stats.

Listen to Felix & Gloeckler. The accounting firm advised that trouble was ahead last year. Accountants know budgets. If someone had listened a little earlier — like November — maybe a plan would have been in place right now.

Give William Hall a chance. He lives in Millcreek and has a child in Millcreek schools, according to Marsha Marsh, who was critical of my cynicism on how Millcreek is going to handle this mess. Her vote of confidence is good enough for me — today, but this district needs results and fast. Hall has to get his administration, staff and board to lose the arrogant, know-it-all attitude it has sported throughout the last administration. Now is your chance to wow us, Mr. Hall. Go for it.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three — all graduates of McDowell High School.  

In the wake of the personal, paid leave for Michael Golde … and all the silence surrounding the Millcreek’s School District board’s handling of this entire McDowell mess — oh and the mysterious $5 million transfer from a capital fund to an operating budget — a no-no someone had to sign off on, I found an article about superintendents behaving badly.

Read the LehighValley Morning Call’s piece by staffer Paul Carpenter. This article, dating back to 2011, discusses the salaries and arrogance of Allentown, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh superintendents.

Here’s a sample: Former Allentown superintendent Gerald Zahorchak collected a $195,000 salary, and Carpenter in his article in the Morning Call quoted complaints that “Zahorchak ruled like an autocrat and warned subordinates that any public criticism of his policies would result in disciplinary action.” He resigned after less than a year and is now the director of strategic initiatives of the Allentown School District. Hmmm.

Paul Carpenter also calls attention to huge separation packages that superintendents walked off with in other cities.

Meanwhile back at the ranch here in Millcreek, Michael Golde is on paid personal leave. Follow The Erie Times-News’ Sean McCracken as he unravels the audit, the consolidation and the taxpayer frustrations.  And McCracken has news on the Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit’s “hoarding” of $11.8 million from 17 school districts.

I guess we all have something to learn from these facts.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three — all graduates of McDowell High School. She is a step-grandmom to one.

This is a photograph of Gus Anderson Field at McDowell High School on April 17. Photo by JACK HANRAHAN/

On Jan. 22, Sean McCracken reported that Millcreek Township School District Superintendent Michael Golde is on administrative leave for “personal reasons” since Jan. 18.

No one is talking, and district employees said Golde’s leave might be discussed at the Millcreek School Board’s Jan. 28 meeting — 10 days after he left.

Another mystery brews. Officials referred questions to Tim Sennett, Millcreek Township attorney at the personnel, finance and operations meeting on Jan. 22.

See GoErie.com and read Sean McCracken’s update here for more details. Just a tidbit from McCracken’s story that caught my eye: “Golde is working under a five-year contract with the district that expires in 2014. His pay started at $155,000 a year and increased a maximum of 4 percent annually based on evaluations of his work.”

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three — all attended Millcreek schools. 

That’s my little girl, at left,  crossing the finish line — a few years ago during a cross country meet — well it was nine years ago. We know cross country in this house. And yesterday was a great day for local young ladies and young men at the District 10 cross country meet at beautiful Buhl Park — it’s beautiful even when soaked in rain. Believe me — it is.

Here are some of the awesome results. Check out the video here and all the photos on Goerie.com.

Villa Maria freshman Bernadette Prichard wins the District 10 Class AA Cross Country Championship at Buhl Park in Sharon on Oct. 27. TOM REISENWEBER/

Bernadette Prichard, Villa Maria Academy freshman, had the best time of the girls with 19 minutes, 36 seconds. She led the Victors to the AA team title in the Class AA/Class AAA. Prichard is also an outstanding tennis player.

Erie Times-News file photo: McDowell High School senior Melissa Perseo finished in second place at the McDowell Invitational cross country race at Brown's Farm in Millcreek Township on Sept. 1. GREG WOHLFORD/

McDowell’s Melissa Perseo won the AAA title in 20:18 followed by Courtney Sargent with a time of 21:10. Sargent attends Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy and competes for Strong Vincent.

Cambridge Springs’ Olivia Mamula and Kristen White of West Middlesex won the Class A event with at 20:40. Mamula won the event after photo finish review.

Erie Times-News file photo: Cambridge Springs High School sophomore Reilly Walsh, left, and junior teammate Olivia Mamula finished in fifth and sixth place at the McDowell Invitational cross country race at Brown's Farm in Millcreek Township on Sept. 1. GREG WOHLFORD/

All of these young women and their families will head to Hershey next week for the state meet. Good luck, ladies. Hershey is also beautiful for runners — no matter what the weather!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

Check out the photo gallery of 200 photos from the McDowell High School Homecoming parade and football game in Millcreek Township on Friday, Sept. 28.

Injured McDowell senior quarterback Jarrett Koper appears in the photo at left with his date for homecoming. See all the teenagers and cute babies and tots in costume.

There’s more — see the water polo photos from McDowell High School versus Cathedral Prep and Villa Maria Academy here.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

Stephanie Williams, Photo by Christopher Millette, Erie Times-News

She’s my neighbor and mom of one of my daughter’s high school pals. Stephanie Williams is more than a principal. She is principal of the year — a statewide recognition. Read Sean McCracken’s story here.

“I think a principal needs to be both a curriculum leader and a building manager,” Williams said to McCracken. “And it can be easy to just focus on the building manager part of that.”

Williams is the mom of three girls, and she knows firsthand the issues teenagers face. She never got caught up in the administration rather than working with students.

She was instrumental in helping my son get back into schoolwork after he broke his ankle and missed a lot of school his freshman year.

It was a difficult time, and we appreciated all her effort. Congratulations to Williams on a well-deserved award.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

This is a photograph of Gus Anderson Field at McDowell High School on April 17. Photo by JACK HANRAHAN/

Last month, amid a lot of hoopla, the Millcreek school board voted to spend $94 million on a new school complex. Plans are getting underway with scheduling construction. Read Sean McCracken’s complete coverage of the timeline here.

The plan to knock down a high school and raise up a new athletic field is on deck, but the field comes first. And the devil is in the details. The current Gus Anderson stadium has six lanes which means the school cannot host any major PIAA track events. Architect Chris Coughlin, of Hallgren, Restifo, Loop & Coughlin Architects, said the pricetag will boost another $250,000 in construction costs by installing eight rather than six lanes.

Right now, Harbor Creek High School, which has an eight-lane track, hosts the District 10 track and field championships. The event brings in athletes, parents and patrons from a lot of schools. Track meets include admission fees and concessions. As a track mom, I know this is big money.

In Millcreek, board members Ron Wilga, Judy Wheaton, Terry Scutella and John DiPlacido favor a six-lane track, and Brian Kramer favors eight lanes, according to McCracken’s article.

There is a special meeting tonight at the Millcreek Education Center, 3740 West 26th St., from 6 to 8 p.m. I’m not sure if they are discussing the field or the track, but they face some important issues.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.