Concerning a merging school district. Local school is consolidating with a neighboring district next year. The district boundaries are state line on the north, district east with 2 campuses, south district with no interest in consolidation, west district with a public school and catholic school, another district west not interested in consolidating.
The school board held a well advertised meeting several months ago and decided that it was in the best interest of the kids to merge with another district. They asked for peoples input and decided at the same meeting to attempt to merge to the west. School to the west is about 24 miles by highway, closer by gravel roads. District to the East is now up in arms because they assumed the merger would be with them since they are closer. There is a small newspaper in the district to the east that has an editor/owner that is VERY disappointed in this development. His editorial rants are rather strange to say the least.
The first claim was that the school board was to blame because there were hard feelings, Every merger has resulted in hard feelings. Next ludicrous claim is that some existing board members had no business being on the school board since their children were opted out to other districts(to the west), however this week he blasted them because 2 ex board members said they were made to feel they should resign because their kids were opted out. Which way do you want it? Add in some half told stories for fuel to the fire and I"m ready to cancel my subscription.
The school boards reasons for merging west are lower taxes (92 cents down to 62), district can afford to buy out teachers contracts, will try to keep k-4 classes here for as long as possible, willing to let building go to town in the future for apartments/community center etc.
Reasons to not go east are higher taxes, district cannot afford to buy out teachers contracts, want to demo old part of building but build a new building 20 miles away at the far end of the district where k-3 is at now and they need a bond for that.
I"m disappointed in the fact that the community let this happen by opting out almost 60% of the kids for one reason or another, and also for the fact that many school board elections went uncontested but now the people that are voted in are no good to the people who refused to take an active part. Now my kids need to find another school (they are opted in since I live in the district east but they started school there before I moved) but the consolidation is too far the wrong way for me, the East district with the editor has me looking to the district south which means all new kids and the unknown.
Sorry had to vent a bit
The school board held a well advertised meeting several months ago and decided that it was in the best interest of the kids to merge with another district. They asked for peoples input and decided at the same meeting to attempt to merge to the west. School to the west is about 24 miles by highway, closer by gravel roads. District to the East is now up in arms because they assumed the merger would be with them since they are closer. There is a small newspaper in the district to the east that has an editor/owner that is VERY disappointed in this development. His editorial rants are rather strange to say the least.
The first claim was that the school board was to blame because there were hard feelings, Every merger has resulted in hard feelings. Next ludicrous claim is that some existing board members had no business being on the school board since their children were opted out to other districts(to the west), however this week he blasted them because 2 ex board members said they were made to feel they should resign because their kids were opted out. Which way do you want it? Add in some half told stories for fuel to the fire and I"m ready to cancel my subscription.
The school boards reasons for merging west are lower taxes (92 cents down to 62), district can afford to buy out teachers contracts, will try to keep k-4 classes here for as long as possible, willing to let building go to town in the future for apartments/community center etc.
Reasons to not go east are higher taxes, district cannot afford to buy out teachers contracts, want to demo old part of building but build a new building 20 miles away at the far end of the district where k-3 is at now and they need a bond for that.
I"m disappointed in the fact that the community let this happen by opting out almost 60% of the kids for one reason or another, and also for the fact that many school board elections went uncontested but now the people that are voted in are no good to the people who refused to take an active part. Now my kids need to find another school (they are opted in since I live in the district east but they started school there before I moved) but the consolidation is too far the wrong way for me, the East district with the editor has me looking to the district south which means all new kids and the unknown.
Sorry had to vent a bit
