Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[Nancy]

Ross have you ever called your school board representative and asked these questions?  Thanks Nancy

[Ross]

The location of the West Elk School and the Howard City limits is only an issue in Mr. Ross's opinion as far as I can tell.

Guess again. The City of Howard seems to think that they can increase their population by building a Taj Mahal of a school. The City of Howard even considered moving their city limits to encompass West Elk. The City of Howard has stolen the Highway signs that should be posted at each end of the West Elk School Boundaries instead of the Howard City limits.

The West Elk long term plan states that a school is important to the development of a community. Worded a little differently.

I hope that clears up that question!

Ross have you ever called your school board representative and asked these questions?  Thanks Nancy

I don't feel we have School Board of Education representative's, I feel they represent a very small group. But just the same I am communicating with each and every board member. There is no doubt in my mind they are each and everyone of them reading this thread.

There has even been a call in their long term plan to unify, I'm sorry but that is not why they are there. Perhaps if a few of them would stand up and ask the hard questions they would not have foolishly spent $19,000 on a contractor only to discontinue his services because of a questionnaire that the Superintendent declared at a board meeting to be to difficult to answer, What do you think about that?

Thanks for asking Nancy.

[Ross]

Ross have you ever called your school board representative and asked these questions?  Thanks Nancy

I respectfully responded to your question, would you answer one for me, please?

Do you know who the most intelligent person sitting at the head table of the West Elk School Board of Education beside the president of the West Elk School Board of Education is? A hint for you, he is not an elected official!

I happen to like him a great deal but still he does not belong on the West Elk School Board of Education.

[Nancy]

A simple yes or no would have been appreciated to my question. Your last question is stupid as I happen to think all of the school board members are good, honest, and intelligent. Thanks Nancy

[frawin]

Nancy, I don't know who you are but I like your style and thinking.

[Ross]

A simple yes or no would have been appreciated to my question. Your last question is stupid as I happen to think all of the school board members are good, honest, and intelligent. Thanks Nancy

How rude. The question was not stupid and was politely asked.
Thank you for for the response even though it was rude.

Frawin it figures you would appreciate the rudeness.

[ddurbin]

For anyone wishing to know more about school site councils, check out and research K.S.A. 72-6439.  That is the state statute that mandated every school to form one.   Ross, maybe you'll find all the correct answers to your questions there.

[Ross]

For anyone wishing to know more about school site councils, check out and research K.S.A. 72-6439.  That is the state statute that mandated every school to form one.   Ross, maybe you'll find all the correct answers to your questions there.

Now, finally some helpful information, Thank you Mr. Durbin.

I will study on this information further, but from what I have read the main goal is to improve education in the fundamentals.
"School site councils shall be responsible for

Providing advice and counsel in evaluating state, school district, and

School site performance goals and objectives and in determining the

Methods that should be employed at the school site to meet these goals and

Objectives"

The fundamentals ----- the Core Academic areas of mathematics, science, reading, writing and social studies!

Also it says:

Site councils also may help school boards analyze

The unique environment of schools, enhance the efficiency and maximize

Limited resources, including outsourcing arrangements and cooperative

Opportunities as a means to address limited budgets.

That does not say to enhance or squander taxpayer dollars on  sports and community shelters does it?

I still have more studying to do on this subject, but thanks again Mr. Durbin for this excellent information.

I wonder how it is we have managed to get by without such a council before this year? Perhaps my study may reveal this to me.

[Ross]

The latest I can find on K.S.A. 72-6439


Session of 2013

HOUSE BILL No. 2289

By Committee on Education

2-11

AN ACT concerning schools; relating to curriculum standards; amending

K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 72-6439 and repealing the existing section.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

New Section 1. No school district, nor the department of education

Nor the state board of education shall expend any moneys to implement the

Set of educational curriculum standards for grades kindergarten through 12

Established by the common core state standards initiative.

Sec. 2. K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 72-6439 is hereby amended to read as

Follows: 72-6439. (a) In order to accomplish the mission for Kansas

Education, the state board of education shall design and adopt a school

Performance accreditation system based upon improvement in

Performance that reflects high academic standards and is measurable.

(b) (1) The state board shall establish curriculum standards which

Reflect high academic standards for Kansas education in the core academic

Areas of mathematics, science, reading, writing and social studies. The

Curriculum standards shall be reviewed at least every seven years. Nothing

In this subsection shall be construed in any manner so as to impinge upon

Any district's authority to determine its own curriculum.

(2) No curriculum standards under subsection (b)(1) shall include the

Set of educational curriculum standards for grades kindergarten through

12 established by the common core state standards initiative.

(c) The state board shall provide for statewide assessments in the core

Academic areas of mathematics, science, reading, writing and social

Studies. The board shall ensure compatibility between the statewide

Assessments and the curriculum standards established pursuant to

Subsection (b). Such assessments shall be administered at three grade

Levels, as determined by the board. The state board shall determine

Performance levels on the statewide assessments, the achievement of

Which represents high academic standards in the academic area at the

Grade level to which the assessment applies. The state board should specify

High academic standards both for individual performance and school

Performance on the assessments.

(d) Each school in every district shall establish a school site council

Composed of the principal and representatives of teachers and other school

Personnel, parents of pupils attending the school, the business community,

And other community groups. School site councils shall be responsible for

Providing advice and counsel in evaluating state, school district, and

School site performance goals and objectives and in determining the

Methods that should be employed at the school site to meet these goals and

Objectives. Site councils may make recommendations and proposals to the

School board regarding budgetary items and school district matters,

Including but not limited to, identifying and implementing the best

Practices for developing efficient and effective administrative and

Management functions. Site councils also may help school boards analyze

The unique environment of schools, enhance the efficiency and maximize

Limited resources, including outsourcing arrangements and cooperative

Opportunities as a means to address limited budgets.

Sec. 3. K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 72-6439 is hereby repealed.

Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its

Publication in the statute book.

[ddurbin]

Ross,
Please clarify a point for me.  Are you saying that both the school board AND the site council are guilty of advocating sports and a community storm shelter, or are you only accusing the school board of doing so?  I did not see anywhere in the 3 sets of site council minutes you posted that they had had any discussion of sports or a community storm shelter.