School Changes

[pepelect]

    I was at a local forum at the P Ranch/bar/lake/camp site over the 4th of July and one  of the ideas thrown out was to build a new metal building to house the VoAg/Woods/Arts Departments apart from the High School.  Then demo the ag shop and retool to accommodate class rooms.  You would be adjacent to the high school cafeteria and could build a multipurpose room as part of the ag shop.  No more busing to the grade schools for practice, no more busing to the fair barn for practice.  Shoot while we are building lets put a dome over the swimming pool to have the only High School swim team East of the Flint Hills.   

Longton, Sedan, Bluestem, Eureka, and Dexter don't even have a chance. They will be practicing in farm ponds. 

I have never seen a farm shop without a horse tank or  basketball goal attached to it so it would not have a problem with local zoning.... 
If you made it large enough and attached to the existing ag barn it could be used as a replacement for the aging fair barn that doesn't have air conditioning or 365 day usage. 

Currently we are talking about needing class rooms for 162 grade school students.  That is only 7 class rooms of 25. or one classroom for each of the K-6. Even building at current building standards it seems that you could build cheaper than we are spending to bus.  It would take a bond issue or an influx of funding(ie wind farm). I would love to pay more taxes if it meant that WE was the one benefiting.  That is WEST ELK.    Not Howard.  Not Moline, Not Severy...  I want a new slogan  let's get West Elk Connected...

[pepelect]

  I want to vent some more.  I learned math in the 3rd grade lets process some data. 
Gas is $4.  Diesel is $4.87 
Every dollar we spend to bus students gets them about 3/4 of a mile down the road. 
Concrete is $100 dollars a yard... 

If we spent the gas money that we are busing, routing, shuttling, and atheleticing on a more efficient school we could get our students alot farther down the road.

A new school is needed and can be financially justified by just increasing the amount of students in the district. 
A remodel can be effective even if we lose more students.  Efficiency is efficiency.  A new structure could have higher efficient ground source heating & cooling, new plumbing fixtures use less water, more insulation means less money wasted, better communications less time wasted, better use of technology less staff wasted, closer communication with district office less red tape, less commuting, larger staff pool on site for emergency situations, and a feather in the cap of the board.
What is the down side?      CHANGE.   

[Wilma]

Teresa, I need some applauding hands here. 

Patrick, bravo, boy.  You have just said what I have been thinking.  CHANGE is what we need.  I can't see any reason why the whole facility shouldn't be centralized.  But it will take time and money.  None of us should hold back because of the cost.  If an old widow on a fixed income is willing to pay more in taxes to keep our school in Elk County, why shouldn't you people who are working and whose children would benefit be willing to do the same?

I survived on change.  Three schools in the first two years of my schooling life and I wasn't changing schools with my friends.  I was leaving them all behind.  CHANGE isn't going to hurt the children.  Children are adventurous.  They like change.  So it might be inconvenient for parents, but isn't that what being a parent is, inconvenient?

We lived through the change of consolidating the districts.  When the school boards were forced to consolidate Severy and Howard  you would have thought the world was going to come to an end.  What I saw was more opportunity for our students.  Actually when the new high school was built, they should have built a new grade school, too.

[frawin]

Well said Wilma and Patrick, I am a taxpayer in the district and certainly wouldn't object to a tax increase for the schools. I may soon own additional prioperty in the District and do not mind some additional taxes for the School District. I think the schools are imperative to the area and to the Families. I feel that I got a good Educational Foundation in the Howard Schools and have always been proud of being a Howard High Grad.
Frank

[Teresa]

Hats off to you Patrick..
( I have heard several people in my family say somewhat the same thing.. )

And being in the "business" of construction...You DO know what you are talking about  as building and construction work and costs goes.

You're hired! 

[Rudy Taylor]

I'll stay out of the issue itself since I live elsewhere, but I'm so proud of everyone for the way you are discussing this issue and using common sense to do so.  I'm also impressed with folks like Frank and Wilma, both senior citizens, who are in support of change when it is for the good of the community.

I sat in the auditorium last Thursday night in total awe of the people who spoke.  I didn't once hear an ignorant statement made. I heard no personal put-downs. And I sensed a common desire to keep moving forward even in the wake of discouragement.

You're all super friends of the school system, and I'm sure a resolution is in the making.

Keep Konnected!

[Lookatmeknow!!]

That is the big idea that I have heard around town, too.  My husband seems to think this is the way to go, too Patrick.  You know I don't think any of the children mind the change, it's not that I am totally.  I just don't think we are actually saving any money this way.

[DolphinsLEM]

Are they going to discuss the change, and even decide what is gong to happen at the board meeting tonight?  I would think they would have to because the next board meeting is August 11th (if I am correct) and for teachers work starts the 15th.  So I would think we would need to know what is going to happen to our schools.

[Mom70x7]

I'll be at the board meeting tonight - anyone care to join me? 

[heather_tyler_2014]

nothing really bother's me but it may bother a 21yr. old that lives in severy with a 1st grader(just a demonstration)
that might bother somebody but i mean can the board change thier mind like that     i know it upet's allot of people but can they just make that huge dicision and decide that they dont like it and change and ps i like the "putting the dome over the pool" idea nobody would have a chance with our team hehehehehehehehehehe