School Changes

[jerry wagner]

I couldn't agree more David, I firmly believed that despite what was said at the meeting, the school board isn't encouragin community involvement.  We (meaning us but also the school board) should go to great lengths to ensure that the community is actively involved in all the discussions not only on our "campus" but the curriculum as well.  This presents the perfect opportunity to coordinate the curriculum and the facilities and attempt to provide a facility that can be flexible enough to adapt to the educational needs of our students for the next 25 years.

On my rant, if the school board were truly interested in receiving the opinions of the community, they could have sent home letters informing parents of the meaning.  Was it on channel 2?(sorry, I never watch it)  Did we post flyers or other notices of a special meeting?  I read the Prairie Star, I don't recall a notice of a special meeting (not saying that it is necessary), but rather that it would be intelligent to have done so.

I don't blieve that the board understands to get a bond passed that will geniunely improve the educational environment of this area, you need to actively court the community.  This needs to be resolved.  This board and its administrators have a communication disability.  Certainly you will never have the attendance that you will hope for at any school board meeting, but no effort was made.  They need to seek the buy-in of the community from the beginning, that way we aren't redoing this several times to get community support.

Sorry for the rant, was upsetting me.  I will get off my soap box now!

[pepelect]

Slow down.....The meeting was for information only....If we would have had 500 people you still would have not been able to respond during the meeting as it was a special meeting with a approved adjenda.  If you are not on the adjenda you don't speak....The community is involved.  We elected the board members. 

Ever been to a senate hearing and been given the mike?   When was the last time the board of directors called on you at a stockholders meeting to discuss the direction of the company?


Breathe...............All we are doing is raising your taxes for about 25 years......chill. ......gas is cheap.

[jerry wagner]

I realize that the meeting was for information only and am not getting hyper over it.  Rather, I was expressing a concern over the likelihood and the general process of discovering what is needed in any potential new structure.  I fully realize that we can't have 500 people at each meeting expressing opinions, and I DIDN'T suggest that we should, my suggestion was on a planning or steering committee only.  Further to that, we did elect board members, however, this doesn't preclude the public being very involved in any planning sessions.  I have been to a Senate hearing both in Topeka and in Washington as well as the Canadian Senate in Ottawa, and understand fully well how the process works.  I also understand that steering committees with respresents of many different sub-groups of the populace are very beneficial when planning any potential school construction and the bond issues that would result.

Now that I'm done breathing  , I'll move on. 

[Catwoman]

Well said, Jerry.

[pepelect]

I have been to a Senate hearing both in Topeka and in Washington as well as the Canadian Senate in Ottawa, and understand fully well how the process works. 

You missed the forest....I said have you been given the mike.  Were you asked to speak on a subject? 

Input is very beneficial but at the first meeting between the architect and board what input was necessary?  The just of the meeting was all about the planning and community involvement.  How to get a bond writer with a emphasis on getting the word out on what was needed to better the school.   When to put the bond up for vote...What time of the year would be the best..How long it would take if we proceed...How much money is to be involved.  What are the inflationary factors that have to be planned for.  Where on the site is the best placement for that size of building.  How many kids do we have.  How many do we expect to have in the future. 

Since when does a board of anything need to court the people it represents to be involved in a public entity?   Does someone from your job come by every morning and ask you to please get up and come to work?  Do we need to send out emails every day at noon and tell you that is time to eat lunch.   
How about a letter saying that the current school system we have is very expensive to operate with the limited number of students that live in the area.  That one letter would cost more than the electric bill for an entire day of class at all three schools. 


Which brings me to my next point.  We live in a Mecca of energy.  We have oil, natural gas, and now wind energy.  What is the school system doing to prepare students to work in those shop at home fields of study?  What does it mean to frack a well?  Where is the optimum pipe line placement?  When do we eat lunch?  You want me to climb up where to change what?  Is a gun barrel a firearm?  Where does the bs come from?  Who ever thought that rotten eggs is the smell to use?

Now that I'm done breathing  , I'll move on. 

Need help packing?

The question was raised whether  a two story or one story was cheaper to build.  One of the state recommendations/laws is that the younger students be on the ground floor of the building.  Which led to the next question what does it cost to build a high school.  Our current high school is pushing thirty.  Things are starting to break...Expensive things.  Floors, HVAC, or lack there of, carpet, plumbing, and the lighting could be updated. 

Why couldn't you build a building directly north of the football stadium.  It would force the rerouting of the access road to Elk Street but this site has many advantages.   You could build a two story structure with one floor opening out to the east and the lower floor opening out to the west..   This would take advantage of the natural slope of the terrain.  You could build the building large enough to block the entire end zone and part of the naughty goat pasture would suffer.   The advantage would be box seating in the end-zone for football games....Air conditioning and heat could take advantage of a rebuilt school pond for a little geothermal effect.  By opening the entire south side of the building it would allow every floor to have abundant natural light to come in.  If you staggered the roof line you could even get classrooms on the north side with a southern exposure.  Studies have shown that the more natural light you have the smarter the student. 

You would have good access to existing roads and would not affect school during construction. Close to the sports Mecca. Close to the district office.  You won't need the bus barn anymore.   You could tunnel under the road with a safe room/corridor to get from the existing buildings to the new one. Half of the school would be underground so it would be safer by design.   It would be built with ample materials to withstand damaging winds and flash flooding. 

We have abundant limestone in the area.  I think stone walls would add more to the area than another metal barn with a flag pole. Interior walls could be moveable.  If you have a small class shrink...If you have a large one expand.

You can't throw a stick in Elk county with out hitting a drilling rig passing by.  Flag one down and drill some holes for the efficiency of a ground source heat pump for the entire structure.  Design opening windows and roof structure for good natural cross flow ventilation.  Heat rises and schools tend to produce more than they can get rid of. Incorporate some old school solar panels on the roof,  harness it and use it to heat water or a community health and wellness swimming pool...

Vo Ag:   Why do we buy milk from Highland with transportation costs that far exceed the cost of raw milk?  Math question how many cows would it take to produce enough milk for the entire school every day?  Teach the darlings some work ethic by milking three times a day. Yes I would help.  Staggered through out the upper classes different cows would be picked by lottery.  Bonuses for improved production or excellent cleanliness inspection results.  We sell sausage to the general public to raise money for FFA activities buy why not buy it for use in the school.  Inspected meat is inspected meat.  What better quality than home grown?  Greenbush could buy from us if we were a dairy.  How much land lease could we come up with for a beef production class as well? 

The billboard would say the newest state of the are school in Kansas...Where the students grow their own breakfast, lunch and dinner.  If you get an A on a test you eat steak for lunch.  Ya we could might grow some soybeans for the bovine impaired....or if you are tardy or truant.








....not bad for no caffeine.

[DanCookson]

Much of what you just described Patrick is found at the College of the Ozarks just outside of Branson MO.  When the wife and I took the tour there we were floored with the ingenuity of the programs there.  They have a cattle program, milking program, crop program, and many others.  The idea behind this endeavor is that the kids pay no tuition to go to college.  They must work in the designated areas and that is how the funds are raised. 

Just some hard work and sweat and your school is paid for.  Kinda puts to rest the idea that college isn't affordable doesn't it. 


I think that is where you were going at the end of your thread Patrick, correct me if I am mistaken. 

[D Whetstone]

PEP,

I will always respect your opinion. You are one intelligent person.  But, I have to debate with you here.

The Board is not required to court the public. They have no obligation.  But,  simply put, my opinion is that the product and the outcome will be better and the process less painful if all stakeholders (public, teachers, administrators) are involved from day one.  I for one, if I sat in their seat, would be arguing for public debate or conversation about what our schools of the future will look like.

DW

p.s. I have had much caffeine this morning. I can't muster near as many "bytes" as you did last night without.

[Rudy Taylor]

I promise not to pull you off the subject ... just wanted to encourage Dan Cookson's line of thinking about the College of the Ozarks. That place is so very impressive. Of course it's a private school, not a tax-supported USD, but many of their attitudes and concepts could certainly be followed.

Students pay no tuition. Every student works on campus. Those kids do everything from milk cows to work in greenhouses to mopping floors to working in electronics to learning to fly airplanes and making jellies and jams to running a first-class restaurant.

Again, I'm not even suggesting that can be done here, but something creative should be considered, especially since the district's finances are minimal.

OK, back to your subject. Thanks for letting me interject a couple of thoughts.

[Tobina+1]

What skills and knowledge are on the resumes of our board members?  Architect?  Construction science?  Electric engineer?  Elementary Education?  Nutritional science?  Geophysicist? 
Umm, no.  The fact is, the board is elected from people of our own community... your neighbor who was willing to stick their neck out for the good of the school.  Education and skills from many different levels.  Not hardly ones who should be making decisions about how/where to build a school.
My point is a couple of things...
First, the members of the board need to recognize that "they" aren't going to build the school themselves, and they need to open their minds (and BOE mike's) to those in or out of the community who DO have that knowledge and experience.  Yes, they brought in an architect to do some fact-finding.  Have they taken a field trip to any other schools to find out what works and what doesn't?  Or invited other school's BOE to discuss with them?  Why do we think we can do it better alone, rather than learn from the mistakes and successes of others?
Second, the members of the board were ELECTED to do the job.  Just like any senator or representative, they are supposed to represent the people in their area... their friends and neighbors.  Like PEP said, you don't just get the microphone to talk at a meeting; you talk to your elected board member... who then represents your opinions to the rest of the board.  Again, something that the BOE members need to remember; you're not just there to give your OWN opinion... you're there to represent your constituents' opinions (and it might very well differ from your own).  How many of you can say you've taking a board member out to lunch to discuss your opinion and thoughts with them?  How many board members have taken the time to call up some neighbors and ask their opinions?
Bottom line is... BOE are elected positions.  ELECT someone who will represent you well.  And then TRUST that those people will make decisions based on what's good for the district.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I personally have talked to many BOE members past and present conserning problems and things.  Yes they listen, but they are like a pack, they stick together.  Well, not all of them.  There are some that just go with the other members and some that think for themselves.  If you are going to talk to one, talk to them all.  They are on that board because we elected them, but they don't always think what is best for our school as a whole.  You have to remember this.  If they want to change the mindset of some of the community members it would be best if they did start with the community and get there input.  We can't afford to lose students.  Many members in the out lying towns, don't want the schools to close.  I understand that, but they are stuck in the past and don't understand the money crunch that the school is going through.  I also don't really think that they are thinking when they threatin to move their students to another district.  We don't realize how great a district we have here!!  We have students that are really well rounded kids.  They are bright, athletic, and very talented.  Parents don't realize that what great teachers we have, too.  We have some of the best in the state, ( my opinion but true look at our test scores)!! 

So, we do need the input of the community at the beginning process.  It is best to try to get all the community on board with whatever the BOE decides to do.