School Changes

[Rudy Taylor]

West Elk parents voice opinions
at Thursday night public forum

   Approximately 225 school patrons attended Thursday night's public forum hosted by the USD 282 school board and many expressed concerns over a plan to split the elementary schools when school starts in August.
   The plan, called a "pilot project" by board members and Supt. Bert Moore, calls for grades 1-3 to attend classes at Moline and grades 4-6 would attend Severy Elementary School.
   Moore spent the first 30 minutes giving facts and figures which led to the board's decision at its June 9 meeting, saying the resignation of three teachers on May 15 left the board with crucial decisions to make, considering that it is difficult to recruit new teachers to come to rural schools.
   "There are more than 1,000 open teaching positions across the state right now," said Moore. "They can make $42,000 in their first year at Wichita and we're only able to pay a base salary of $28,500. It is a problem faced by all small schools, especially those located in areas far away from metropolitan areas."
   Moore said the board had several options at their June 9 meeting:
   • Go to a 4-day school day which could save around $55,000 per year. But this would be assuming that four new teachers would be quickly recruited for the fall semester.
   • Completely close one of the elementary schools, making the remaining school the attendance center for grades K-6.
   • Raising taxes (Local Option Budget) to accommodate costs incurred with higher fuel costs, etc., and keeping both Severy and Moline schools in full operation --- again, assuming that  four new teachers could be recruited.
   • Keeping both Moline and Severy campuses open but splitting them into the one-year pilot proposal --- three grades in Moline, three grades in Severy.
   The board felt compelled to take action immediately because of the time issue, and the decision was made to adopt the split-elementary school proposal.
   Board members listened and took notes Thursday night, interacting with audience members as everyone tried to reach some type of consensus. The demeanor was quite congenial even though many in the audience spoke with passion about keeping all three school campuses in full operation.
   Several parents told about their children and the long bus rides which would result in splitting the schools.
   Many also objected to a proposed change in names for the Severy and Moline schools. Moore said the board planned to rename the schools as follows: "West Elk Elementary School - Moline" and "West Elk Elementary School - Severy."
   That proposed change seem almost as upsetting to some as the pilot program itself. Several board members indicated they would like to revisit the name change idea.
   Patrons from Severy, Moline, Grenola, Howard and the rural areas in between asked questions and gave their opinions during the meeting which board president Marty Taliaferro announced (at the beginning of the meeting) would be concluded by 9:30 p.m. It appeared that everyone who wanted to speak got that opportunity.
   There was applause several times after a member of the audience spoke, but opinions were varied and there was no specific recommendation to resolve the issue of declining enrollment, teacher vacancies and considerably less funding than was available in the the past and current budget years.
   It appeared that board members and Moore were open to tweaking the pilot project after several in the audience, including two teachers, suggested that a combined sixth grade class could be moved to the Howard campus, thereby eliminating one teacher position, and hopefully, allowing both elementary schools to continue operating somewhat as they have in the past.
   Other than that, the only suggestion that seemed to interest many audience members was going to a four-day school day and utilizing those savings to keep both Moline and Severy intact as they currently are operating,
   A key point that Taliaferro emphasized was the continuing drop in enrollment, which he believes to be a direct result of the high price of fuel.
   "People are having to move in order to drive shorter distances to work," he said. "I don't see that situation getting better in the next year or two."
   Board members said they were shocked when informed about the nose dive in enrollment, especially since they had hoped that this might be a turn-around year for enrollment.
   Moore said the enrollment last March was 370, then 340 in May. "We're now preparing a budget based upon an enrollment of 328 students," he said.
   At meeting's end, Taliaferro said the board would hold a retreat and work session in August to discuss the outcome of the public forum, and consider any written comments that might be forthcoming to board members.
   Action to redo any part of the pilot program could be taken at the Aug. 11 regular board meeting, but that would be only a few days before the beginning of classes.
   At this point, the June 9 "pilot" decision remains the policy of the district.
   

[Diane Amberg]

Thanks Rudy! I wonder ...can there be any local incentives to lure some teachers to the area?  Free housing?  Relief from taxes?  A free car?  Gas card? Let the teachers ride the busses with the kids? I'd be worried about filling those positions! Lure a few teachers out of retirement for a year or so?? Pay them their retirement plus the base? I'm sure Wichita has a higher cost of living which is why they pay more too. 

[Tobina+1]

OK, thanks for all the information on here today, guys!  The volleyball girls did EXCELLENT last night; winning 4 of the 5 games.  Sr/Jr team played 3 and won 2, and the Soph/Fresh team played 2 and won both!  We were coming back to town around 10 pm and saw all the traffic, so I didn't even bother going to the meeting, as I figured it was over.  I had hoped that all the parents went to the meeting, as we had only 2 fans in the stands (a set of grandparents)!

After reading Rudy's article... my first response is...    What the ^&**?  Why are people arguing about the NAME of the SCHOOL when there is such a bigger problem out there?!?!  I can't believe it.  That is totally irrelevant here; I could care less if the school was named the Bert Moore grade school-1 and the Bert Moore grade school-2 if it meant they actually solved the problem at hand!

[momof 2boys]

After listening to last nights forum and the response and suggestions made by several people, I am all the more convinced that we as a district need to move to a one grade school district.  It is only then that the district will survive and be able to get itself back to a desirable payscale for teachers.  Yes, we have great teachers at our school, and they are doing an excellent job as indicated by the scores on state tests.  But how long will they be able to stay here based on the salaries they are currently making at West Elk.  I completely understand the feelings of those in Severy and Moline.  I know how proud they are to have their grade school.  But this pride may ultimately be the end of West Elk. 

I truly think that all the issues that go with "pilot program" are not at all beneficial to our students nor our financial situation.  Obviously, the weren't able to tell us how much more the bussing would cost, or the time students would spend on the bus.  Yes, it would save 3 teaching positions; but if we sent the 6th grade to join the junior high and combined a 3rd/4th classroom that would also save 3 teaching positions.  Plus there would not be the issue of bussing all around the county.  This could be the "pilot program" and I do believe it would make much better sense.  The combination of the 3rd/4th grade classes in Moline would be less than 20 students, quite manageable.  And it could be done until next year when better prospects for teaching applicants would be available.  I truly feel this could be a short term fix, until our district decides to pursue a unified one grade school district.

[Diane Amberg]

A third/fourth split with less than 20 kids? It's more work for the teacher, but it sure can be done. I did a third/fourth split for several years in that portable, 29 kids, with a teacher's aide. More work for me, but we did alright. The teacher's aide made a huge difference.

[DolphinsLEM]

Was the 3rd/4th split something that was brought up?  And are they really going to wait till the August board meeting to  decide what to do?  They have to move classrooms, etc. and that won't leave any time to do anythign.

[sixdogsmom]

I really hate to get involved with this, however here goes. Most of these ideas only put a band aid on the problem that is fixing to become a situation that requires major surgery. Enrollment is on the decline and not likely to get any better in the future, period! It's a fact folks. There is no work, or at least not any work that you can raise a family at todays' costs. No matter how friendly, congenial, or beautiful the area is, it doesn't change this fact. There is just no economic basis for keeping these schools open or for building another that is centrally located. A shrinking enrollment and exploding expenses marks the closure for even a centrally located campus like West Elk. I feel like that is why the board is not pushing for the building of a new grade school; the writing is on the wall and is sad but we must read it and understand what is going to happen whether we like it or not. 

[Lookatmeknow!!]

Ok, we don't want to lose are school district.  I personally won't be moving my kids anywhere.  I believe that they get a great education and won't get it anywhere else.  That is my opinion.  I just worry it was because of all the let's save our schools last time that put us in this spot.  If we would have been truly working towards a solution at the last meeting we wouldn't be in this place so soon. 

I don't know but I have to say, I had a hard time sleeping last night worry about the situation.  I don't like the school change.  I stated last night, I don't want to but I will consider home school if I have to.  I like the public education system here right now.  I believe that my children need the social skills that they get from school.  But I just don't like the idea of having my children in 2 different places.  WE all know that they will end up at Howard for Jr/Sr High school. 

I think everyone needs to lift this situation up to the Lord and pray about it ALOT and ask him to help it!!!!

[sixdogsmom]

I understand where you are coming from Angie, but consider that in a few years your children will be in different schools anyway? You may even have a younger one by then, who knows? The loss of a grade school in either town is devastating to the community, and unless there is a tremendous turn around in this local economy, those schools are finished. Not many tax bases can support a ten or less student to teacher ratio; and this district offers very low salary. If you had a sought after commodity wouldn't you want to market it in a locale that wanted to pay for it? Of course you would, and I cannot blame the teachers for not wanting to stay in what looks to them to be a dead-end job. I hope the community as a whole can work with the board and come up with what is best for the community as a whole. By the way, I thought you conducted yourself very well last night, and made a lot of people think!

[twirldoggy]

I am wondering why the three teachers left all at once.  The district can do exit interviews and try to find out.  There may be other factors than pay.  If possible then the district can try to address those things.