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If you missed School District 271 Superintendent Hazel Bauman’s op-ed piece in the Coeur d’Alene Press today, here’s a link to it. She notes the school district plans, “…to schedule a series of school board workshops/community forums just after the first of the year to share our findings and get public comment.” |
Here are the tentative forum dates and the topics to be discussed at each one.
January 12, 2009: Outside audit of special education programs; reduction of district contribution for health and life insurance; elimination of International Baccalaureate program; elimination of certified positions exceeding state apportionment formula; sale of surplus property; and the consolidation of athletic director positions.
Late January/early February: “Pay to play” in sports, district or building administration cuts, freeze on staff development contracts, reduction of field trips, reduction of employee absenteeism, reduction of classified aide positions and implementation of centralized purchasing. (Note to finance panel members: Avoid the phrase “pay to play” unless you’re using the Illinois system of financial management.)
Late February: Contracting transportation services and a four-day school week.
Presumably these forums will be announced in the Press, but it is probably a good idea to watch for them to appear on the School District 271 website to get exact dates, times, and locations.
I’m as cynical as the next person when it comes to some of the stunts being pulled by some of our local public officials, most notably the LCDC and the NIC Board of Trustees. At the same time it appears that with the preceding four forums and the ones expected in January and February, Superintendent Bauman is making an honest and diligent effort to give the public reasonable opportunities to better understand and comment about the community’s primary and secondary education processes. So interested members of the community can prepare adequately for 2009 forums, I urge the School District to prominently post the finance panel’s entire report of findings and recommendations on the District’s website.
Hazel is doing a great job on the transparency front. It’s extremely obvious to me that she is listening. That’s refreshing and welcome.
Comment by Dan — December 12, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
It’s very refreshing, Dan. Let’s hope it’s also contagious!
I’m not wild about the activities fee and hope that the board does not go there unless that’s absolutely necessary. We don’t want to make after school activities only for those whose families can afford the fee—and I’m sure they’ll have help for those who need it but many families are too proud to ask, so they will just tell their kids no.
Hopefully the cuts will start from the top down and directly involve the students only as a last resort.
Comment by mary — December 12, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
When Mr. Keizer was describing the extracurricular activity fees, it sounded as if he was talking only about athletic programs. Are there not other programs such as music, drama, debate, FFA, etc. that would also be affected?
Comment by Bill — December 12, 2008 @ 4:04 pm