Realignment delayed for discussion

Only two members of McCook Public Schools' board of education raised their hands during a board meeting Tuesday when President Greg Larson asked who could support a realignment of elementary grades at McCook schools this fall.

Only Jim Coady and Jack Clark indicated they would be in favor of moving pre-K, kindergarten and first grade to North Ward and second grade and third grade to East Ward.

The realignment is part of the board's response to needing to eliminate about $700,000 from the district's 2003-04 school budget because of declining state aid, decreasing revenue within the school district, enrollment declines, increasing operational costs, tax levy lids and budget limitations.

Board member Dawn Andersen said she believes the proposal is the right thing to do, but she added, "The timing is wrong."

Clark asked, "When is it going to be right?" There will always be parents who object to the transition, he said. "It won't be any easier if we put it off for a month ... two months .. a year," he said.

Coady told his fellow board members three superintendents have told the board this move needs to be made to improve educational opportunities for students. With the closing of West Ward, "we're moving one-third of our elementary students," Coady said. "I'd prefer to do all the moving at one time and be done with it."

Superintendent Dr. Don Marchant said financial savings from a realignment, "would not be a great financial windfall, but it would be a start."

Marchant said the administrative team has worked hard to keep proposed cuts away from students and programs, and target equipment, supplies, materials and buildings. "I'm afraid it's bare bones," Dr. Marchant said. If the state's course continues, he said, it's going to get drastic.

Board secretary Michael Gonzales objected to the timing of the discussion of the change. "There's lots of merit to these plans," Gonzales said, "We need to show them to the parents. It's a trust issue -- doing this tonight is not fair."

He continued, "To drop this on them tonight is not right. We need to talk to parents and show them the merits of this plan and gain their support."

Fellow board member Ron Soden said parents need to be involved in the discussion of the realignment. "This needs to be discussed," Soden said. "It needs to stay on the table, but the timing isn't right tonight."

Larson recommended presenting the realignment issue to the board's Programs Committee and discussing it later. "I don't believe we have the support of the board to move on with this recommendation," Larson said.

Teacher and parent Gayle Korus told board members she is concerned with the five transitions that students would have to make through high school. She said studies she has read indicate that student achievement moves backward with each transition. She also said the realignment may save money in the beginning, but not in the long run.

Heidi Hueftle, also a parent, said she wants proof the realignment would benefit students, before the changes are made. She questioned whether students are hurt psychologically by the changes. "Kids don't like change," she said.

Teacher and parent Patty Smith supported the realignment, urging the board to "put students first. This is the best configuration for students."

Teacher and parent Mary Dueland said the realignment can save money on materials, art supplies, resource materials and textbooks as same-grade teachers can share and borrow materials. "We're not all using them at the same time," Dueland said.

Speech pathologist Karen Salyer supported the realignment, explaining it would make better use of a position such as hers. Marlene Meitl said the realignment would reduce travel time for speech and occupational therapists.

Teacher Dale Lortz said most of the second, third and fourth graders he has visited with are in favor of the realignment -- at least in favor of all the same age kids being on the playground together. After watching kids move from the wards to Central for 20 years, Lortz said, he has learned, "The kids get along fine. The parents worry about the transition to fifth grade, but the kids do fine."

Parent Martha Roe said too many opinions are being formulated on rumors and heresay, and was upset that the board has not made available to parents "hard copy" of the recommendations and proposals they've discussed.

Jay Austin, a parent and owner of Coyote Country and Prairie radio stations, chastised the board and administration for not being "more forthcoming about what's going on," and bemoaned the lack of information available to the press and to the public before board meetings. The schools take the greatest bite of the tax payers' money, Austin said, and the school board is obligated to provide information to its patrons.

Brenda McMurtrey, a parent and former candidate for a school board position, told board members she, "hates to see the schools, and all of McCook, just sitting still." She's saddened, she said, by boards that don't seem to be making any progress.

Taking some hits, and recovering from them, builds character, she said.

McMurtrey encouraged the board, "Take the lead. Be the leaders."

Some of the cost-cutting proposals within the "Administrative Team Recommendations" are dependent, Dr. Marchant said, upon the results of the study of the elementary buildings by W Design, which will be available by the end of April.

The team's recommendations include these options:

- Close West Ward, which Gonzales described as "a a moot point, a done deal," a decision made by the board in January. The closing would cut one custodial position and one secretarial position and eliminate utilities.

- Reduce building budgets by 10 percent

- Reduce transfers to the Activities Fund by 10 percent and transfers to the Children Nutrition Program by 50 percent.

- Reduce custodial/maintenance supplies by 10 percent.

- Delay social studies textbook replacement.

- Eliminate in-town busing.

During a special board meeting March 27, the board eliminated two full-time positions in elementary Title I and secondary vocational agriculture. Board member also reduced extended contracts for teachers in auto mechanics, LIFT, 7-9 and 10-12 guidance and computer technology.

Dr. Marchant said Tuesday he will deliver eight RIF (Reduction-in-Force) notices to certificated staff members by the April 15 deadline.

The board accepted the resignation of high school physical education and boys head basketball coach Joel Hueser, whose vacancy may not be filled. Hueser said he has accepted a similar position at Papillion-Lavista and will miss McCook and its school system. "Go Bison," Hueser ended his letter of resignation.

The board voted unanimously to approve, on first reading, a change in board policy that reduces, from 15 to 10, the number of physical education credits required for graduation. That figure will still meet state standards, MHS Principal Jerry Smith said, and a proportionate increase in the requirement for elective classes, from 45 to 50, will allow students to pick up credits in other areas.

The board also approved a change from eight class periods to seven at the junior and senior highs, a change Dr. Marchant said will benefit students and staff.

Coady wanted to ensure that seniors next year who may need eight periods to graduate are considered in the change. Smith said seniors will have priority as classes are filled.

Coady told board members if they plan not to continue to participate in the third and final year of the interlocal REWARDS three-year grant-writing project, the board must make a decision immediately. Coady said the contract requires a 180-day notice before the anniversary date of October 21.

Coady said the school board committed itself for three years and it should continue the third year. However, he said, it would be very prudent to analyze the program's value to the school -- involvement in the program costs $10,000 year -- before deciding whether to continue it after the third year. MJHS Principal Dennis Berry said the schools have directly benefited the least of the governmental entities which have shared the cost of the grant writer. "It's been good for the community," Berry said, "but maybe not for the schools."

The board took no action on the matter, which automatically continues the schools' involvement through the third year.

Many budgetary and financial decisions by the board for 2003-04 are dependent upon the state legislature, Larson said, and upon the elementary building reports by W Design. The reports are due April 28, Larson said, and he plans a special board meeting to discuss the report's findings.

Larson said state aid figures are still unknown, and said, the $700,000 cut is "just a target" that may fluctuate. "This is just this year," Larson said. "Next year doesn't look to be too rosy either." He concluded, "We're looking out for next year as well."

In other action:

- Gonzales offered condolences to the family of Gary Berry, a former head of custodial and maintenance services at the school, who died April 7 at a hospital in Lincoln. Gonzales said he appreciated Berry's commitment to the McCook schools, through his employment and also in his watch-dog "Letters to the Editor" in the McCook Gazette.

- The board recognized the McCook Education Association as the exclusive bargaining representative for certificated staff.

- The board accepted, with gratitude, the gift of a die-cutting machine from the PTO's at East, West and North Wards. The machine is valued at $1,023.96.

- The board briefly discussed the perpetual calendar created by the School Calendar Committee chaired by MHS teacher Karen Miller.

- MHS Student Council members Alison Wilcox and Chris Lyons reported on the pre-prom drunk-driving awareness program it plans with Resource Officer Jerry Calvin and StuCo plans for bingo with Hillcrest Nursing Home residents.

- The board voted for Greg Larson for a position on the Nebraska Association of School Boards' Legislative Committee.