The goal of SB107 is to allow 3 elementary-only school districts in Montana to educate their own high school students. In the Billings area, the Lockwood school district would be able to ask their voters to build a high school. If successful, then Lockwood students would leave Billings Public Schools (School District 2).
I have two children in Billings Public schools. One is in elementary school and one is in middle school. So SB107 interests me and impacts the education of my children.What may surprise you is that I support this bill. Billings Public Schools has a bad habit of not listening to parents with academic concerns. While SB107 might raise my property taxes a bit, this bill will send a message to the school board and leadership that it is a mistake to ignore the concerns of parents.
Students that finish middle school in Lockwood are further ahead educationally than students taught in Billings Public Schools. When Lockwood students get into BPS high schools, their education is dragged down by Billings students. There are fewer opportunities to get involved in sports, like basketball. Finally, there is a huge expense in busing Lockwood students to Senior or Skyview.
The benefit for me is that SB107 may finally get BPS to work on improving academics. Making BPS smaller will require them to listen to parents to stop the exodus. State High School funding will increase on a per student basis for BOTH Lockwood and Billings students. More space in the high schools might allow BPS to put career centers in every high school, instead of busing students to the far west end of Billings. BPS would lose property taxes from Exxon, so taxpayers in Billings will have to make that up. $10 a year or less?
The sad thing is that BPS is actively fighting SB107. They are in denial as to why parts of the Billings community wants to get their kids out of BPS. If this bill becomes law, then they will have to finally address realities that many parents realized long ago.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Why I support Charter Schools in Billings
Let me be clear from the start, I think good public schools are important for the Billings Community. I am a product of a public school in rural Minnesota and I received a tremendous education there. The education was so good, that I had no problem in college earning a degree in a challenging major of Meteorology.
I, like many successful people, can point to teachers instrumental to my professional success. I can go on and on about the impact 3 math teachers and 1 chemistry/physics teacher had on me. There is a lot of Chemistry in Meteorology (ozone layer and pollution), but since I was taught that subject well, I did not have to take a Chemistry course in college. I aced both Atmospheric Chemistry courses I took in college (one in undergrad and one in grad school).
I know what a good education looks like and I know that good teachers are always involved. However, I should get some credit too. I put in the work that my teachers expected me to put in. In the case of math, there were periods where I put in more work that my teachers expected. The goal was to solve problems fast and correctly. I wanted my test paper to be turned in first in the class and have a perfect score.
Now have have two children of my own and they have attended Billings Public Schools 3 and 8 years. Both of my kids received a great education K-2. In fact, a much better education that I received back in Minnesota. The 5 teachers we worked with were fabulous. Both kids started reading books in Kindergarten.
My wife and I became parents that public schools want to see. We joined the PTA and served actively (my wife mostly). We both volunteered in the classroom (again my wife mostly). We supported school bonds and mil levies on the ballot. So what happened?
In third grade, the educational paradigm changes. The maximum class size increases from 20 in 2nd grade to 28 in third grade. Teachers are no longer able to teach all students at the level they are capable of and instead have to teach at the average level (sometimes at the level of the weakest student). At the same time, the Cherry Creek development significantly increased the number of students of low income families that attend my children's elementary school. These students are more likely to be behind grade level for diverse reasons.
When my daughter was in 5th grade, I noticed that her standardized test scores were falling, even though she was getting As and Bs on her report card. Math fell from slightly above average to well below average. She would rarely bring homework home, but when she did, it was obvious that she didn't learn math very well and she was struggling as a result.
After investigating what happened, here are some facts to ponder...
I, like many successful people, can point to teachers instrumental to my professional success. I can go on and on about the impact 3 math teachers and 1 chemistry/physics teacher had on me. There is a lot of Chemistry in Meteorology (ozone layer and pollution), but since I was taught that subject well, I did not have to take a Chemistry course in college. I aced both Atmospheric Chemistry courses I took in college (one in undergrad and one in grad school).
I know what a good education looks like and I know that good teachers are always involved. However, I should get some credit too. I put in the work that my teachers expected me to put in. In the case of math, there were periods where I put in more work that my teachers expected. The goal was to solve problems fast and correctly. I wanted my test paper to be turned in first in the class and have a perfect score.
Now have have two children of my own and they have attended Billings Public Schools 3 and 8 years. Both of my kids received a great education K-2. In fact, a much better education that I received back in Minnesota. The 5 teachers we worked with were fabulous. Both kids started reading books in Kindergarten.
My wife and I became parents that public schools want to see. We joined the PTA and served actively (my wife mostly). We both volunteered in the classroom (again my wife mostly). We supported school bonds and mil levies on the ballot. So what happened?
In third grade, the educational paradigm changes. The maximum class size increases from 20 in 2nd grade to 28 in third grade. Teachers are no longer able to teach all students at the level they are capable of and instead have to teach at the average level (sometimes at the level of the weakest student). At the same time, the Cherry Creek development significantly increased the number of students of low income families that attend my children's elementary school. These students are more likely to be behind grade level for diverse reasons.
When my daughter was in 5th grade, I noticed that her standardized test scores were falling, even though she was getting As and Bs on her report card. Math fell from slightly above average to well below average. She would rarely bring homework home, but when she did, it was obvious that she didn't learn math very well and she was struggling as a result.
After investigating what happened, here are some facts to ponder...
- In 4th grade (I think) one student was biting my daughter at school. This is a form of bullying and it had a negative impact on my daughter's education. The schools solution was mandate that neither student go near each other, nor talk to each other. Both kids had common friends, but is was my daughter, who lost friends from this action. My daughter did before-school classroom chores, like sharpening pencils, and one day the bully walked into the classroom. A teacher caught my daughter talking to her, so my daughter got written up. Way to punish the victim School District 2.
- We made a request that the bully and our daughter be placed in different classrooms in 5th grade. The principal accepted our request. However, our daughter didn't get a good teacher in 5th grade. She didn't learn hardly any math in fifth grade. She fell from being proficient in math to "nearing proficient" in math. This means she learned less than half of the math 5th graders are expected to learn in 5th grade.
- During this time, my daughter was getting As and Bs on her report card. An A is defined as "exceptional" and a B is defined as "above average." The NWEA test showed that she was below average in math and really low after 5th grade. So the school district was telling us that our child was doing better in school, than she actually was. This is called grade inflation. Kids sometimes never do well on standardized tests, so we got second opinions. Turns out the NWEA scores is accurate, so the school district was lying to us.
- I was always bothered that my daughter infrequently brought math homework home during elementary school. This was maybe once every two weeks at most. This is the number one reason why my daughter is behind grade level in math. She was never required to practice what she learned in math, so she could not remember it later for the standardized test, nor for more advanced math the next year.
- Common Core Standards were implemented in 5th grade and that had a negative impact. These standards are at a higher level than the previous standards. Teachers sped through the material before the students really mastered it. Students are capable of learning more than a grade level of material in a school year, but not without extra homework. Work was rare and inconsistent and the entire 5th grade class suffered.
I did meet privately with the principal of my children's school and her boss, because there are big problems that need to be addressed immediately. First, I requested that the school district stop the practice of grade inflation on report cards. Had I known that my daughter was struggling in math, we could have worked with her teachers to get her the help she needed before it became a big problem. Their response was higher grades are used to encourage students to stick with it.
Second, I begged them to require more homework to be sent home, so we can teach material that the teacher was unable to do that day. Please let us help the teacher do her job. Their response was many more parents complain that the school district assigned too much homework.
This meeting was a waste of my time, because school district administrators are set with their philosophies. In the current school year, nothing has changed. My daughter is still getting inflated grades and very little homework is taken home. A meeting with the superintendent and letters to the school board were a waste of time too.
As one parent, there is not much I can do to improve the education that my children get in the public school. Should I not be angry for the bad education my daughter received after 3rd grade? It is really insulting to be treated like this after all the hours my family has invested in the public schools in Billings.
For the past year, I have been openly critical of School District 2 for not serving students well...especially in math. About one third of the students are not proficient in math and my daughter is one of them. Many more will not know math well enough to survive required math classes in college. Standardized test scores in math are dreadful and they haven't improved in years. If you are forced to send your child to a Title 1 school (with lots of children from low income families), then expect your child to get an even worse education. I realized this fact too late.
The problem is that School District 2 has no incentive to improve academics. Everyone gets paid the same whether 90% of the students graduate or 30% of the students graduate. They do not have to listen to anything I say as a result. Or as the Principal of my children's elementary school likes to say: "I cannot please everyone" to any parent expecting more from the school.
So this is why I support Charter Schools for Billings. The best way to send a message to arrogant people is to introduce legitimate competition. I would send my children to a charter school in a heartbeat given my experience of the last 4 years. This is why school districts are spending taxpayer funding to send people to Helena to fight charter schools. They want to keep the power and high salaries, while students get the shaft.
Virgil Middendorf
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Notes from Jan 6 2015 SD2 board operations committee meeting
Agenda Setting: Meeting will be on Tuesday instead of Monday because of MLK day. Jan 13 school naming meeting merging into a stakeholders committee.
Budgeting for results committee: Looking at a citizen board. Do not want to call it "budgeting for results committee" because of past bad experiences. Trying to determine which committee to put this under. Planning and Development is the most logical. Question: what does this committee do? Fiscal year planning and developing the 5 year plan. Should align with strategic plan.
Committee meeting dates: Wanting to move performance monitoring to second week.Two committees will become bi-monthly. Motion made and passed.
Budgeting for results committee: Looking at a citizen board. Do not want to call it "budgeting for results committee" because of past bad experiences. Trying to determine which committee to put this under. Planning and Development is the most logical. Question: what does this committee do? Fiscal year planning and developing the 5 year plan. Should align with strategic plan.
Committee meeting dates: Wanting to move performance monitoring to second week.Two committees will become bi-monthly. Motion made and passed.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Notes from Dec 15 2014 SD2 Board Meeting
Audit Committee Report: Todd Preston - Recommend approval of the CAFR report. District when from High Risk to Low Risk. Revenues exceeded Expenses for the 4th year in a row. RFP is due next audit cycle, but they recommend to extend Ike a year to get through transition to new software. Motion: 1.) Approve the 2013-2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and authorize it to be submitted for the GFOAand ASBO review and award programs. Also authorizing management to make minor changes as needed to complete submission. Passed.
Superintendent Report: K-12 Expansion. MSBA decided to take neutral position. SD2 is against it. SD2 is trying to get a quality schools grant (energy projects). Ranked 25th out of 50 and it must be approved by the MT Legislature. Stroebe requests that SD2 should have a financial statement of impacts made like was done in Helena and Missoula in event K-12 Expansion happens. Impacts were presented already last May to justify SD2 opposition.
Career Technical Education - SD2 met with a bi-partisan group of legislators to get more state funding for this activity. Positive reaction from legislators and looks like they work to get this passed. Don Jones is working on LC1672. Funding stuck at $1 million since the 1990s.
Food Service Presentation: Betty Hunt (moving) and Sid Taylor (taking over). Smarter Lunch Rooms - SD2 is a pilot program to get students to make healthier choices. There was a small grant to purchase equipment. The conducted a waste study before the start of the program and they will check waste again to evaluate the program. Initially high schools...looking at middle and elementary schools next year. Free and Reduced Numbers - Students are now automatically approved if parents are in SNAP. Eliminates parents having to sign the form sent home. This has caused a jump in numbers of students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch. Breakfast in the classroom? Concerned about spills. A few schools have breakfast for all students. There are equipment costs and Sodexo are looking for grants.
Broadwater and McKinley update: Warm weather last week helped progress. One year of progress. Weather have not impacted them yet.
Heights Middle School update: Looking for cost savings without reducing quality of construction. Current market conditions is causing higher costs. They are looking for value engineering ideas. Looking at alternative flooring and ceiling tiles. Less landscaping. Different conduit in walls, etc. Found 1.3 million in savings and they are getting much closer. All are these are estimates. Nothing have been bid yet. Can they reduce square footage? They are trying to reduce impact on education and they will do everything to not reduce square footage.
Redistricting update: Public forum Dec 16. Team is reviewing drafts at every meeting. Cropper is printing off options for review. Three options will be presented to the public each for the Heights and elsewhere. They are staying true to the guidelines that the board provided. Grandfathering - eventually there has to be a cut-off for siblings. Board operations will be developing a policy soon.
5 year financial forecast: Hudetz is asking if the board has any questions beyond what was presented at the Planning and Development Committee meeting. There are lots of assumptions built in the projections and the forecast can get off. They are creating room in the budget for the fixed costs of the middle schools. SD2 was up about 100 students K-8 last year and up 100 students this year. SD2 administration reviews budget about 4 times a year to ensure SD2 is making targets. Why are they talking drop-out rates. Has no impact on K-8 funding. Stroebe wants busing financials in 5 year plan. SD2 administration is confident that we can operate a second middle school. Hafer wants SD2 to let public know when they are planning to put mill levies to the voters. Toohill asks how sensitive numbers are to enrollment.
Start Process for West-End Middle School design and construction: Current middle schools and elementary schools on west-end are over-crowded, so additional middle school is needed. 60 percent of west-enders voted for the bond. SD2 wants to hire A&E to start work. Earlier A&E starts, the better chance they can find cost savings. A&E is already doing some of the leg-work on their dime so they can keep deadlines. Motion has made to start a number of processes. One nay, Six yays.
General Fund Levies: Committee recommends to not do levies next May. Superintendent says there is too much going on to properly run a campaign. Bond cost per taxpayer is lower than expected and that will be promoted if they put a mill levy on the ballot in 2016. Motion to not run mill levies: elementary passes 7-0 and high school passes 9-0.
Middle school naming update: Committee of 6 parents and one is a staff member. They established a process and it will involve students. They have 42 grade submissions. Tomorrow, the will narrow down to 3-5 per category. Board will get to decide on final recommendations in January.
AA Caucus: Day of lobbying Feb 23rd. Caucus will start meeting twice a week because of legislative session.
Legislative Committee duties and responsibilities: Will meet along with AA Caucus. Committee will have power to act in what the best interests of SD2. Motion on Committee. Concern about stated priorities. Motion amended to take out "stated priorities". That amendment has been dumped to get board to make board provide input when possible. Motion passes 9-0
Legislative Lobbyists: Paid employees must register as lobbyists. Superintendent appointed to represent SD2 and anyone he designates. Leo, Patricia, and Scott Anderson potential designates. Motion passes 9-0.
Career and Technical Education lobbying effort: Most MT districts do not have money to hire teachers for this effort. SD2 is working with Don Jones on bill. May be folded in HB2 in terms of just increased funding. $89,000 to $890,000. SD2 will use this to expand programs (medical).
Committee Policies: Fixing SD2 polices to formalize new committee structure. 1st reading tonight. Passed.
National Convention attendees: Not up for election. Priority to committee chairs and haven't attended last year. Motion made. Passes 9-0
Budget Committee: Board Operations Committee will develop guidelines and membership. Present to Jan Board Meeting. Motion made. Passes 9-0.
2015 Trustee Election. 4 trustees are up for election. Dist 4 (Joe), 5 (Rob), 6 (Allen), and High School A (Teresa).
Superintendent Report: K-12 Expansion. MSBA decided to take neutral position. SD2 is against it. SD2 is trying to get a quality schools grant (energy projects). Ranked 25th out of 50 and it must be approved by the MT Legislature. Stroebe requests that SD2 should have a financial statement of impacts made like was done in Helena and Missoula in event K-12 Expansion happens. Impacts were presented already last May to justify SD2 opposition.
Career Technical Education - SD2 met with a bi-partisan group of legislators to get more state funding for this activity. Positive reaction from legislators and looks like they work to get this passed. Don Jones is working on LC1672. Funding stuck at $1 million since the 1990s.
Food Service Presentation: Betty Hunt (moving) and Sid Taylor (taking over). Smarter Lunch Rooms - SD2 is a pilot program to get students to make healthier choices. There was a small grant to purchase equipment. The conducted a waste study before the start of the program and they will check waste again to evaluate the program. Initially high schools...looking at middle and elementary schools next year. Free and Reduced Numbers - Students are now automatically approved if parents are in SNAP. Eliminates parents having to sign the form sent home. This has caused a jump in numbers of students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch. Breakfast in the classroom? Concerned about spills. A few schools have breakfast for all students. There are equipment costs and Sodexo are looking for grants.
Broadwater and McKinley update: Warm weather last week helped progress. One year of progress. Weather have not impacted them yet.
Heights Middle School update: Looking for cost savings without reducing quality of construction. Current market conditions is causing higher costs. They are looking for value engineering ideas. Looking at alternative flooring and ceiling tiles. Less landscaping. Different conduit in walls, etc. Found 1.3 million in savings and they are getting much closer. All are these are estimates. Nothing have been bid yet. Can they reduce square footage? They are trying to reduce impact on education and they will do everything to not reduce square footage.
Redistricting update: Public forum Dec 16. Team is reviewing drafts at every meeting. Cropper is printing off options for review. Three options will be presented to the public each for the Heights and elsewhere. They are staying true to the guidelines that the board provided. Grandfathering - eventually there has to be a cut-off for siblings. Board operations will be developing a policy soon.
5 year financial forecast: Hudetz is asking if the board has any questions beyond what was presented at the Planning and Development Committee meeting. There are lots of assumptions built in the projections and the forecast can get off. They are creating room in the budget for the fixed costs of the middle schools. SD2 was up about 100 students K-8 last year and up 100 students this year. SD2 administration reviews budget about 4 times a year to ensure SD2 is making targets. Why are they talking drop-out rates. Has no impact on K-8 funding. Stroebe wants busing financials in 5 year plan. SD2 administration is confident that we can operate a second middle school. Hafer wants SD2 to let public know when they are planning to put mill levies to the voters. Toohill asks how sensitive numbers are to enrollment.
Start Process for West-End Middle School design and construction: Current middle schools and elementary schools on west-end are over-crowded, so additional middle school is needed. 60 percent of west-enders voted for the bond. SD2 wants to hire A&E to start work. Earlier A&E starts, the better chance they can find cost savings. A&E is already doing some of the leg-work on their dime so they can keep deadlines. Motion has made to start a number of processes. One nay, Six yays.
General Fund Levies: Committee recommends to not do levies next May. Superintendent says there is too much going on to properly run a campaign. Bond cost per taxpayer is lower than expected and that will be promoted if they put a mill levy on the ballot in 2016. Motion to not run mill levies: elementary passes 7-0 and high school passes 9-0.
Middle school naming update: Committee of 6 parents and one is a staff member. They established a process and it will involve students. They have 42 grade submissions. Tomorrow, the will narrow down to 3-5 per category. Board will get to decide on final recommendations in January.
AA Caucus: Day of lobbying Feb 23rd. Caucus will start meeting twice a week because of legislative session.
Legislative Committee duties and responsibilities: Will meet along with AA Caucus. Committee will have power to act in what the best interests of SD2. Motion on Committee. Concern about stated priorities. Motion amended to take out "stated priorities". That amendment has been dumped to get board to make board provide input when possible. Motion passes 9-0
Legislative Lobbyists: Paid employees must register as lobbyists. Superintendent appointed to represent SD2 and anyone he designates. Leo, Patricia, and Scott Anderson potential designates. Motion passes 9-0.
Career and Technical Education lobbying effort: Most MT districts do not have money to hire teachers for this effort. SD2 is working with Don Jones on bill. May be folded in HB2 in terms of just increased funding. $89,000 to $890,000. SD2 will use this to expand programs (medical).
Committee Policies: Fixing SD2 polices to formalize new committee structure. 1st reading tonight. Passed.
National Convention attendees: Not up for election. Priority to committee chairs and haven't attended last year. Motion made. Passes 9-0
Budget Committee: Board Operations Committee will develop guidelines and membership. Present to Jan Board Meeting. Motion made. Passes 9-0.
2015 Trustee Election. 4 trustees are up for election. Dist 4 (Joe), 5 (Rob), 6 (Allen), and High School A (Teresa).
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Notes for Dec 9 2014 SD2 Planning and Development Committee Meeting
McKinley and Broadwater update: Weather has been excellent and projects are on schedule.
Redistricting update: Reviewed Cropper drafts again. Dividing maps into Heights and elsewhere. Prepping for Dec 16 public meeting. Grandfathering? Policy will be developed for the board operations committee to consider. Bus route information? Time estimates are still being determined.
Heights Middle School update: Update on cost estimates and based on 95% of completed construction documents. A&E -$1,000,000. Dick Anderson -$2.6 mil. Hulteng -$1.9 mil. Looking for cost savings of 2.6 million. Will not impact learning spaces. Found 1.3 in potential savings of 1.3 mil...ceiling tiles, reduced landscaping, cheaper flooring. Bidding will be in in January and they are hoping for competitive bids. Playground space for Bitterroot still in project.
West End Middle School Timeline: Delaying design from last Sept to January 2015. Working with city to make site walk-able and bike-able. Construction starts in Feb 2016. Decision needs to be made in Dec Board meeting on this new timeline.
Special Ed Program proposal: Heights: Alkali Creek - Primary Delta, Bitterroot - Primary and Intermediate Life Skills, Eagle Cliffs - Primary and Intermediate Independent Living, Bench - SPED Preschool. Changing capacities have been provided to Cropper. Worried that Bitterroot will not have enough space.
Five Year Financial Projection: For FY15-FY19. Leadership team meets 4 times a year to look at the budget. Departments constantly scrubbing budgets for savings. Moving 6th grade to middle school will save money. Revenue Assumptions: 2.08% FY15 and 2% years after. Expense assumptions: 3% increase a year for elementary. No textbook adoptions. Elementary Mill Levy Spring 2016 and Spring 2018 proposed. High school mill levies Spring 2017 and 2019. Salaries and benefits are 87% of the budget.
2015 Mill Levy: Too much going on in the School district to properly promote the levy. Voter Fatigue. Superintendent recommends not putting this on the ballot. Committee will recommend to board to NOT put a mill levy on the ballot next year.
New West End Middle School business: Asking board for permission to move forward on 2nd middle school.
Redistricting update: Reviewed Cropper drafts again. Dividing maps into Heights and elsewhere. Prepping for Dec 16 public meeting. Grandfathering? Policy will be developed for the board operations committee to consider. Bus route information? Time estimates are still being determined.
Heights Middle School update: Update on cost estimates and based on 95% of completed construction documents. A&E -$1,000,000. Dick Anderson -$2.6 mil. Hulteng -$1.9 mil. Looking for cost savings of 2.6 million. Will not impact learning spaces. Found 1.3 in potential savings of 1.3 mil...ceiling tiles, reduced landscaping, cheaper flooring. Bidding will be in in January and they are hoping for competitive bids. Playground space for Bitterroot still in project.
West End Middle School Timeline: Delaying design from last Sept to January 2015. Working with city to make site walk-able and bike-able. Construction starts in Feb 2016. Decision needs to be made in Dec Board meeting on this new timeline.
Special Ed Program proposal: Heights: Alkali Creek - Primary Delta, Bitterroot - Primary and Intermediate Life Skills, Eagle Cliffs - Primary and Intermediate Independent Living, Bench - SPED Preschool. Changing capacities have been provided to Cropper. Worried that Bitterroot will not have enough space.
Five Year Financial Projection: For FY15-FY19. Leadership team meets 4 times a year to look at the budget. Departments constantly scrubbing budgets for savings. Moving 6th grade to middle school will save money. Revenue Assumptions: 2.08% FY15 and 2% years after. Expense assumptions: 3% increase a year for elementary. No textbook adoptions. Elementary Mill Levy Spring 2016 and Spring 2018 proposed. High school mill levies Spring 2017 and 2019. Salaries and benefits are 87% of the budget.
2015 Mill Levy: Too much going on in the School district to properly promote the levy. Voter Fatigue. Superintendent recommends not putting this on the ballot. Committee will recommend to board to NOT put a mill levy on the ballot next year.
New West End Middle School business: Asking board for permission to move forward on 2nd middle school.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Notes from Dec 2 2014 SD2 Redistricting Committee Meeting
Goals for the night: Review new data and handouts. Discuss 5 scenarios. Chose top 4 for community information session.
Enrollment forecast update: Previous forecast 366 too high. Grades K,1,2,3 had biggest losses. Some students even went to Laurel. Due to migration to private schools and outlying school districts. Once families migrate to outlying districts, they will stay there and SD2 will not see them until middle or high school. Rate can change once middle schools come online and elementary schools are less crowded.
Students east of west end schools are generating complaints from community for being moved out of walkable schools.
Presentation of options:
Enrollment forecast update: Previous forecast 366 too high. Grades K,1,2,3 had biggest losses. Some students even went to Laurel. Due to migration to private schools and outlying school districts. Once families migrate to outlying districts, they will stay there and SD2 will not see them until middle or high school. Rate can change once middle schools come online and elementary schools are less crowded.
Students east of west end schools are generating complaints from community for being moved out of walkable schools.
Presentation of options:
- Option 1 has area from Lake Hills Golf Course to Lake Elmo going to Sandstone. Other 4 options have them going to Eagle Cliffs.
- Option 1 has McKinley feeding into Riverside middle school...concerns of too much free and reduced lunch demographics.
- Lots of discussion about area just east of Arrowhead and west of 32nd street. If Ironwood and Copper Ridge kids go to Arrowhead, then these students have to cross 32nd street to Boulder.
Dec 2 2014 SD2 Board Operations Committee Meeting Notes
Superintendent recommends that school district not put a mill levy on the ballot May 2015. Too busy to properly promote it.
Committee Policies: Discussion on what to do if a committee member doesn't attend 2-3 consecutive meetings. They took all language related to this out of policy. Requirement of committee chairs to be on the board for one year before being appointed.
Sending trustees to national convention: do not want to send someone up for election or are planning to leave board. Want to limit to 3 members. Priority to those that didn't go the previous year. Give priority to committee chairs.
Committee Policies: Discussion on what to do if a committee member doesn't attend 2-3 consecutive meetings. They took all language related to this out of policy. Requirement of committee chairs to be on the board for one year before being appointed.
Sending trustees to national convention: do not want to send someone up for election or are planning to leave board. Want to limit to 3 members. Priority to those that didn't go the previous year. Give priority to committee chairs.
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