Boundary discussions

Discussion at last night’s school board meeting focused on some of the proposed changes recommended in the Boundary and Facility Usage Review Final Report. This report is the result of a four-month process that involved staff, parents and community members. It is the first time anyone can recall Springfield Public Schools taking such a comprehensive look at attendance boundaries and other factors which impact our building usage and capacity.

Given the current economy, it is possible we will not implement all proposed changes immediately. However, this will not be the last discussion we have about our district’s boundaries.

As I explained last night, one purpose of this review is to develop a framework for us to use in the future to continually evaluate and modify our boundaries. For too many years our boundaries have been considered immovable. They cannot be viewed as static though because our community certainly isn’t static.

As Springfield grows and changes, we must be responsive and adapt our system to ensure we make the most of the resources you provide us. Along the way, we will continue to listen to our stakeholders as we consider ways to ensure the future success of Springfield Public Schools and its students.

Votes for the future

Next Tuesday is an important day for Springfield Public Schools. As you know, your vote matters when it comes to local, state and national issues related to education. I encourage you to look closely at all the candidates and all the ballot issues that will no doubt have a major impact on the direction of our country and the future of public education.

This election will have a direct connection to the waters we will be navigating in the immediate and long-range future. Of course, right now the dominant topic of concern is the economy. I can assure you we will be following closely the impact a slowing economy will have on our budget, and I encourage you to stay engaged with our district so that we can work through these times together.

The Board of Education will be having a strategic discussion during its Nov. 11 Study Session to discuss the current economic conditions and its impact on our tentatively scheduled April 2009 bond election. While there is no question that the types of projects to be tackled with this bond, including the completion of air conditioning at the remainder of our schools, are needed as soon as possible, it is imperative that we be sensitive to the economic conditions that exist with our stakeholders as well.

Through focus groups conducted this year we were encouraged to find that frequent voters are very supportive of this school district’s direction as established by SP5. At the same time, we were encouraged to keep an ear to the ground when it comes to the economic reality faced by Springfield citizens during this economic roller coaster. Please know, we are indeed keeping a very close ear to the ground and will work hard on making the best decisions for all those impacted by future funding initiatives.

Enrollment increase

Our official enrollment count indicates we have 166 more students in our schools this year. For 2008-2009 total enrollment for Springfield Public Schools is 23,968 students compared with enrollment of 23,802 students in 2007-2008.

Most of that growth is at the elementary level with an increase of 173 students. We also noted an increase of 44 middle school students but enrollment declined by 51 students at the high school level bringing us to a net increase of 166 students.

Growth in several southwest Springfield schools reinforces the need for the new elementary school currently under construction. McBride Elementary School has 69 additional students and Gray Elementary School increased by 31 students. These buildings are already struggling to accommodate their large numbers.

Other examples of schools in the southwest that are growing include: Carver Middle School with 37 additional students; Cherokee Middle School with 53 more students; and Kickapoo High School with 40 additional students.

We’ve added four kindergarten teachers to accommodate the elementary growth in the district and are requesting a fifth teacher be hired to help address the increase of 120 students who are English Language Learners. The hiring of these additional teachers is important in advancing the district’s strategic objective of reducing student-teacher ratios.

Schools, Neighborhoods and Cities....

The recent Boundary and Facility Usage Review process that we are currently undertaking has once again served as a reminder of the central and essential part public schools play in a community. It was very clear with the Robberson Elementary discussion that it is the staff at Robberson and their relationship with their community that anchors that neighborhood.

Personal relationships are vital to the success of a public school, neighborhood and city. While individuals may have differing opinions as to the placement and future of the physical structure at Robberson, there is no denying that school and community relationships are built upon a solid foundation of trust and caring. I think you will find that is true throughout our system.

Based on the support expressed for Robberson, we will be working with that community to further define a vision for their school and neighborhood. It occurs to me that perhaps part of the struggle in discussing this type of emotional topic results from not being visionary enough. SP5, our strategic plan, has produced for our community a clear focus on what our stakeholders want to achieve for our district. What is needed now, for not only the Robberson community, but for all our neighborhoods, and our community as a whole, is a bold vision that reflects the dreams and aspirations we share for all students.

What if we did not just stop the discussion at whether a building from a distant era is suitable or not, but created a vision for the Robberson community that captured the imagination of not only the parents and students but of the entire city? What program and facility could exist that not only teaches the basics well but creates an environment which transforms a neighborhood and a school?

This discussion has reinforced for me that it is time, now more than ever, to be bold in creating an educational environment that meets the educational needs of our students as well as ignites the drive and innovation of a school, neighborhood and community.

With this in mind, I am asking Marc Maness to pull together a team of engaged citizens, a blue ribbon team if you will, to help us create this vision. The main goal of this team will be to take SP5 and propose ways to achieve the clearly stated goals in ways that will help transform neighborhoods and have a positive impact on our entire city. I will share with you in upcoming blog entries more specifics, but needless to say, this is an exciting time for public education in Springfield!

Future bond?

Given this week’s economic news, I thought I’d ask your thoughts on an important financial issue facing the district. As many of you know, our school board will be discussing the need for another bond issue in the next few months.

We’ve been open with stakeholders in the past about our plans to ask for a new bond about every three years. You approved bonds in 2000, 2003 and 2006. Adhering to that plan would mean placing a new bond request on the April 2009 ballot, a decision which must be made no later than January.

With more than 50 school buildings, we will always have facility needs. But as members of this community, we have to balance our needs with those of our stakeholders. Should we keep to our plan and request a tax increase in 2009? How would it affect you and your family? Is it fair to delay our bond request and make students in the remaining 25 percent of buildings wait for air conditioning?

I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Boundary and Facility Usage Review

I hope headlines and comments about a few proposed alternates don’t overshadow the good that can come from the comprehensive Boundary and Facility Usage Review we initiated this summer.

Such discussions can be unsettling for students and families but I want to remind everyone they are just that at this point—discussions. We want to know what our stakeholders think about these proposals and hear their suggestions for alternative solutions.

I received a comment via my blog about closing neighborhood schools. The reader stated:
“I beg you to not go down the slippery slope that the closing of neighborhood schools brings to families, to economies and eventually to the school district itself. Bigger is not better when it comes to children.”

Two alternates under consideration do propose closing an elementary school and a middle school. The other buildings that could be closed currently house alternative programs. These buildings, Bailey, Berry and Pepperdine, have not been used as traditional school buildings for several years because of their inadequacies.

I agree with the reader that arbitrarily closing schools is ill advised. However, I encourage stakeholders to consider the rationale behind the proposals and envision the positive possibilities they could bring for students. We believe all students deserve a quality learning environment and some of these buildings have limitations that even the most comprehensive renovations cannot address.

Making proactive and strategic decisions now about how to use the resources you provide will ensure Springfield Public Schools continues to thrive along with our community in the future and ensure academic excellence for ALL students.

I encourage you to attend a town meeting Thursday, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m. in Central High School auditorium to discuss the boundary and facility usage review. You may also read more online and provide your feedback.

A new beginning

Welcome back to the first day of the 2008-2009 school year! I started my day visiting some of our schools and I sensed an energy in our classrooms that causes me to be especially optimistic about the future of education in Springfield Public Schools.

There is excitement about education in our community. Students, teachers, staff and community members are proud of our schools and it shows.

Of course, I believe their pride is well placed. We realized some critical milestones recently that position us for continuous improvement this year. Our graduation rate is up. Attendance is improving. Last year’s seniors performed remarkably well on the ACT exam.

As we embark on a new year, we will sharpen our focus on student achievement, persistence to graduation and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of our system. We will engage all our stakeholders in this effort to ensure Springfield students receive every opportunity to succeed.

I hope this blog will give you an avenue to become more engaged in the discussion about education. Send me your questions or comments and we’ll address them in this forum. Let’s start with your comments about the first day of school. How did it go for your child?