Prepared Text for Board Meeting –
Marc A. Schare
No one is saying that the
Let’s run the numbers. 4
kids at 6100 a year is $24,400. Four years from now, our annual commitment
would be well in excess of $100K/year to provide excellent opportunities for 16
kids. The question is – what else could we be doing for that $100,000.
We were given a glimpse at
what dedicated teachers can accomplish at the Worthington Kilbourne event last
Thursday where five teams of teachers presented some ideas for augmentation of
our high school programs. A program to help students recover 100 credits and
get their academic careers back on track could be had for
$14,120. An international business academy serving 100 kids a year would cost
us less than $15,000 annually from our general fund. The Linworth
program could be enhanced by imbedding technology through their entire
curriculum for a few thousand dollars.
At Thomas, an entrepreneurial academy would hit the bond fund pretty
hard but operational costs would be well contained, as would be the case for
the Health Care Career Pathway. In short, for less than the operating costs of
sending 16 kids to Metro, we could fund all 5 of the high school enhancement
proposals and have money left over for additional proposals in the years to
come.
And what
of those new proposals? Is there anyone in the room who does not
believe that
And what
of Metro? In 2006, their business plan seemed bullet
proof. They would allow districts to charge tuition and, in return, they would
provide assistance back to the districts in terms of professional development
and other services. That was before