Prepared Text for Board Meeting –
Marc A. Schare
Tonight, I want to publicly
address some of the things that have come to light as a result of the Colonial
Hills decision. As always, these opinions are my own. As I see it, there are
three separate issues that this board needs to deal with.
First is the 6th
grade to KMS decision itself. Was the decision correct from the standpoint of
providing the best opportunities for the most students at an affordable cost? As
I write this, I don’t have enough information to make that determination or
even have a meaningful opinion. As with the Colonial Hills community, I’m
anxiously awaiting the Wednesday community meeting to hear specifics as to what
the administration has in mind.
The second issue has to do
with communications and community engagement. While the administration will
admit that mistakes were made, I don’t think they quite understand the damage
that has been done and the good will that has been lost. Common sense says that
you do community engagement before making decisions. Common sense says you
don’t tell the kids before engaging the parents. Common sense says you try to
anticipate questions and have answers ready in advance. The two paragraph email
that attempted to explain a fundamental shift in this district’s philosophy
regarding middle school was, in my opinion, insensitive to parents and
insulting to the community. It is doubly frustrating because we are 8 months
into a process of community engagement where elementary school communities are asked
and allowed to dream the dream and define their futures, however, something as
radical as a grade realignment was not seen as important
enough to run by the community. Folks, if we are to accomplish big things here in Worthington, if
we are succeed with elementary school renewal, if we are to open specialty
schools and magnet schools and empower staff to provide that ever elusive 21st
century education, we cannot be springing surprises on an unsuspecting
community, to say nothing of an unsuspecting board. Community engagement and
communications are essentials if we are to succeed in this endeavor and this should
not be a lesson that has to be learned and relearned over and over again.
My third issue is tough
for me to discuss. There appears to be a communications breakdown between our administration
and this board (or at least this board member) and I bring it up publically to highlight its
severity. It is incomprehensible to me that we have policies that mandate a two
week period before approval of curriculum changes, textbooks, service animal procedures,
handling of food allergins, budgets and all
manner of school governance minutia, yet, the administration felt perfectly
comfortable announcing to the board on Wednesday night in what some might have
said was an inappropriate setting that a major building realignment was
occuring on Thursday. This is not an isolated instance. High School reform
proposals were initiated and approved with no board input. Matters requiring
board approval are brought to us after the fact and matters that are, according
to statute the pervue of the board are left undiscussed until the last minute. Maybe
it is just me, but if not, it is my hope that this board immediately starts to
work with our administration to define expectations on both ends and work together
to solve this problem because if the administration can’t communicate with the
5 of us, what chance do we all have to fufill the amazing potential of this
district and accomplish great things with
our 9500 students and 40000 residents.