RCAS Board hears public concerns on school closing and curriculum changes

The Rogers City Area Schools board of education covered a wide range of topics Monday, including public comments and a special presentation on a homeland security vulnerability assessment. Speaking for other concerned parents Shannon Brege addressed the board at the beginning of the meeting about the proposed plan to close the second floor of the Grambau Center. Relocating the fifth grade students to the elementary school and the sixth grade students to the high school is under consideration as a means to cut costs.

“I understand that the Grambau Center takes a lot of money to run and closing it would be the best solution, but moving the sixth grade students to the high school may not be the best solution. They are not ready to be put in an environment with high school students,” said Brege.

BREGE OFFERED an alternative to putting the sixth graders in the high school: “The elementary school currently contains children up to the fourth grade. Not so long ago, it contained grades up to the sixth grade when class sizes were larger. There was room for them then, so why wouldn’t there be room for them now?” she asked. Brege noted that she and other parents would rather enroll their children in parochial schools than have them mixing with high school students.

“All it would take is five or six other children to be pulled from the public school system and what you had saved by closing the Grambau Center will have been lost to children leaving,” she concluded. Debbie Greene also addressed the board. She is working on a project to write grants to replace track and field equipment at the school. She pointed out that the discus, shot put and long jump areas require immediate repair.

THE FUND RAISING effort is for $16,422 to repair and replace equipment. She asked the board to provide a letter of support by the end of the month to include in her grant applications. Green noted that the cost of the equipment is substantial. For example, the “toe board” for the long jump costs $500. “Just like hospitals, when you say something is for the school, the price goes up,” she said.

Consultant Rick Farfsing presented the Homeland Security Grant Report to the board. The study was initiated to investigate areas where school districts could work together to minimize risks to the schools. As part of this effort, a vulnerability assessment was conducted looking at different areas of risk such as the school buildings, mail delivery, water supply, boilers, special events, and transportation.

ACCORDING TO the study, buildings and special events scored the highest in terms of potential vulnerability due to the open nature of these areas. Farfsing said the benefits of the study were manifold and he highlighted the main points for the board: 1. Planning and being prepared for any potential disaster whether it would be natural or man-made. 2. Opening communications with schools and local law enforcement and the first responders. 3. By completing the assessment, the schools are now in line for the next round of homeland security grants. 4. They have completed the first cooperative initiative in this area and can build on that effort.

THE BOARD discussed the plan to adopt a six-period day beginning in the 2005-2006 school year. This will replace the eight-period block scheduling that was put into place a few years ago. The purpose of the move is to effect further cost savings by reducing the number of teachers and staff. School principal Deb Jones said no programs would be cut but some courses would go back to being a semester course rather than running through the year.

“The students liked block scheduling and most of the teachers liked it also, but I don’t think we are in a position where we can afford that luxury,” Jones said. The board approved an incentive plan that would pay $1,000 to teachers who may be considering retirement. If they resign on or before June 30 and submit their intention to do so by 4 p.m. on March 11, they would be eligible for the one-time payments.

THE BUDGET reductions were reviewed with the understanding that increasing class sizes, reducing staff, and closing buildings are i

nevitable, according to board member Armand Loiselle. He noted that just to stay even with current expenditures the school would need an extra $321 per pupil over the current allocation from the legislature. The proposal before the legislature by the governor is for an increase of $175 per pupil with an additional $50 ($225) per pupil for high schools. Board member Richard Hanson added that board members should be considering a purchasing freeze to hold down expenses as they look for ways to cut the budget. He indicated that input from the teachers and staff would be very helpful in identifying areas to economize.

BOARD PRESIDENT Mike Marx charged the executive committee members to arrange a meeting with their counterparts in Posen and in Onaway on Wednesday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Grambau Center. “Many people read in the newspapers or watched Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s speech last week where she asked all school districts to take a look and see what they can do to combine forces. Before the State of the State address that was in motion among our school districts,” Marx said.