Several people were too emotional to speak, and the couple directed their anger at Superintendent Brian Kingsley and school board members seated on stage.
But for the most part, the 140 or so people who shared their thoughts with Kingsley and the seven-member school board about the Poudre School District's consolidation plan at Poudre High School Tuesday night respected the feedback process during schooling. However, they conveyed their message clearly. The session lasted 4 hours and 15 minutes and was attended by approximately 350 people.
The overwhelming theme is that schools should not be closed unless all other options have been considered and exhausted, and that school boards should be given more time if consolidation is necessary. , provide more resources to Facilities Planning Steering Committees and others. Determine the best option while minimizing the impact on students, families, and school staff.
“The district has to slow down,” said one parent of two Beatty Elementary School students. “This is going too fast and there are too many risks.”
Beatty is one of five elementary schools in west Fort Collins that could close under one or more draft scenarios released March 19. The 37-member Facilities Planning and Steering Committee is seeking feedback that it is using to develop options to address PSD. Declining enrollment and associated reductions in per-pupil funding from the state. He also had four middle schools mentioned as potential closures in one or more draft scenarios, but no scenario called for the closure of more than three elementary schools and two middle schools.
Often forgotten in the discussion is a warning issued by Josie Prout, steering committee facilitator at Colorado State University's Institute for the Built Environment, when the draft scenario was first released. “Just because a school isn't mentioned in the draft scenario doesn't mean it's necessarily safe or that closure won't be recommended in the final recommendations.”
140 people share concerns with school board in hearing session
Approximately 140 of the 155 people who took their number tags and spoke as they entered the Poudre High School auditorium actually spoke, including several elementary school students, drawing the loudest applause. Ta. Speeches were limited to 90 seconds, but School Board President Kristen Draper typically allowed longer speeches if it was clear to conclude the message.
The speakers were primarily parents, but also included some staff and former students, and each spoke passionately about the importance of keeping their respective schools open, and many of them spoke passionately about the importance of keeping their schools open. He suggested that he would not do so.
“It was really helpful,” school board president Carolyn Reed said afterward. “What I learned from this is that everyone really loves their school. Everyone loves their teachers and their program.”
A recording of the session was posted on PSD's YouTube page Wednesday morning. Board members and Kingsley were taking notes the entire time.
Many people question the need to close schools
Many of the speakers argued that enrollment has not declined as much as the district's outside consultant, Flow Analytics, suggests. And any money saved by school closures could be offset by cuts to other parts of the district's more than $410 million-a-year budget.
If the district is in such a dire financial situation, why did the superintendent and his cabinet members receive significant raises last summer?
Most of what the school board heard has been said before.
These were all familiar phrases heard throughout the eight listening sessions that Facilities Planning Steering Committee members have held since the release of the draft scenario. And many of our school board members have heard and read these comments in public comments at school board meetings, in hearing sessions we attended, and even in the hundreds or thousands of emails we received last month. Was. .
However, not all.
“I think we heard some new things,” board member Jessica Zamora said. “I think that while people share an emotional connection to schools, they also share concerns about data and concerns about timelines. Much of our communication was consistent.
“I think you hear it in different places, you read it in emails, you hear it in regular community comments at conferences. You hear it helping everywhere.”
One parent says $4 a week tax increase will keep schools open
The idea, which had not been proposed much before, received the loudest applause. Additional funding provided by repeal of factory levies. That's an option suggested by parent Jeff Lindquist, who said he worked in school finance for the Denver and Westminster school districts.
“Who would pay $4 a month to keep schools open?” asked parent Jeff Lindquist. Almost everyone in the auditorium raised their hands in approval.
“I pay $4 a month. I don't get much time off, if any. We have over $9 million in mill override capacity, so let's do this. Call for an election to override the mill levy. … If they ask for it and we don’t support it and vote yes, we should be ashamed.”
Several other speakers echoed this idea throughout the night. And school board members were listening.
“I'm sure people said things tonight that really influenced the way I think, because there's a lot of knowledge that we haven't been exposed to yet. And it certainly opened my eyes. I think we're doing well,” coach Scott Schoenbauer said.
Addressing charter school, class size, and boundary issues
Several speakers suggested that the district eliminate school choice, cut funding to the five district-chartered charter schools, or force them to consolidate or close, but these actions Both violate state law and are outside of PSD's control.
Class size is also a concern, with multiple speakers saying the district's goals of a maximum of 25 students in elementary school classrooms and 30 students in middle school and high school classes are too large, and that some families have decided to suggested that this is the main reason for choosing a charter school over a charter school. school.
I also wonder why simply changing boundaries and moving students from crowded schools in the north and east of the district to lower-enrollment schools in the south and west isn't considered a viable option. There were also people.
There were also some personal attacks on Mr. Kingsley, with several speakers noting that he is a member of the national school leaders group Chiefs for Change. The group is concerned that America's traditional education model is outdated and that the country is lagging behind international countries in preparing students for the global economy, according to its website. Some believe the group favors charter schools over traditional schools.
Members include former Denver Public Schools Superintendent Susan Cordova, Colorado State Education Commissioner, Boulder Valley Schools Superintendent Rob Anderson, and Greeley-Evans School District 6 Superintendent Deirdre Pilch.
The 'human side' of integration impact attracts board members' attention
However, most speakers were concerned about impacts that cannot be shown in bar graphs or spreadsheets.
- Protect students' emotional connections with their schools and teachers.
- We support the mental health of students who are still recovering from the effects of isolation and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Strengthen neighborhood bonds by supporting neighborhood schools where students can walk or bike to school every day.
- The district's most vulnerable students and students with special needs are supported through integrated services programs to avoid unnecessary disruption to their lives.
- From dual language programs at Harris Elementary School and Irish Elementary School, to International Baccalaureate and Core Knowledge programs at multiple schools, to a more building-focused Leader in Me program at Lopez Elementary School, to project-based at Orlander Elementary School. Enhancing the district's curriculum options through learning. and Beattie's open classroom design.
“It's clear that people care deeply about and want these schools to succeed and their teachers to be trusted,” Schoenbauer said. “This neighborhood definitely has a family feel.
“What people said tonight is certainly something that has a big impact on how I think, because there's so much knowledge out there that we haven't yet been exposed to. It certainly opened my eyes. it is open.”
Board members say they can delay the process if they feel like it.
The process cannot be slowed down to give the steering committee additional time to collect data and analyze options, and to increase the opportunity for the community to digest the information received and provide more meaningful feedback. Is not it?
Indeed, Schoenbauer and fellow school board member Connor Duffy said:
“For me personally, as a coach, I haven't made any decisions at all,” Duffy said. “I have no preconceptions. As I gather information, I can find solutions.
“One of those solutions might be to slow down. One of those solutions might be to say we need to go to the voters. One of those solutions. could make a very convincing budget case for schools to close as the budget process progresses.
“Because of that human side, my vote is as undecided as it can be, and even more undecided after tonight.”
Reporter Kelly Lyell covers education, breaking news, sports and other topics of interest to Coloradans. To contact him, kellylyell@coloradoan.com,x.com/Kelly Lyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news.
