Re: [Winona] New Subjects

[Vlaken]

I was reading some material today from a website Randy Schenket recommended  - www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0106gol.htm.  The topic of the site is "Leadership In Education: Five Commonalties".  In the piece, one of the leaders who was interviewed by the author, talks about the fallacy "of one size fits all" in speaking about schools.  And went on to argue for "small schools of choice with high standards and dedicated staff."  

This quote got me to thinking about the citizens group that is currently meeting to recommend school closing/consolidating.  While I know this thought may be coming in late in the process, I nevertheless was thinking that perhaps we might want to rethink or put off for making such a decision until we have considered the entire question of what education system our community wants.  I say this thinking that if we try to make our decision based solely, or primarily, on budgetary concerns, we could be missing essential elements of the bigger picture.  I realize budge concerns are real and definitely important, but I also wonder if the broader question, the entire system issue, must be taken into consideration when we are talking about building usage.  Questions such as "What kind of schools do we want in our Community?" "Do we, should we, offer a choice or options of type of schools to parents and students?"  Knowing that children learn in very diff! erent ways and the one size fits all has been proven to not work.  It seems to me that these concerns be given the same consideration as the budgetary ones - because they are part of the whole interrelated system.  

Since I am not a part of group discussing this issue, I really am asking these questions with the hope of getting some input, answers, and facts from someone (or many) involved in the group.  Are there discussions of such topics taking place in these meetings?  

Virginia Laken