Now that the decision to shut down
Lincoln has been
made the real test of intelligent, not political, will be to relocate the
Community Education programs to another location. Decreasing the cost
and quality effectiveness of 3 or 4 section schools in not a move in the right
direction.
The two best, cost effective and
most valuable elementary schools are Jefferson and WK and logic, not politics,
would support the idea that filling them to their potential should be
the first choice if this entire exercise is to improve education and reduce
costs. If classroom teachers make the difference, as most would believe,
then where they teach is of little importance. The benefits of
Jefferson and WK
when filled to design capacity put more not less resources in the
classroom. The saving and benefits of larger section schools in
providing support services is substantial and should not be downplayed.
The growth trends for
Winona are not
in the central city. The closing of Dakota puts that school population
at WK unless someone is in love with busing or want to move away from the
neighborhood concept since WK is now their new neighborhood. If
Community Education is relocated to WK the idea of relocating them again when
the housing developments up Highway 43, East Burns and 61 South requires the
space and sections that the WK campus can support neither reinforces the idea
of neighborhood schools or cost effective long term thinking.
The WAPS board needs to remember
that elementary school attendance is but 4-5 years of the educational
process. Yes those are important years but location should not be
confused with quality. Our three sons, all went to WK, and received the
solid foundation any parent would expect from quality teaching and support
staff. It also provided them with great interaction skills which also
proved to be an important asset in their middle school, senior high and
college years.
Paul Double
PS Renting space for
administration to a downtown, �parking starved location� is dumb. Using
the Big �O� and moving Alternative Education to the high school out buildings
or to the Technical
College makes
more �cents.�
