[Winona Online Democracy] Joliene (and Winona Online Democracy),
I'm not quite sure what the first two parts of your e-mail meant. But if you were somehow indicating that the High School Teachers (and Principals) were somehow asleep at the wheel, you don't understand what has gone on. The High School Principals and staff have been VERY interested in what might happen to the High School. But when a District Administrator was asked about the possible administration re-location to the High School idea in November, the person said, to paraphrase, it is a dead idea, don't worry about it. That is in an e-mail. I've also been doing some digging in my cyberspace attic files and I found the following e-mail I had with a School Board member about a year and a half ago. It follows: ------ September 17, 2003 Conversation with a School Board Member Regarding Possibly Moving Administrative Staff to the High School ------ Dwayne Voegeli: For the record, I have nothing against the Administration possibly moving to the High School. I think it might be a good idea. But here are some of my concerns: 1. How it's being planned and done. High School staff should be more involved in the process. Heck, why not even ask the staff or a volunteer group to step forward and study the issue and come up with a recommendation. School Board Member: When the board hires an architectural firm, they will come in with a "clean slate" (we won't give them pre-conceived proposals to work with). They will spend time interviewing staff and try to develop the best possible solution, utilizing staff input. Dwayne Voegeli: 2. Being kept in the dark. I fear that both the School Board and High School staff are being kept in the dark about an already forgone conclusion. School Board Member: I don't understand this. We discuss it at board meetings and have set up meetings to receive staff input and update staff on how the process is progressing. I think the fear of being "kept in the dark" stems more from some nebulous notion that there is some other process going on behind the scenes. I'm not aware of the other process, so I can't speak to it. ------ No staff or student input was involved in this goofy decision, let alone our Principals. The High School staff, students, and Principals have been kept in the dark. ------ Now, as to the School Board and the decisions they have to make. I hear you and I agree with you. Other than people dealing with death or illness in the family, I believe the toughest job in this community right now is being a member of the School Board. They work very long hours for basically no money. They end up donating their time and money if you add up all the hours they are at meetings, talking with people, reading, working on the computer, or talking on the phone. I don't think most people have any idea how hard and how long they work. They have to cut programs they know are effective and in some cases, love. They have to cut these great programs because the public and media are not holding the Governor and State Legislature accountable for their dishonest and irresponsible fiscal decisions in St. Paul. Instead, we all take turns blaming the School Board for money problems or mismanagement when most schools in the state are facing the same problem. I know most of the School Board members and I know they care deeply about kids. I have not said anything in public about any of the cuts they have made thus far. I realize they don't want to but they have to make those cuts. Still, having said all that, even these good hearted and good intentioned people can make very bad decisions. And even though we may view some of them as friends, you should still be able to call a spade a spade. We need to seperate different problems and focus on the issue at hand. I am not commenting on any of the cuts they have made. I am not commenting on the new High School schedule for next year (biting my tongue real hard now). I am only talking about the crazy decision to: 1. Make 1,400 students and over 100 staff work around the new administrative glass palace and School Board Room. (Thus creating unsafe, cramped, and ineffective walkways.) 2. Block off the most beautiful public view in the city and make the concourse smaller and more cramped. 3. Pave over the students' favorite part of the school for a new administrative parking lot. (The reason students park in the streets isn't because there isn't enough parking spaces. The parking lot has open spaces all the time. The problem is the little rascals want to avoid paying the big parking fees. If a person worked at the High School, they would know that.) 4. And do all this with no High School Principal, staff, or student input. Is it any wonder that the result of that decision making process would be so poor? That is what they call a self-inflicted wound. To further compound the wound, add a dose of "group think" and insider decision-making and you have a real problem. (How can the Superintendent already know he has a 7-0 vote for this proosal?) But wounds like that can be healed by open communication, listening, and most important of all...humility. Dwayne Voegeli Jan. 28, 2005 ---------- > >[Winona Online Democracy] > > >Is anyone listening?? Does anyone care?? No they don't----- until a >decision is made that doesn't meet their idea of a correct decision. > >Case in point. The current changes being discussed and decisions being >made to deal with the need to CUT ANOTHER $2MILLION dollars from an >already decimated school budget. > >As Paul Double said, (probably more of a paraphrase) 'the community did >vote on these decisions. They said do what you need to do because we are >NOT going to give you any more money'. > >I said it before and I will say it again!! What do you expect the school >board and the administrators to do??? None of the decisions being made >now are decisions that any of them want to make. All of them are going to >hurt kids, disrupt views, or any number of other ugly results. > >They have been given, by this community, a big bag of lemons. The only >thing they can do is try to make a weak, slightly sour batch of lemonade >out of them. There is no sugar available. > >Joliene Olson ------------ Dwayne Voegeli Winona County Commissioner (507) 453-9012 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 359 Pleasant Hill Dr. Winona, MN 55987 ------------ _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
