RE: [Winona] Offices at High School

[Anne Morse]

[Winona Online Democracy]

Ed,   Your suggestion that we offer a solution to the remodeling of the high school makes good sense, assuming we are able to access the details of the administrative plan as it developed, including the other options considered and why they were rejected.  Despite my specific request for that information in this forum some five days ago, these critical details have yet to be provided by the administration.  I know that the request was received, because I received an email response from Mr. Durand offering to sit down with me 1 – 1 to explain “the other side of the story”.  When I took him up on his offer, he then responded that someone would be contacting me to schedule such an appointment.  That was two days ago, and I have heard nothing about when such a meeting would be scheduled.  I had hoped to be able to review the relevant information, and propose other options to the board before Thursday’s meeting if they made sense, but that now appears to be impossible.  Not for lack of my trying, however.    I never asked for a 1 on 1 with the superintendent.  I only asked for information related to the work of the committee’s work, which would not have required these delays due to scheduling. Clearly, I am frustrated, and justifiably so. The process used to reach this remodeling plan was not open, and now this?    I truly hope the board does not proceed to a decision on this remodeling at their meeting tomorrow.  The community of Winona deserves to be allowed to thoughtfully consider of the facts and conclusions in this substantial decision.    Anne Morse   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ed Thompson Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 12:21 AM To: winona@mnforum.org Subject: [Winona] Offices at High School   Dwayne recently posted the following: About a dozen people have contacted me and thanked me for bringing the High School remodeling proposal to their attention.  They said they had no idea what was really being proposed.While I appreciate the feedback, I think it would be even more helpful if people would also contact the School Board members.  A few of them subscribe to this listserve but most of them do not. If you have thoughts, opinions, or suggestions regarding the plan to move the  roughly 20 administrative office staff smack dab in the middle of the High School, please consider contacting the School Board members. While good advice, this is incomplete and very unlikely to have any effect except to get more people angry.  Having been around this block a few times myself, from both sides of the podium, I have a few additions which can both help keep tensions in check and maybe even help solve the problem. 1)  Before you contact any school board members, do your homework first.  Actually read any proposals thoroughly and be sure you understand both the details and the cost analyses.  Make a strong effort to understand both the budgetting processes and the decison-making processes which the board uses, and how your suggestions fit into these.  2)  When you contact board members, be very specific about exactly what it is you would like them to do.  Simply expressing your dislike of (or support for) a proposal is not only useless in getting things changed, but it is poor citizenship.  Our school district already has a lifetime supply of negativity. 3)  Don't tell them what you don't want them to do - that accomplishes nothing except to get people angry and frustrated.  Tell them what you do want them to do.  That is, don't tell them the problem, tell them your solution.  For example:  if you don't think moving adminstrative offices to the high school at all is a good idea, tell them exactly where you think these offices should go instead AND be sure you include the costs of your suggestions.  If you think it's a good idea to move them to the high school but not into the concourse, explain where in the building you think they should go instead and include the costs of remodelling and relocation.  If you are unwilling or unable to do that, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Ed Thompson

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