[Winona Online Democracy]
I found Ed Thompson's comments helpful for putting this current situation
in some sort of context that could allow our community's strongest
supporters of public education to agree to disagree, perhaps exchange some
apologies, and try to move forward. If that doesn't happen, I'd have to
think prospects for passing a referendum next fall look pretty bleak.
Since I don't currently teach at WSHS, I am not directly embroiled in this
situation, but I easily empathize with my friends and colleagues there who
feel a high degree of ownership and expertise regarding the building they
practically live in for most of the year. Whatever the relative merits of
the plan or the intentions of the planners, staff clearly feel left out of
the process.
As I understand it, they were asked for input more than a year ago about a
completely different relocation plan, and since then have been told that
administration moving to WSHS was no longer being considered. I don't think
the current plan was even discussed with the building site team prior to
going to the Board. Yet as employees of the district, we are told that our
viewpoints matter and that our organization values shared decisionmaking.
Think of all the staff input as the new Middle School plans were developed.
Over the past week, I've tried to touch base with many of my former
colleagues who I most respect, to find out their perspective on the
relocation issue. I've found them all to be genuinely frustrated by
feelings of being disenfranchised in the process. The last thing they need
is a lecture on why they haven't been more vocal in the past, while being
told at the same time that being vocal in the present is part of the
problem. For those of us who have tried over the years to be constructively
engaged in improving the system from within, this is the kind of thing that
makes us crazy.
It seems to me that what is needed is a real and substantive way for WSHS
staff to participate in revising and developing the plan from here on out.
And it seems to me that it's up to the Board and the Superintendent to make
that happen. That's just my opinion. If that makes me part of the problem
too, I guess I might have to live with that, but I think we all need to
stop drawing those kinds of lines in the sand.
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"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely
challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn
between a desire to improve the world, and a desire to enjoy the world.
This makes it hard to plan the day."
-- E. B. White
sent by:
Scott Lowery
461 Sunnyview Drive, Rollingstone MN 55969
home phone: (507)689-4532
school phone: (507)454-9587 (Winona Area Learning Center)
home email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
school email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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