----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 6:17
AM
Subject: Re: [Winona] Paul Durand in
Rollingstone
[Winona Online Democracy]
Bob,
No you're not. The pot shots are much easier to take than
working towards real solutions.
Regarding Rollingstone, let me put some questions
forth:
1. Is there enough communications infrastructure in
place to support a major administration in Rollingstone (i.e. fiber optic)?
If not, what are the costs of moving or adding such
infrastructure?
2.What other community resources would be used up
if we had to drive 22 miles (round-trip) every time we needed to go to an
administrative office? What is the ecological cost alone?
3. Has the letterwriter (whoever it is) actually
measured the available space at Rollingstone? Upon what basis does the
letterwriter contend that "no remodeling necessary."?
4. I feel comfortable assuming that there are other
concerns that neither I nor the letterwriter has considered and that these
concerns might impact such a decision.
I have grown tired of the atmosphere of cynicism and
distrust of the decisions of our educational administration/governance in
this community. Through several administrations and numerous school board
members, the unchanging component has not been the school boards and
administrations and what they are attempting to do. Rather the unchanging
component is how we as a community have responded to their
efforts.
When the environment changes (school choice) this cynical
component in our community continues to replay the old solutions (such as
close schools) and refuses to even "hear" the reasoning behind a decision
not to. Instead, they charge the school board with failing to carry out a
course of action that had been promised.
There is much evidence that in an environment of school
choice closing schools will end up costing the district more than it
saves.
There are strong arguments for holding on to buildings for
possible future needs rather than selling and building new.
It took several years to renovate the old middle school
buildings. Much of that time was spent just making the building safe from
asbestos. What would the district have done during that time; cancel middle
school?
Simplistic answers to difficult questions don't
work.
The Superintendent articulated a considered process for
bringing programs back on line and the community responded with even more
conspiracy theories - fearing they had been misled yet again! Yet I remember
these same people clearly articulating the need for the administration to
"be accountable." How is that ever to happen if every action to plan and be
accountable is met with such instant and unjustified criticism?
Thanks to the voters, we now have a public school system
that will be able to reinstate many of the undesireable educational program
changes that it had to make. The voters did manage to hold on to the
maintenance piece, however. Perhaps that way the naysayers will have
something to target next time (the poor maintenance record of the district).
Will those who were so insistant that referendum money be spent "for the
kids" be critical in the future if program expansion must be slowed in order
to perform needed maintenance?
Regarding technology there is one issue that did not come
out during the election. Beginning in the year 2010, state testing will be
computer assisted. Every student from grade 3 and up will be expected to
complete the state MCA tests on a computer within a two-four week (not yet
specified) period. Every public school district, regular and charter,
will be expected to have sufficient current technology in place in order to
support that change. Think about it.
-Leslie Hittner
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 12:01
AM
Subject: [Winona] Paul Durand in
Rollingstone
[Winona Online Democracy]
Unless I am very much mistaken, dissaproval
of the facilities levy question will not impact WSHS/Administration
plans.
By the by, I get tired of perennial
naysayers...taking potshots is easier than solving problems.
Am I wrong (on either count)?
Bob Sebo
Winona
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posted to Winona Online Democracy
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