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Post by cfschools on Mar 19, 2008 10:11:28 GMT -5
I have a question regarding the appeals process...
I don't know that they abused their discretion to move boundry lines but I do think they abuse their discreation every time they approve an open enrolled student into one of our crowded elementary schools. I believe the policy that gives them this discreation should be stripped from them. They obvioulsy aren't moral enough to do the right thing when given a little leeway. I think the policy, apparently needs to be very specific in stating that residents students shall be given priority like other districts policy reads.
How do we move forward to get this policy changed? That was another slap in the face when the board tried to appease the public by sending the policy to their "policy review committee" for one week and came back and said "umm, no, the policy doesn't need to be changed, its fine the way it is"
It's fine because it continues to give them power they apparently can't handle. This policy needs to be changed and it seems we will have to go to the state level to get this fixed. Anyone have any ideas on how to move forward with this?
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Post by linnea on Mar 20, 2008 12:35:54 GMT -5
Here is a quote from the W/CF Courier's article about the Board's decision:
"The plan states the district will not move all open-enrolled students to North Cedar, but will use open enrollment to manage class sizes throughout the district. Several schools and grade levels were targeted for student movement at the Monday meeting, but it was unclear just how many open enrolled students would move in 2008. Again, sixth-graders would be allowed to remain in their current schools.
Coil said moving too many open-enrolled students to one school could create an unstable learning environment.
Superintendent David Stoakes also presented the board with new administrative guidelines that will be used to manage open enrollment. The guidelines included capping class sizes at three below the target number for open-enrolled students, closing Southdale and Hansen elementaries to newly open-enrolled students and limiting the number of times open-enrolled students can move during their elementary years."
That sounds to me like steps *are* being taken to avoid putting open-enrolled students into overcrowded schools. Am I missing something?
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Post by CF family on Mar 20, 2008 19:38:58 GMT -5
Linnea,
Yes, I think you are missing something.
First, some of these schools are crowded because the school board has month after month, approved the open enrolled applications to the very schools they NOW state are crowded. Connect the dots?
When asked how placing Open Enrolled Students at North Cedar would create instability, Coil and Battcher can't explain or answer!
Why does the school board feel comfortable moving resident students from schools before redirecting open enrolled students?
Could it be that they feel Open Enrolled Students would decline be placed at certain schools? Oh gosh, I said it! [/b] Uhhh, yea. This school board sold out, and guess what, the word is getting out. Teachers are talking, those in the system are talking. The public is not stupid. This is a game of numbers, it is that simple. This school board has lost its direction. They are enjoying the benefits of the gravy train that follows increased enrollment trends ( which is what most politicians do).
So, ready to vote for Three New School Board Members next Fall?
If you cannot wait that long, now is the time to Recall, pretty simple process!.
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guest
New Member
Posts: 1
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Post by guest on Mar 20, 2008 21:33:26 GMT -5
hope none of you pepole run for school board
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Post by Guest on Mar 20, 2008 22:12:14 GMT -5
What qualities are you looking for in a school Board member: guest.
Could you list a few?
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Post by linnea on Mar 21, 2008 15:11:40 GMT -5
I'm not "guest", but the qualities I'd look for in a board member include an ability to look at what's good for the district as a whole, rather than holding the status quo as sacred and unchangeable.
It is the Board's job determine school district boundaries, and to change those boundaries when necessary in order to make the best use of the resources available. The Board is not "selling out" by making changes, it is doing its job (even if not everybody agrees with the particular changes that were made).
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Post by Reply to Linnea on Mar 21, 2008 15:26:38 GMT -5
So is the sacred quo as sacred mean continuing to give open enrolled students preferences and priority over resident students. That is how I read your reply.
Please explain how the boards decision makes for better utilization of resources? I would think that directing open enrolled students to under utilized facilities would do just this.
I look forward to your reply
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Post by linnea on Mar 21, 2008 15:47:40 GMT -5
The school board has said that it *will* move open-enrolled students in order to manage class sizes, it just doesn't have exact numbers at the moment. It is NOT accepting any new open-enrolled students at either Southdale or Hansen. Is that so hard to understand?
I can see the wisdom of letting currently open-enrolled students finish out their time at whatever school they are in, and then not accepting more. Over time, that will ease crowding, and will minimize the number of times any particular student has to change schools.
The boundary changes make better use of resources by putting more students in North Cedar, where more room is available, and fewer students at Hansen and Lincoln. Several people have suggested that, instead of changing boundaries, North Cedar schould be closed and a new school built. Well, that's a *very* expensive remedy. It's been said that changing the boundaries is putting a bandaid on a broken leg; well, I look at it from the other perspective, and say that building a new school would be like performing surgery to cure hiccups.
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Post by to linnea on Mar 21, 2008 16:05:44 GMT -5
It is hard to understand when you read over the March 10th School Board minutes and see that they approved open enrollment requests for 2 students to go to Southdale.
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Post by wise one on Mar 21, 2008 16:17:26 GMT -5
Ok Linnea,
Tell me how it is" wise" to allow OE kids finish at the school of "their" choice, but the kids that live in Cedar Falls and have invested alot into their school have to leave.
There is no Wisdom Here!!!
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Post by linnea on Mar 21, 2008 16:55:34 GMT -5
"to Linnea": Were those open-enrollment requests from students who had already been at Southdale, or were they brand new? If they were brand new, then the board is violating its stated policy, and I would have a problem with that. But open-enrolled students have to reapply every year, don't they?
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Post by linnea on Mar 21, 2008 17:02:04 GMT -5
"wise one": I don't know what the board's thinking was on that, exactly. They are letting sixth graders stay, but maybe they could have been more flexible.
One difference is that they have to provide transportation for CF students, but not for OE kids. If you have a period of several years where some kids in a certain neighborhood are going to one school and some are going to another, it could get pretty complicated.
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Post by to linnea on Mar 21, 2008 17:15:54 GMT -5
Linnea: As it reads in the minutes, they were approved for the 2007/2008 school year.
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Post by linnea on Mar 21, 2008 17:39:08 GMT -5
Okay, I'm puzzled. I thought open-enrollment applications had to be in by March 1 for the next school year - isn't that what people here were complaining about, when the Board made its boundary decision after March 1?
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Post by cf resident on Mar 21, 2008 17:45:42 GMT -5
By George I think she's got it! Inconsistancy!!
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