Mar
25
Written by:
ngreditor
3/25/2008 4:14 PM
School Board responds to co-op inquiries
Kenneth Purscell
The Newman Grove Public Schools Board of Education met in special session on Wednesday, March 19 to discuss inquiries from two other schools about co-operating in particular sports.
Elkhorn Valley has asked if Newman Grove is interested in sharing junior high girls' events in 2008-2009 and possibly beyond. Lindsay Holy Family has a similar interest in co-operating on high school wrestling and cross-country.
The special session was not called with an emergency in mind. Schools are completing schedules for the coming year, so basic decisions need to be made soon.
“We need to look at both the short term and long term benefits,” said Superintendent Herb Pokorny. Changes would affect school class differently in each sport. This might affect current conference arrangements.
Travel and practice arrangements would have to be negotiated, as would game locations.
Several considerations came up repeatedly:
Our need is not immediate but it soon will be. For about two years, the number of students in junior high will remain stable. However, small classes currently in fifth and sixth grade will make the situation more urgent in two years' time. By contrast, Elkhorn Valley's need is immediate.
Benefits between schools can be mutual. For example, sharing wrestling with Lindsay Holy Family would benefit Holy Family; sharing crosscountry would be to the benefit of Newman Grove. Negotiations can be made to share or trade benefits.
A “one year and out” cooperation would not be good. One objective of any negotiation would be to ensure that Newman Grove is not simply being used to temporarily help another school.
Any cooperation might—but not necessarily—be the start of a longer relationship. Although no arrangement with Boone Central is on the table, the topic of future sharing with the nearby Class C district did arise. Sharing with Lindsay might eventually mean negotiating with Humphrey. Sharing with Elkhorn Valley might affect future conversations with Boone Central.
Time and distance are important and will become more so as travel costs increase. Holy Family is attractive because it is only six miles away.
Community input is vital. These are large changes, not only for families who would be affected but also for the community. It is important not only to keep the public informed but to hear from them.
The Board was not able to take direct action but did take steps for future decisions. The Board reached consensus to have a face-to-face meeting with the board of Lindsay Holy Family to discuss their request.
The request from Elkhorn Valley was given second priority, depending on talks with Holy Family and on negotiations with any other schools that Elkhorn Valley might pursue.
Dates for these special meetings are pending.
Public input needed
It’s a curious contrast. A school board wrestles with the future. Coming changes in the district are up for discussion. The topics are about enrollment in coming years and participation in activities. The board is not making a decision tonight, but it is working out what the priorities should be when those decisions have to be made.
And here’s the contrast: The board wants to have input from the public. Parents, family members, taxpayers—their opinion matters to this body which wants to hear from them, to answer their questions, even to ask them questions. If there was ever a time for public opinion to have an impact, now is the time.
But, aside from the board, the room is almost empty.
As a writer, I have attended nearly one school year’s worth of School Board meetings. While teachers and staff have been present regularly, at most meetings I have been the only outside patron present.
Attending meetings of the School Board (or, for that matter, City Council) does not mean that you are there to fi ght. Nebraska’s Open Meetings Law allows citizens to listen to their government at work. Time is usually set aside for citizens to speak, even if a particular topic is not on the agenda.
But citizens can’t do either if the chairs stay empty. Expressing an opinion at the Grove or the Café doesn’t help, either. Visiting with Board members is a little better. But being present and showing an interest is most effective.