Why were boundaries not addressed ES thru HS ?

[doctorwho]

QUESTION: Especially since they were talked about by SB and Admin - why did we not do a comprehensive boundary adjustment from ES thru HS since this was the perfect opportunity as our last building project is going up.

Why not:
1/ fix all the anomalies that have happened as areas built out over the years
2/ eliminate all satellite locations as much as possible by assigning kids to the closest ES - don't have any kindergartener traveling 5 miles to an ES
( we in fact added more satellites this last go around )
3/ eliminate any need for split ES's by doing the boundaries from the ground ( ES ) upward, not HS down
4/ ensure things that we recongized as awful ( i.e. Ginger Woods commute ) - were eliminated by the addition of a 3rd HS- not moved to a different area
5/ apply common criteria across all 3 levels of schools
6/ prepare for the future by ensuring ES/MS and HS bus routes can be set up as efficiently as possible - eliminate need for ANY double buses with the cost of fuel
7/ bring in an outside consultant specializing in school boundaries to eliminate subjectivity and fear of back door deals. We spent more money of lobbyists and hire a PR guy to try and smooth over some issues here - yet cannt add $100K-$200K to a $150M bill ?
8/ why was January a drop dead date for boundaries - they meant no more in January than they would have meant in May.
9/ We have some ES's underutilized, and some overutilized - why not maximize them as best as one can
10/ why with all the intelligent - professional business people we have on the board are we even having to discuss this today ?

[doctorwho]

I was challenged on why the Watts group did not deliver said plan ( like anyone would have read it anyway since they skimmed at best the other one we turned in )

We started on it but ran out of time because of the January deadline. Again what was magical about January ? We already had decided on school placement and the ref monies were in hand.

Would people not agree that a comprehensive plan should have been done ( and indeed was talked about by SB members and admin) - to fix all the anomlaies in attendance boundaries ? We created additional ones instead - it just made no sense.
Also yes, we have a team that could do it and have expertise in a number of the areas involved - however do we not have an admin staff we pay to do that ? We can afford a PR guy but not a logisitical expert project manager ? I would gladly have paid an outside consultant to do the work - we spent money on lobbyists but not that ?

I am sure plenty of people are glad it was another instead of me chosen last time, I would have tried as hard as I could to get an expert on school boundaries to address the entire district since the time was perfect. One board member did suggest that but fell on deaf ears, maybe 2 could have made a dffierence. All discussion on favoritism and 'deals' could have been avoided.

I am looking for a candidate (s) in April who will ask these types of questions - and when a project is assigned ( i.e.boundary changes) - a certified PMI PM lays it out - start to finish - not band aids the final product. Who knows - maybe some of it comes out the same way - but wouldn't it be nice to know ?

[d204mom]

I have a guess on why the ES boundaries are still a mess.

ADK was a huge wildcard this year. All ESs basically needed double the number of K classrooms (except those with pilots). Longwood is a good example of a pilot site that was bursting at the seams and needed more space or less kids.

After this year when they have a better handle on the ADK space needs I would guess you'll see more tweaks.

Too bad it's going to be a patchwork of add-ons (which has been our history) instead of a comprehensive and sensible approach. Old dogs, old tricks.

[Arch]

The PR position costs $72K in salary per year alone.. with a paid employee comes benefits and all those costs are cumulative year after year. An outside firm to take a whole-forest approach would have virtually eliminated this whole thing at the cost of what? 2-3 yrs of a PR person (if even). As you said, Doc; it would have been more accepted as 'the best' because everything could be quantified in justification with hard numbers as to why the outcome would be what it is. Can't argue numbers; though some would sure try. Even I wouldn't argue the numbers or results of such an endeavor.

Sorry for the topic tangent, but I think it's relevant.. Someone said trying to muck with the boundaries would be akin to a 'mutiny'. Doesn't that very statement imply that currently ONE person is IN CHARGE and not 7 democratically elected representatives? I think it certainly appears that way to a great many people and it's why many are predicting a 'yes sir' type of appointment.. someone who will 'fall in line' with the 'captain' of the ship and not 'rock the boat' and question orders/decisions/directions.

[concerned2]

It just makes me shake my head because when Lyon's was running for SB she proposed looking at boundaries from the ES up to HS. I always thought that was the way to go.

[Arch]

Aug 29, 2008 17:03:28 GMT -6 concerned2 said:

It just makes me shake my head because when Lyon's was running for SB she proposed looking at boundaries from the ES up to HS. I always thought that was the way to go.

I think every angle is the way to go and pick the best one that keeps costs down and any 'burden' on families to an absolute minimum... The latter was the basis for the 'no one travels to the farthest school' work done prior.