Lakewood School District Misses the Mark...Again

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Kristine, I thought that is what the the last comminty meeting at the high school was. There was a clear result as to what was in favor.

Also, for the record, I did not post the flier or email, I believe that was someone else.

Corey,

I went back and looked at the post. I don't know if it looks the same way on everybody's computer, but on my computer the post is huge and I did think you had posted it. I apologize. It looks like it was posted by Matt.

Well, the last Community Forum was the reason, in part, that the Phase III Committee didn't make a recommendation. The results were not clear after they were reviewed. Unfortunately, there was a breakdown of the process that night and we felt that we could never really be sure of all that occurred that may have impacted the outcome.
Additionally, as was stated at presentation to the Board the intent of the Community Forums was never to take a "vote" or base a recommendation on a so-called vote. The Forums were part of a WHOLE process and should not be considered exclusively of all of all the data and work of the committee. Corey, as a member of the Phase III Committee I think you must realize the difficult task this committee had and that by no means was it perfect.

Kristine

[Corey Rossen]

I agree the task was difficult, but I thought it went very well.

The only possible "breakdown" I have heard was that a particular density map was only made available at the back desk and not handed out to each table.

I do not regard this as a breakdown or lapse in the process.

I thought, in all, it went very well from 1st meeting to final day.

Corey

[Bill Call]

Unless the State changes its mind at least on elementary school is going to close.

It is destructive and self defeating to scream about how unfair the process is if it is your school that closes. If this decision was easy it would have already been announced.

I think that enrollment is higher than the State anticipated. Is it so much higher that the State can be conviced to fund three schools?

If that increase in enrollment is temporary what happens to the third brand new underutilized school?

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

t is destructive and self defeating to scream about how unfair the process is if it is your school that closes. If this decision was easy it would have already been announced.

Bill,

I agree. It is also destructive if you are proclaiming the process was fair if you think your school is the one that will stay open. And, it is unfair to make a recommendation to all of those who worked very hard on the Committee and to all of the families affected by a choice when you know that the process didn't work as was originally intended. As one of the leaders of the Committee I, along with many others, urged people to work within the process. No one wanted, or wants, school pitted again each other.

Kristine

[marklingm]

Matt,
Will there be another public conversation if the BOE will change the historic BOE Central Offices or will that public conversation be part of this Phase III conversation? Can you please clarify for me?
Thank you.
Rhonda

Rhonda,

Yes. And it is part of the Phase III conversation, which has just begun.

Matt

[Rhonda loje]

Matt,
Will there be another public conversation if the BOE will change the historic BOE Central Offices or will that public conversation be part of this Phase III conversation? Can you please clarify for me?
Thank you.
Rhonda

Rhonda,

Yes. And it is part of the Phase III conversation, which has just begun.

Matt

Matt,
Thank you for your response.
I will let the Lakewood Historical Society president and trustees know that these buildings are part of the current evaluation process.
Rhonda Loje

[Bill Trentel]

Matt, I thought the Phase III committee was formed to be unbiased.

Corey Rossen

The Phase III committee was formed to do the heavy lifting for the Board and to produce a predetermined result that would they (the Board) could simply approve. They failed. Now the Board has to do what politicians hate to do, get down and dirty with the masses and render a decision.
It was obvious at the Nov. 16th meeting that the way they are going to justify their final decision and to get to the predetermined result is to fully except the Sept. 15th popular vote as the will of the people. This result was determined years ago in the 50 year report.
The result is not going to change. Mr. Markling made it clear his distaste for having people "talk at him" regarding this issue at the Nov. 15th meeting. Do any of the Board members want 800+ GT and open enrolled parents talking at them if they don't get their result? It's much easier to ignore the needs of the current and future students of central Lakewood. They will be the ones effected the most by the elimination of a centrally located elementary school.

Bill

[marklingm]

It was obvious at the Nov. 16th meeting that the way they are going to justify their final decision and to get to the predetermined result is to fully except the Sept. 15th popular vote as the will of the people. This result was determined years ago in the 50 year report.

Bill,

I disagree. But your prior comment is correct:

I sat through the November 16th board work session regarding Phase III. .... However Mr. Markling did state that the popular vote did not hold sway in his option.

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8479&start=90

Matt

Mr. Markling made it clear his distaste for having people "talk at him" regarding this issue at the Nov. 15th meeting.

Bill,

Actually, I said that many people have been talking at me. And, I might add, presuming how I am going to vote. FWIW.

Matt

[marklingm]

Unless the State changes its mind at least on elementary school is going to close.

It is destructive and self defeating to scream about how unfair the process is if it is your school that closes. If this decision was easy it would have already been announced.

Bill,

Well said.

Matt

It is also destructive if you are proclaiming the process was fair if you think your school is the one that will stay open. And, it is unfair to make a recommendation to all of those who worked very hard on the Committee and to all of the families affected by a choice when you know that the process didn't work as was originally intended. As one of the leaders of the Committee I, along with many others, urged people to work within the process. No one wanted, or wants, school pitted again each other.

Kristine,

For whatever reason, the Phase III Committee did not make a recommendation to the Board.

You, personally, presented the Phase III report to the Board at its October 19, 2009 school board meeting. And, you, personally, asked the Board to engage in a fresh analysis at its October 19, 2009 school board meeting. The last page of your report states that:

“The Phase III Committee members recognize the difficult decision facing the Board as it moves forward with the Phase III Facilities Master Plan. The conclusion of ‘no consensus’ among the Committee members demonstrates such difficulty. However, the Committee also applauds the thoughtful and considered judgments made by the Board as it has proceeded through Phases I and II. Those actions have received strong support from the Lakewood community and there is ample reason to believe that such support will continue throughout Phase III.

The Committee asks the Board of Education to accept our Phase III report and that you act in a thoughtful yet expedient manner to make a decision regarding the district’s plan for our schools. The community is anxious to move forward, receive the state funding, and finish the Lakewood City Schools Facilities Master Plan.”

The Board is now following the decision-making process that you, personally, recommended on October 19, 2009.

Can you at least allow the Board to make a decision following your recommended process before you cry foul play?

Matt

[Bill Call]

I think Grant, Lincoln and Roosevelt should all remain open. I'm willing to pay extra for the third school. The risk in keeping three schools is that the district will be stuck with an underutilized school. That risk exists even if you only build two schools.

Sometimes closing schools to adapt to declining enrollment feeds the decline in enrollment. Swing for the fences and gamble on a positive outcome.

Interest rates and construction costs are now lower than they will be in a year or two. Delay can be costly. Delaying this decision means the board will be asking for a bond issue and a levy in the same year. A very tough sell.

Don't be afraid of eminent domain to make a better product. The board missed some great opportunities by rejecting eminent domain during phases I and II.

OK, now that that is settled we can talk about the pay raise levy.

[Ryan Salo]

Here is a video from the phase 3 report. Kristine, thank you for all of your work in this project.

I believe, based on my conversations with a couple board members that this is a process, not an act. I do not think that they are railroading anything through, but are trying to make a very important decision.

People will be upset with whichever direction they chose to go, I for one am very thankful for the time and effort they are putting into this project and trust they will make the right decision for the district.

Just so you know my bias, I attended Grant and my children go to Lincoln. It will be sad for me to see either go.

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Kristine, thank you for all of your work in this project.

Thanks, Ryan. I meant every word I said. Of course, just a little hard to see myself on camera...eegads.

Can you at least allow the Board to make a decision following your recommended process before you cry foul play?

Matt,

Not sure why you think, or anyone thinks, that I am crying foul especially when it comes to the Board making a decision. The original message on the post was how I felt about the flier that went home from the District. I thought the language vague and didn't speak to what families really needed to know about tonight's meeting. As far as what I have said about the process, I "voted" for the Board to be given all of the data so I have put my trust in the Board's hands and have asked countless others to do the same. Obviously, I didn't make the decision alone to not make a recommendation the Board, the Committee did. And so, I think it is important to separate the two issues here. I didn't like the communication. Never accused the Board or cried foul.

Kristine

[Bill Trentel]

I would like to make it clear that I do commend the members of the Phase III committee that dedicated a lot of time and effort during the process. Many of them truly entered the process with an honest desire to preform honest good results. Many of the individuals I know who began participating at the beginning eventually came to the realization that a honest result wasn't going to be possible and stopped participating.

Personally I didn't participate because I figured they didn't need another cook in the kitchen only to frost a cake that was already baked. I do respect those who did chose to participate.

Bill

[Stephanie Toole]

[quote="Bill Call"]I think Grant, Lincoln and Roosevelt should all remain open. I'm willing to pay extra for the third school. The risk in keeping three schools is that the district will be stuck with an underutilized school. That risk exists even if you only build two schools.

Sometimes closing schools to adapt to declining enrollment feeds the decline in enrollment. Swing for the fences and gamble on a positive outcome.

quote]


I totally agree!

[Corey Rossen]

I'm sorry I was unable to attend last night's meeting (I was fulfilling my duties as LECPTA's First Wife), was it productive?

Corey Rossen