Nearly 50 patrons attended the Exeter-Milligan school board
meeting on Tuesday in Exeter.
Chairman Adam Erdkamp opened the meeting welcoming the
visitors and noted that there would be time for the visitors to speak at the
end of the meeting.
The board quickly approved the consensus agenda and reviewed
the policy on communicable diseases.
Superintendent Paul Sheffield confirmed the current policy, “If the
school would close; it’s coming down from the health department.. .We talked to
teachers about it today and if we have to close for 14 days we will make a plan
to deliver content digitally.”
The next item on the agenda was the curriculum report which
was a review of the recent external visit.
Board member Eric Milton commented, “It sounds like they were fairly
impressed with us .”
Board member Tim Pribyl concurred with Milton’s comment
noting “they were especially impressed with our technology of one to one
laptops and ipads.”
The board moved on to old business after noting they would
be moving the consolidation topic to the end of the meeting. The board approved the principal contract and
looked at a report from thebuilding and grounds committee.
The CIPA filter was a discussion point for the board. Sheffield informed the board that the
essential internet filter is about eight years old. “We are going to have to replace it and will
try to use E-rate funds to help defray part of the cost. You
will see the universal service fund on your phone bill. We will apply for use of those funds. It usually costs $6,000 so we will hopefully
get it for half price.”
The board approved this project.
The board approved five days of unpaid leave for Mary Kay
Pribyl.
Erdkamp gave a timeline of the current topic of cooping all sports
and/or consolidation with Friend Public School.
He explained that the board looked at doing a curriculum study, “We wanted
to know how we were doing and what some opportunities were for our kids. We invited Friend to participate with a
separate report for us and Friend.”
The report was completed at the end of December and
presented to the board. The curriculum
committee which included Erdkamp, Milton and Kendra Oldehoeft along with
Exeter-Milligan administrators met with professors from Wayne State who presented
the report in January.
The board discussed the committee meeting in their February
12 board meeting and also at a work session they held. The committee met with the corresponding
Friend curriculum committee.
Erdkamp explained, “These meetings (with the exception of
the committee meetings) have been advertised.
We have not been trying to go behind closed doors. We want to be open about this
conversation. We are glad everyone is
here because we want to know your opinions.”
He added that in the committee they “talked about the
football and ag coop and everyone seemed
to be positive about how that is going.”
The Exeter-Milligan committee members approached the Friend
committee about “cooping more activities. First thing we asked them is if they
were interested in cooping more sports. They were more interested in talking
about more than that.”
Milton commented on the curriculum report, “It’s about
providing the kids a better education which is what this is all about. The
professors said more kids is better as they teach each other and challenge each
other in the classroom and sports.”
Erdkamp gave patrons a glimpse at what a possible layout
might look like: elementary in Exeter with junior high and high school in
Friend and preschool in both locations.
For sports he speculated that football would be played in Milligan with
volleyball in Exeter and basketball in Friend.
Sheffield added that he had gone to the Exeter-Milligan
coaches asking them what they needed, if they would be interested in cooping
sports and received a very positive response.
Audience member and parent Chris Grummons asked “what would
be the advantage of consolidation? What programs would it open up?”
Sheffield offered to answer the question noting, “Friend has
an active industrial arts program with electric cars, Exeter-Milligan has a
plasma cutter. We share an ag teacher
now but we can offer them a business teacher.
Athletically there would be more numbers to be more challenged from
within. An activity we could add would
be wrestling.”
Exeter-Milligan principal Laura Kroll added, “The ability
for the kids for problem solving when you have just one, two or three in a
class versus having more will help challenge the kids on the court or the
classroom.”
Oldehoeft also noted that “this will provide for kids on all
on the spectrum. More kids in each grade
means more personalized attention to the level that child is at.”
Erdkamp emphasized that they would continue to have two
classes of each elementary if the consolidation happens.
He also expounded on the negatives, “We would have a loss of
identity of Exeter-Milligan, no student presence in Milligan, more competition
for playing time or band activities which can be an advantage for kids or a
disadvantage. The more competition the
better, they are going to have competition in life.”
Parent Kyle Svec made several points, first about developing
a culture which takes time and second, “the economic factor. Going from four
games to two in Milligan, there was a cost but you can’t put a dollar figure on
it. Also having kids visible at recess
adds vibrancy to a community.”
Svec also asked if the board had talked to other districts
or done a study with other districts.
Erdkamp responded that the only “other possibility would be with
Fillmore Central and I don’t see it happening.”
He talked about the numbers noting that in 2002-2003 when
Exeter and Milligan consolidated there were 321 kids and now the district has an
enrollment of 149.
The audience also asked about the effect of consolidation on
the staff.
Erdkamp responded, “We would not be in favor of firing
staff. Over time attrition would take
care of the numbers. If a teacher retired they would not be replaced.”
The audience asked about class placement and conference.
Sheffield responded, “We would be C-2 right away or could be D-1. In CRC most schools would accept us but it
would have to go to a vote. Pioneer
Conference would accept us.”
Exeter Village Board Chairman Alan Michl commented, “I just
want to commend the board for being proactive.
It’s going to come down to the point that they are going to legislate
what we do.”
There was also a discussion on the difference between a
unified district and consolidation.
Sheffield explained, “There is a seven year agreement with
unification. It’s like a trial
marriage. If you unify you still have EM
and Friend. Unified keeps each district
intact.”
Milton commented, “I don’t think dissolving a district is a
good idea at any time.”
The board was asked about timetables and no specifics were
offered.
Exeter-Milligan assistant girls basketball coach Sara Pella
commented, “From a coaching standpoint and being a JV coach we have only been
able to take five or six to JV tournaments and one or two of those girls are
starting on varsity. It’s difficult. We
haven’t gotten the experience because we haven’t had a JV program. We need to build the program from an
elementary program and we didn’t have one last year. Build the program all the
way through and we would be able to do that with more girls.”
The discussion moved to a financial perspective talking
about levies. The board was asked about
the higher levy in Friend and the current bond Friend has for their school
addition.
Sheffield reassured patrons, “When you consolidate you do
not take on debt.”
Erdkamp noted that the next step is to have a committee
meeting with the Friend committee members.
Sheffield gave a brief update on several bills in the
legislature which would affect school finances and the board set the next
meeting for April 8 in Milligan.
No comments:
Post a Comment