Neighborhood schools and a parcel tax are at the top of
the board’s priority list
by NATHAN WRIGHT, Staff Writer
With next year’s budget adopted and the 2002-2003 school year in
the books, the Windsor School Board began looking into the future
at its July 1 meeting.
Windsor Superintendent Robert Carter presented the board with
four action plans at last week’s meeting, which map out how the
district will examine reconfiguration for the district’s elementary
schools, a parcel tax/general obligation bond campaign,
transportation services, and the student data management
system.
“This is a work in progress,” said Carter, who asked both the
board and the public for input on the plans.
Whether the district should reconfigure its school system to a
neighborhood school setting, instead of by grade level, has been a
big issue for some time now, and the board would like to research
if such a change would be beneficial. “There’s a lot of information
we need to get,” said board member Cheryl Scholar, who stressed the
need to learn what the community thinks before deciding the
issue.
The board also needs public information before deciding whether
a parcel tax/general obligation bond campaign, which would raise
much needed revenue for the district, is feasible. The election
date and the amount of the tax are both questions that need to be
answered. If the district asks the public to pass a $25 parcel tax,
the district would receive $143,425 per year. If the district asks
the public for $365 per parcel, it would generate $2.09 million.
The board may also decide to include exemptions for the community’s
seniors.
Now that the budget has been passed, the district will need to
figure out how it will run its bus system with the adopted budget
cuts. At the board’s June 24 meeting, it was decided that $68,000
worth of budget reductions could be delayed until 2004-2005,
allowing the district to continue on with its current routes. The
board would, however, like to examine how it runs its
transportation and seek public input for possible improvements.
Also discussed at the meeting:
- The board may discontinue the annual Parent Visitation Program
for Mattie Washburn, Windsor Creek, Brooks Elementary, and Cali
Calm/cac Charter School. This program was originally intended to
allow parents an opportunity to visit schools and observe their
environments prior to their students entering a new grade level. At
this time, a form may be filled out, which includes a list of
teachers the parent would like for his or her child. The district
feels that it has gone from a method of familiarization for parents
to a teacher selection activity during the five years the program
has existed. “Visitation days are not necessary, visitation are not
appropriate,” said board president Ted Seche. “I’m strongly in
favor of eliminating the visitation days.” The item didn’t go to a
vote, and will be decided in the future.
- The board will accept a monetary donation by board member Rick
Massell to keep the school board meetings on TV. This program was
eliminated due to budget cuts, but will be continued with the $85
monthly donation by Massell until the board can afford to reinstate
it.
- The board awarded a $13,995 contract with Quattrocchi Kwok
Architects for the installation of four leased portable buildings
that will house the overflow of students at Windsor High School
next year. The funding for this project comes from the Capital
Facilities Fund, and was not a consideration in the recent budget
cuts because it can only be used for school facilities.
- The board voted to increase athletic transportation fees to
$80. The move will save the district $12,500. The fee was $40 in
2002-2003.
