State High Vision Update

[State High Vision]

Monday Update

July 9, 2007

 

Our job is not done.

 

When the 4 incumbent members of the SCASD school board were ousted in a landslide vote on May 15 and 5 new candidates were supported for the ballot in November, we had hoped that the board got the message. When the board subsequently voted to abandon the high school project, we had hoped that they were finally acknowledging the role of the public in decision-making.  After months of asking for an objective analysis of the district facilities and a prioritization of needs ( i.e. a District Wide Master Plan that meets the criteria set by the PA Dept. of Education), we thought the board finally understood the importance of long term planning.

 

Unfortunately, the incumbent board has voted to stop the process of updating the 2001 District Wide Master Plan, citing the need for the alleged conflict to “cool down.”  They denied the request from the new candidates to participate in an ad hoc committee that might begin the strategic planning process for district facilities – an independent projection of growth for our area; an examination of all of the district buildings; long term goals and criteria developed with community support, and a trade off analysis of construction options.  By doing so, they have essentially put our children on hold for 7 months.

 

Many of the elementary schools are in need of immediate and significant repairs.  The high school continues to have problems in the physical plant.   Athletic, music and other extra-curricular spaces are in shambles.  Note that Physical Plant Director Ed Poprik was quoted in the Centre Daily (6/21/2007) that the district “may end up building new schools in adjacent Halfmoon Township and the Toftrees area” in response to development on the North/West side of town.   Why is he saying that NOW – after the district has downplayed any growth projections and WE DON’T HAVE A DISTRICT WIDE FACILITIES PLAN?

 

How can we proceed without a plan?

 

Tonight, Monday, July 9, 2007 the agenda for the next regular meeting of the SCASD board (July 9, 2007 at 7:30 at the SCASD district offices at 131 W. Nittany Ave.) identifies several key and expensive items under “request to bid” as future agenda items.   These include:

 

- High School Telephone System
- High School Storm Water Management
- High School Surveillance System
- High School Wireless Network Upgrade
- High School Stage Fixtures
- High School Auditorium Lighting
- High School Crossing Improvements to Westerly Parkway

 

HOW CAN THE BOARD BE THINKING ABOUT THESE LARGE AND POTENTIALLY EXPENSIVE BIDS without a long term- strategic plan OR without public discussion and involvement?    While most would not argue the need for safety and security at the current high school, how can this board think about spending money on capital improvements NOW when we don’t have a plan?

 

ALSO on tonight's agenda under "future agenda items"…the board will discuss the bonds that were approved for the high school project.  As you know, the board has been borrowing money and raising our taxes for several years in anticipation of a high school that is now on hold. Depending on what the board decides to do with the bonds, their decision may add millions more to the $5.2 million of our tax dollars that has already been wasted on the Mega School plan.

 

The public has told this board with our votes that their limited financial controls and poor capital stewardship is not what we want or need to take us into the future…how much of our money will they waste without a plan of action?  Can this community afford reactive spending and "capital improvements under crisis" without a long term strategy?