With the failure of all three kindergarten articles, we now need to develop alternative plans on what to do going forward.
It is very likely that the current state mandate for providing public kindergarten starting in September 2008 will be pushed back to September 2009. It is also likely that there will be no more delays allowed beyond that date so, we need a solution to meet the mandate.
Our options for providing a public kindergarten program in 2009 are fairly limited. The most realistic and obvious approach is to add portable classrooms to Jacques to provide the needed space. It is likely that the state will pay 100% of the cost of portables for 3 years to help get programs going while alternative permanent solutions are developed. Adding portables should now be our plan for a 2009 start-up.
In parallel with planning to start the program with portables, we should also review our permanent solutions again with the goal of having a warrant article on the 2009 ballot for a September 2010 implementation.
Article 1 did fairly well this year by getting 50% of the vote. This is respectable considering that it was not supported by the school board, there were two other competing articles to confuse the issue, and the state funding details were not complete. As of now, I expect that the permanent solution to be presented next year will be similar to or identical to the plan that was presented this year.
One big difference is that there are now three board members that are generally in favor of public kindergarten, and it is likely that the proposal will have board support. There may still be competing petition warrant articles, but having board support should make some sort of a difference. Also, the state funding situation should be a lot clearer by then, so there won't be so much FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) going around on the subject.
Doing a construction project while the kindergarten program is active and the portables are on site will be more difficult, and we will need to be very careful about construction activity scheduling to make sure that there are no safety issues relating to the project.
The fact that article 1 failed is a set-back, but I think that it is only a temporary one. Most people are reasonable, and once they see the dust settle on the state funding issue, they will be more likely to support a cost-effective long term solution.
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2 comments:
I was shocked and somewhat embarrassed to watch the replay of the school board meeting that first put forth the ballot measure. I can not believe that three of the five members were able to abstain from voting. Why is it okay to say that "it's unconstitutional" and "I don't want to vote b/c there is a new school board coming in and they will be able to do what they want". It begs the question that we may not have the right people on the board to be thinking of the future of the town. I am a five year resident of Milford with three children heading toward "kindergarten". With this vote being turned down, I do believe my family will move to a town that supports education being a fundamental need of a towns ecosystem. It's really a shame - and watching this process has inspired me to get move involved, if not in Milford, in a surrounding town.
Dear Anonymous,
Please don't get discouraged by the kindergarten votes. In recent years, the Milford voters have actually been very supportive of education and have passed a number of key initiatives that have helped to improve the district.
Some of the big ticket items that were passed that are now making a difference include the construction of the Heron Pond School, the renovation of Jacques, the construction of the Heron Pond addition to relieve overcrowding at the Middle School, approval of labor contracts including the Teacher contract which is up for renewal next year, the high school renovation and track project, and approval of the operating budgets which include curriculum improvement money each year.
The district is in much better shape than it was years ago, and it continues to improve each year. Our test scores are improving in general (with a few exceptions), and our cost per student is getting better relative to the state average.
For some reason, public kindergarten has been an issue that some people have locked onto as the poster child example of local control. They view it as the supreme example of the state getting involved in issues that are best dealt with locally. I personally don't agree with that philosophy, but I can understand it.
Things are different now with regards to kindergarten, and it is clear that we will have public kindergarten in Milford soon. It was mandated by the state last summer, and we will have to respond to the mandate. Also, there are now three members of the School Board that are in favor of public kindergarten, which will eliminate the negative outlook of past boards.
I encourage you to get involved if you can. There are always needs for involved citizens in many areas, and perhaps you can find someplace to make a positive contribution. One possible place would be to join the elementary school PTO group, even before your children get into the district. It might help you to learn about the issues in the district before you get into it, so you can assess how you want to proceed with your child's education. It sometimes takes new parents some time before they become familiar with all the support options that are offered, and if you can get a head start on the process, then that would be good.
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