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 January 26th, 2011. The room at the School District’s offices on LaPorte Avenue is crowded again. Parents and community members fill the room beyond capacity. Tonight children are allowed to stay in the room, unlike the contentious School Board meeting on December 14, when they were ushered elsewhere. The atmosphere is antithetical to the cold, emotional night when speaker after speaker made their case to the Board, hoping to be heard, hoping their words could save their neighborhood schools.
By the time Dr. Wilson enters the room news has already leaked of the decision not to close any of the five schools in question. He is greeted with roaring applause, even tears. “It’s been a while since I’ve received that kind of welcome, and to be honest I don’t deserve it. You do.” The crowd applauds again. “In case there is anyone in the room who hasn’t heard the decision, the School Board and the Poudre School District have determined that the implementation of district-wide innovation and efficiency measures, combined with the implementation of truly ground-breaking educational opportunities, greater collaboration with community and university partners, and, unfortunately, significant cuts and austerity measures across the district, will allow us to preserve and even increase the quality of all of our schools. In other words, it is our conclusion that the negative impacts of closing any neighborhood school will have long-term effects greater than the District and community can afford.” At this point, it seems Dr. Wilson is growing uncomfortable in the spotlight during such an enthusiastic show of approval. He looks flushed and steps back from the podium.
It's clear to everyone in the room that the Coalition to Save Our Neighborhood Schools, individual parents, students, teachers, and administrators came together, across socioeconomic and cultural boundaries, across differences in outlook, and through an emotional, often contentious, deliberative process worked out what our values are as a community and found a way to stay true to those.
Dr. Wilson goes on to mention how aspects of the innovation and efficiency plans created by underutilized schools had application district wide. “We learned that although our school choice program empowers families to make decisions for their children, it has significant effects on our neighborhood schools, which our community has clearly demonstrated are a primary value. This program will need to be revised in conjunction with a clearer, more purposeful approach to school boundaries respecting the diversity and uniqueness of some of our schools.”
Dr. Wilson stated that the district also learned how creative and innovative our community can be, outlining several of the cost-saving, and potentially grant-winning changes to the district. The Poudre School District will be selling off some of its land holdings and putting other parcels to work in a plan localizing and increasing the quality of the District’s food system. Turning fallow land into agricultural laboratory space is one of the more radical ideas adopted by the District. Another aspect of the plan taps into FortZED funding and a second federal grant to make the school district it’s own zero energy district, or PSDZED. Additionally, Governor Hickenlooper’s announcement that the state will be able to meet all of it’s funding obligations for public schools played a critical role in this revised plan.
Dr. Wilson outlined nearly a dozen less sexy changes, and some painful belt tightening, including the consolidation of some extra-curricular programs. Some athletics and arts programs will now be shared by several schools. The District's transportation program will also be heavily impacted. Throughout the PSD system jobs will be eliminated, but far fewer than anticipated. The overwhelming consensus in the room is that this plan solves both our budget crisis and keeps our schools open, which district administrators once believed to be impossible. Dr Wilson concluded, “As we set out shaping this process we framed it as a ‘crisis’, it turns out that what we had was a ‘budget opportunity’. Our focus on the statistical analysis, on the inefficiency of underutilized schools, hid from us other values pertaining to the quality of life of Fort Collins citizens, to fair and equal access to quality education for all of our children—we believed that we could not keep all our schools open with out making difficult cuts elsewhere, and we were right, but with the help of this community we were able to make those cuts less painful and make up ground in other areas that will place our schools at the head of the class pedagogically, environmentally, and fiscally.”
In another heartwarming moment, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools, Dr. Kevin Hahn publicly thanked all sixteen schools that were asked to prepare underutilized school plans and had each principal from the four elementary schools asked to prepare closure plans recognized for their work and professionalism through this painful, anxiety-provoking period.
Afterwords, I was able to catch John Lynn, Cheryl Distaso and a few other members of the Coalition to Save Our Neighborhood Schools in the party-like atmosphere following the press conference. Cheryl said, “This is it, what we believed in, what we wanted, we told them we knew was possible. At first I didn’t trust this process, we didn’t trust the people in power, but in proving us wrong about the process, they proved us right in our belief that this community is creative and passionate enough to support these schools. This was just amazing. This is just so great for our kids.”
In the coming weeks details of the plan, including the specifics of faculty, staff, and administrative position reductions will be announced. It is always unfortunate to see any individual, especially one who’s career has been to serve our community, lose their livelihood. It is important to recognize the service of these individuals even as we celebrate the excitement of the general announcement.
(This is part one of a three part series) |
