In order to consolidate answers to the most recent comments posted under the February 1st post I am going to start a new thread here. Why did the Board choose to put the STEM school at Mammoth? The PowerPoint presentation given at the Board meeting is now available on our district web site. You can view it by going to MSMUSD.ORG, clicking on “About Us”, and choosing “Governing Board”. In the left-hand column under “Meeting Minutes” you will see “Board Presentation”. That is the PowerPoint I am referring to and it contains all of the reasons Mammoth was selected to host the STEM school.
Why Mammoth? You will see in that PowerPoint many of the same things that have been repeated in this blog. As the financial challenges get more and more difficult, we have to stay focused on providing the best education possible for our students. The framework to make these difficult decisions has remained constant: protect student academics, student programs, disrupt as few as possible, and impact the staff as little as possible.
Why Mammoth? All of the reasons are given in the PowerPoint slides titled “Benefits”. Those benefits include addressing our financial situation; maintaining class sizes; disrupting as few kids as possible; and not just maintaining academics, but actually improving them. Why Mammoth? Maybe the most important reason is because from the very inception of the STEM concept it was presented as an opportunity to have Mammoth Elementary be the showcase of our district (stated in the PowerPoint slide as a model school for the State). This is an opportunity to have Mammoth Elementary be the first elementary STEM school in all of Arizona. This is an opportunity for the students lucky enough to attend Mammoth to receive a world-class education from some of our best and brightest teachers. This is not about taking resources away from Mammoth. It is exactly the opposite – it provides an opportunity for Mammoth Elementary to raise the academic bar for our entire district.
You are correct in stating that the specific option of keeping a wing open at Mammoth was never mentioned, but that closing an entire school has been discussed. But what has been consistently stated is the overall philosophy of stretching what we have for as long as possible – no drastic ups and downs. Once we determined the amount of money that we know we will lose and what we are fairly certain we will lose (amounts given in a previous post), then we were able to put together this plan that keeps both schools open and allows us to absorb the cuts we face. That recommendation is consistent with the philosophy of no drastic ups and downs, and I honestly thought all would agree that it is a better option than closing a school entirely. (I appreciate that you personally noted that in your post.) When you talk of “underutilizing” MES by keeping only one wing open, that is exactly the strategy behind the plan. We are currently operating MES at 33% capacity and yet running utilities for the entire campus. We simply can no longer afford to operate a school at that low of a capacity. We don’t have enough K-6 students in the district to operate two schools with both of them at a reasonable capacity, thus the recommendation to the Board to either close a school entirely (whether it be First Ave or MES), or be more efficient and reduce the utility costs by consolidating students to one wing. Yes, it is a plus that MES has a cafeteria and a gym. But at the same time that is a negative because those are the two largest consumers of electricity and gas.
Dr. Wiseley’s post did explain how we could make Mammoth Elementary work as the more traditional school and put STEM at First Avenue; and also pointed out that some of the options he suggests would cost money to implement. These decisions are being made because the cuts I’ve previously listed are real and severe, and we are not in a position to be spending additional money when we believe we have another building that can work without additional costs.
We recognize that there are many parents, staff, and students that are anxious about the changes that are taking place next year in our elementary schools. Those changes include Mammoth Elementary School being designated as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) School and First Avenue Elementary School remaining a more traditional school with a STEM emphasis.
In order to share the information we currently have, we are going to hold a public forum on Tuesday, February 23rd in the Mammoth Elementary School cafeteria and one on Wednesday, February 24th in the San Manuel auditorium. Both forums will begin at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the forums is to help people understand what the vision for the STEM school is; and to discuss topics such as how students will be selected, how staff will be selected, transportation concerns, etc.
February 18, 2010 at 1:58 pm |
I understand that you believe MES is going to have a great opportunity with the STEM school being here, but what about the children who aren’t (lucky enough) to go there as you put it. Who will be able to attend this school? Obviously only 80 students, so how are you going to choose who the lucky ones are? You also state that the Stem school will be taught by only the brightest and best teachers, so if my children attend First Ave are they also going to be taught by the best and brighest teachers? Are the number of students in the classrooms at First Ave going to remain the same or are they going to be made bigger? My 1st grader would not be able to focus and pass with bigger classrooms! What about all the parents who are going to disenroll there children from the district, to either homeschool or send them to another school are you adding that into the buget?
February 18, 2010 at 9:50 pm |
What I said was that those attending the STEM school will be taught by “some of the best and brightest” teachers. I have always been extremely proud of our entire staff – teachers, support staff, and administrators. Those that have lived in the Tri-Community for years know how caring and dedicated our staff is. Children will receive a quality education in our district regardless of which school they attend.
Right now the plan is applications for the STEM school will be available soon and will have a set deadline to be returned. We will have a certain number of slots for each school and a few slots for the community at large. The drawing will take place in a public setting so that anyone that wants to attend can, and will be based solely on the luck of the draw. Please attend the forum to be held in Mammoth on Tuesday and/or the one in San Manuel on Wednesday. As many details as possible will be given at that time.
As for class size, this plan allows us to keep the class sizes at the targeted ratios that we have been trying to maintain: 18 in Kindergarten; 21 in grades 1 – 3; and 24 in grades 4 – 6.
Parents have a right to choose what school their children attend. The threat that they would choose another district is real, but unfortunately that threat does not change the fact that we don’t have enough funding to continue operating the way we are. Our district budget is determined by the number of students from the previous year. Thus, any enrollment loss we experience next year will impact the 2011-12 school year.
While I respect a parent’s right to place their child in the school of their choice, I would obviously be disappointed if they don’t choose our district. Our elementary students will have an opportunity to attend MES as an innovative, high-quality STEM school; or First Avenue – a school that has been recognized at the national and state level as a school of excellence (National Title I Distinguished School and Arizona A+ School). And for those that continue their education in our district, they enter a Jr/Sr High that is the first Jr/Sr High in the state to be recognized as an A+ school; and most recently was recognized as one of the best high schools in the United States (see our web site). These types of recognition occur when great kids, involved parents, a supportive community, and a quality staff all work together to provide the best education possible for our kids.
These are incredibly difficult times that cause strong emotional responses to the changes we have to make because they involve our most precious resource: our kids. It is my sincere hope that we can work through these changes together; and instead of focusing our energy on why things won’t work, we put that same amount of energy into how we can make them work. If we can get to that point than the external validations of how good our schools are will continue; and more importantly, our students will be given that quality education they deserve.
February 19, 2010 at 2:18 am |
Thank you for clearing alot of things up for me! I ALSO know that all staff is caring and VERY dedicated because my husband and I both attended school here, that’s why I asked. I want to make sure my children get the same dedication so that they receive a quality education regardless of which school they attend.
Can you clear up one more thing for me? You stated that there is a certain number of slots for each school and a few slots for the community at large,what does that mean? I am understanding it as a few students from First Ave, a few from MES and then other students from the tri-com or ones that are currently being homeschooled and attending another district. Also 6th grade, will they be at First Ave? There is rumor that they will be moved to the Jr/Sr High, and being a parent of a 5th grader this worries me.
You are right this is going to get very emotional but it is concerning my children and there education so I want to make sure they will get the quality education they deserve. I am hoping that with the big change my children will have to adapt to, the classroom size will remain the same.
February 19, 2010 at 6:41 am |
Your understanding is correct. The current plan is that a few slots will be open for people in the area that are currently not enrolled in our district.
The rumor of 6th grade being moved to the Jr/Sr High is because that was the plan a year ago when the Board discussed closing a school. Due to our continued decrease in enrollment, that is no longer necessary. Under the plan we are implementing, 6th graders will be at the Mammoth STEM school and at First Ave next year, not at the Jr/Sr High.