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| Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, Wisconsin Art Rainwater, Superintendent | ||
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| BOARD OF EDUCATION Minutes for Special Meeting - Open Session January 30, 2006 |
Doyle Administration Building 545 West Dayton Street, McDaniels Auditorium Madison, Wisconsin |
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Special Meeting of the Board of Education was called to order by President Carol Carstensen at 6:26 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Carstensen, Bill Keys, Lawrie Kobza, Juan José López, Ruth Robarts, Shwaw Vang, Johnny Winston, Jr.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT: Connor Gants
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Sue Abplanalp, Jane Belmore, Mary Gulbrandsen, Steve Hartley, Kurt Kiefer, Pam Nash, Roger Price, Loren Rathert, Ken Syke, Barbara Lehman-Recording Secretary
1. Announcements
There were no announcements.
2. Preliminary Report on $100 Budget Experience
Roger Price distributed an overview of the participants and comments (a copy is attached to the original of these minutes). More meetings are scheduled with the Memorial/West and East Task Forces and the Student Senate. Invitations have been extended to the schools, etc., up until February 17. Data will be accumulated then.
3. East Attendance Area Demographics and Long Range Facility Needs Task Force Rationale for Removing School Closings from Consideration as one of its Recommended Options
An excerpt from the district's 1843 annual report was distributed that talked about using a shelf "...for 'stowing away' the smaller boys and girls for the purpose of relieving its crowded state...." (a copy is attached to the original of these minutes).
COMMENTS:
-No information from La Follette Attendance Area
-Starting from more crowded area and working from there
-Working from the recommendations themselves
-La Follette not a critical issue; district owns land on the Far East side
-Need for a long range plan for the district as a whole
-Discussion on creating the task forces was extensive
-Needing the perspective of the administration, particularly with regard to academic implications
-Administration did not make specific recommendations; programmatic changes can be done but they create inequities driven by where a student happens to live
-Board's obligation to respond to the task forces
-Adopting a five-year plan instead of focusing on specific recommendations
-Why these issues are being raised at this stage
-Moving to Item 4 rather than focusing on not closing schools
-Seeking a unanimous vote from this Board on a referendum
It was moved by Ruth Robarts and seconded by Bill Keys to suspend the rules so that agenda Item 4 could be taken up and to consider Item 3 after Item 4. Student Representative advisory vote was aye. Motion unanimously carried.
4. Memorial/West and East Attendance Areas Demographics and Long Range Facility Needs Task Forces' Recommendations for Options that were included in the Task Forces' Final Reports
(Packets included: timelines for referendum planning and construction; student occupancy dates for an addition; costs for operating a school; estimated construction costs for a new school; estimated construction costs for an addition to Leopold; tax levy impact analysis; and a chart with each of the Task Forces' final recommendations. Copies are attached to the original of these minutes.)
An East Attendance Area Board decision tree was distributed (a copy is attached to the original of these minutes).
EAST ATTENDANCE AREA
Recommendation #1: Move Affiliated Alternatives to Marquette/O'Keeffe.
-Central location close to bus lines
-Space for separation between the Alternatives and the rest of the school
-Competition among peers
-Keeps them all together and keeps grades together
-Remodeling costs, contiguous space is harder, transportation is not as good
-How much is spent for rent
-Any single-site program has to be in an accessible building
-Better to be in an elementary age building as a second choice
-Notice would need to be given by February 28 to vacate by June
-At the time, there was no place to build that was close to transportation--market may be different today
-Should have a gym and group space; currently going to Lapham
-Child care space and equipment
-Chair lifts vs. elevators; a full elevator would be needed
Recommendation #2: MoveMadisonSchools& Community Recreation (MSCR) to Emerson
-Letter from MSCR Advisory Committee
-No overtures to buying or leasing Hoyt building; do have a price that it might sell for but no interest
-Would have to rent facilities for the programs at Hoyt
-Administrative storage and hub for west side programs
-Other occupants in the Hoyt building
-Should be left at Hoyt but could go to Lapham
Recommendation #3: Adjust the East Area middle school feeder pattern as a method to reduce the low income percentage at Shermanand increase enrollment at O'Keeffe, and move the undeveloped areas in the Milwaukee Streetarea from the La Follette Area to the East Area
-Maps seem reasonable
-Agreed with this one; gives more time before having to build a school
FOLLOW UP: Administration will come back with a recommendation.
Recommendation #4: Give members of the Board of Education the opportunity to select one of the following three ideas to address under-enrollment and income disparity among the North Area elementary schools: a) 3-27-2 moves 181 students among Gompers, Lake View, Lindbergh, and Mendota; 2) 3-27-3 moves 212 students among Gompers, Lake View, Lindbergh, and Mendota; OR 3) move all 57 Packers Townhouse students to Gompers.
-If Lake View is left alone, 1 and 2 would not address the issues, 3 would be the only one left on the table; if one is left alone, a new a plan would be needed
-Leopold situation is serious and will only get worse; Lake View can deal with it
-Multiple lunch periods are required at Leopold because of their sheer numbers
-Lake View's projections are expected to go down over the next five years but there are better ways to add on to the building
-Currently no ESL program at Mendota; students go to Lindbergh; do not want to split up families
-Moving all 57 Packers Townhouse students to Gompers would reduce Mendota enrollment to where it is not viable
FOLLOW UP: Provide options for Lake View. Find out how many families make up the 11 students that go to Lindbergh for ESL.
MEMORIAL/WEST ATTENDANCE AREA
Recommendation #1: CP3A-New Addition (7 rooms) at Leopold. New school Far Westside. Multiple boundary changes.
A schematic was distributed showing the addition to Leopold (a copy is attached to the original of these minutes).
-Unanimous recommendation for CP3A
-Could not avoid coming up with this recommendation
Ms. Kobza introduced some new charts (included in the packet and attached to the original of these minutes) that included data sheets for each of the options rearranged into the West Area and Memorial Attendance Area. There was also a new option that would build a new school in the Far West area of the City and maintain all West students in the West Attendance Area (also attached to the original of these minutes).
Discussion: Maptician software uses current students. This uses current year numbers. Very high capacity at many of the schools. Also includes the 2011 projections. Priorities seem to look at Memorial, then La Follette, then West. May be that some of this is just not doable. How many times do you move people to take advantage of where space is and how far. For the West Area talking about moving 63 students; not move after move, from Leopold to Midvale/Lincoln. Would probably have to look at other programmatic changes. Uncertain about 2-5 years out. Could move some into Franklin/Randall. Meadow Park is the wild card. Range of low-income from Leopold with a new developer. Task Force already looked at these options. Swan Creek residents very clear about staying at Leopold. New school will cost approximately $17 million with an initial capacity of 55-60%; do not want to build full. Operating costs approximately $.5 million. No advantage to financing partially with referendum funds and other sources. Length of bus ride to Midvale/Lincoln. Two schools will be needed at some point. Timely response to the Leopold community. Putting the whole set of issues into a five-year plan and a referendum plan. How a long range plan would be different; task forces were asked for 3-5 year plans. Fitting the recommendations into a long range plan.
FOLLOW UP: There was a request to have the Administration look into naming rights for schools. Develop language for an April referendum.
Recessed at 9:15 p.m.
Reconvened at 9:30 p.m.
5. Public Appearances
Connie Smith supported keeping the Swan Creek community together at Leopold and Option CP4 proposed by the Memorial/West Task Force.
Renee Hammond, Swan Creek resident, opposed the addition to Leopold making it too large and increasing traffic and safety concerns. She supported a new school in the Leopold attendance area.
Robert Godfrey opposed the proposed recommendations from the East Task Force changing boundaries at Lake View Elementary.
Wendy Cooper, Memorial/West Task Force member, noted that it was very painful to listen to the conflict on the Board and urged the members to come together. She indicated that the task force spent 20-30 hours trying to get children out of Leopold without building, but they could not do it knowing about the growth. They felt strongly about supporting the East Task Force's educational issues that are more important than numbers. They looked at middle schools; there are already 1100 students on the Van Hise campus. She urged the Board to consider the addition as well as the new school.
There was some discussion about the C3 option and unfounded concerns about Midvale/Lincoln, busing, and having to build some capacity now or later.
Deborah Gilbert still did not know what school her children will attend and wanted stability. Did not support extended bus routes or overcrowded schools. She did want strong educational experiences for her children, no cut to SAGE, a strong connection with community, a school in Fitchburg, and for Swan Creek to remain at Leopold. She wanted to see projections that show capacity in 2010-11. She added that voters must understand from a clear and compelling plan and the Board should act without delay.
Jerry Eykholt, member of the Memorial/West Task Force and Midvale/Lincoln representative, called for a community of hope and trust and moving forward with the recommendations. He believed a long range plan should continually be re-worked with the Administration's input. Alternatives that do not build are not sound and fiscally responsible. He supported a building in the Leopold area. There was some discussion about his response to Swan Creek and his alternative option that could be considered.
Gregory Vorontsor, Swan Creek resident, wanted to keep things as they are at Leopold, did not want long bus rides, and stated that Fitchburg is going to need a school.
Annette Montgomery, Burnwood resident, did not understand why it was taking so long to get anything accomplished with this Board. She indicated that they were already angry about the Board's bickering knowing where the parents stand. She stated that the Board would never come together and would never have a five-year plan. Wanted to a decision to be made and added that people are ready to put their homes up for sale. She did not believe that everything could be figured into the decision (all the developments in the area). She invited people to meet with her and the City Planner to see the growth in Fitchburg.
Written registrations included eight in support of heterogeneous grouping; one in support of finding a long-term permanent home for the alternative high school programs but not within elementary or middle schools and supported keeping Lapham K-2 and Marquette/O'Keeffe as they are; two in opposition to the proposed boundary changes affecting Lake View Elementary School; one seeking clarification about a "rumor" that Lapham will be closing or be reconfigured; one concerned about the process taking all relevant factors into account and weighing them properly; and one concerned about selling referenda for both an addition and a new school.
Item 4 was taken up again.
4. Memorial/West and East Attendance Areas Demographics and Long Range Facility Needs Task Forces' Recommendations for Options that were included in the Task Forces' Final Reports
Ms. Carstensen requested the Administration take Lawrie Kobza's plan and provide for each year out the enrollment at each of the schools in the West Area.
6. Other Business
There was no other business.
7. Adjournment
It was moved by Juan José López and seconded by Ruth Robarts to adjourn the meeting at 10:21 p.m. Student representative advisory vote - aye. Motion unanimously carried.
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Previous: 2006-01-23 || Special Meeting - Open Session || Next: 2006-02-13