Report on centers presented to board; administrators say transition has been rough, but things have been working OK so far

The USD 234 Board of Education received a progress report on two local elementary attendance centers from administrators at both schools during the board's regular meeting on Monday.

Winfield Scott Principal Billie Jo Drake said she and her staff have faced some hurdles in the first year of the change, but its biggest benefit is keeping class sizes equalized, which she said was one of the goals of the plan to reconfigure both elementary schools when it was first broached about a year ago.

"I still think it's the best thing we've done for kids," Drake said. "We've come a long way, but we have a long way to go."

Eugene Ware Principal Dave Elliott echoed Drake's thoughts on the matter, adding that the change has also resulted in more equalized percentages of students who receive free-and-reduced price lunches at both schools, when compared to last year's figures.

"It's the right thing to do for kids," Elliott said.

Drake also said one of the objectives of the plan at the start was to ensure all students receive the same curriculum, and she feels that goal is being met this year. However, some roadblocks to the change include differing expectations and leadership styles among staff at both schools.

"We've made great strides," she said. "There are places we're on the same page, and places we're not. These are two very different buildings ... We're working through all those processes. It's always the same curriculum."

Drake added that staff are also "still working on building new cultures," and that one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome during the change has been the old cliché that "we'll do it the way we always did."

"We're not the way we always were anymore, it's different," she said.

Board member Jeff Sims said while he was pleased to hear the administrators' points of view and is "excited" about the positives of the plan and that the schools are moving in the right direction, he feels a list of items for improvement should be made so that officials are "attacking problems" to "get past the rough stage."

"As a new board member, I think it would be helpful," he said. "I think it would help point us in the right direction so we know how we can help."

Board member Janet Braun, a retired educator, said she wanted to commend teachers at both schools for their work during the transition, adding "it has not been an easy year."

Last spring, the board approved implementation of attendance centers for the 2010-11 school year in order to benefit students academically and help the district save money.

The idea came about as USD 234 and other school districts statewide faced continued budget cuts, staff reductions and larger class sizes.

The board also approved the following employment matters on Monday:

* Termination of Ruth Robinson, preschool bus driver.

* Request for a leave of absence from Debbie Baxley, bus driver.

* Request for a leave of absence from Sharon Grabosch, high school paraeducator.

* Request for a maternity leave of absence from Amber Ellis, Fort Scott Middle School science and social studies teacher.

* Early retirement requests from Anne Beth, Winfield Scott second grade teacher, Leslie Reynolds, Eugene Ware fourth grade teacher, Beverly Cowen, Winfield Scott first grade teacher, and Nancy Swanwick and Rita Nienstedt, both family and consumer science teachers at FSHS.

* Retirement request from Mary Tholen, mathematics teacher at FSMS.

* Hired Ronette Center as gymnastics coach at FSMS, Bob Campbell for the winter conditioning position at FSHS and Melissa Slayden as assistant softball coach at FSHS.