Letter regarding school reorganization

(Submitted by the author for publication on Odebolt.net News Blog.)

To the Patrons of the Odebolt-Arthur School District regarding
the upcoming vote on reorganization with the BCIG School District:

Our school board and administration has suggested we all keep an open mind regarding school issues. They should do the same.  It seems they have been very open to whatever the BCIG district wanted to the disadvantage of the O-A School district and the Odebolt community.  It appears this has been a case of misused and/or misplaced trust. I would suggest that it is time to step back and revisit the entire reorganization/ whole grade sharing idea.

Taxes will undoubtedly go up if reorganization passes and the planned building projects in Ida Grove go forward. Why is it that our property taxes, at the present time, are 36 percent higher than those of the East Sac County School District?  Does this suggest that there has been overspending and inefficiency by our current board and administration?

If the reorganization takes place, the proposed board configuration, will virtually guarantee that our district and community will be at a total disadvantage in any issue, such as raising taxes, closing our school etc.  This will be taxation without adequate representation.  Our board needed to SERIOUSLY explore options with other districts before the total committal was made to the merge with BCIG.

Also at issue is the BCIG debt that the Odebolt-Arthur District will be obligated to help fund if the reorganization takes place.  This issue has never been fully addressed as to the amount of this debt,  (as per the BCIG audit completed in 2011) what is it for or when it would be retired.  Our board could, and should, have placed a caveat in the reorganization petition to have the BCIG debt paid by BCIG only.  It is also essential for the patrons to know how much money each district has in their respective depositories.

It has been noted that Odebolt-Arthur has the largest school building of the three towns.  If this is the case, why was no serious consideration given to putting the High School in Odebolt with BCIG having the Middle School.  Odebolt-Arthur had the more advanced technology in all grade levels and offered several advanced high school courses with qualified instructors.  It appears that BCIG was lacking in both these areas to the detriment of the students.  Is this push for the merger more about the athletics than it is academics?

It is clear there is a definite plan to bring all the Elementary, Middle School and High School to the Ida Grove campus.  For example, look at what happened to the school in Battle Creek after promises were made to keep it open when that reorganization took place.  There seems to be a concerted effort to acquire the Odebolt-Arthur District for the tax base then the use of the money generated to further centralize all schools in Ida Grove and/ or help pay down the BCIG debt. A great deal of busing could be done for the proposed 1.6+ million dollars it will take to add classrooms to the present BCIG School in Ida Grove.  The Board and Administration, it seems, has continually merged small and large issues and areas in the two districts as if we were already reorganized, making it much harder to opt out of the whole grade sharing or reorganization (the new school pickup which Odebolt-Arthur purchased that appears to spend most of the time at BCIG and seems to be used for a personal vehicle-it is not left on school property at night, and the finishing mower purchased jointly, etc).  Perhaps we should be able to open enroll our property taxes just as the students are able to open enroll out of a district choosing the district considered to have the best educational opportunities and the one most financially efficient.  At present, the state money goes to the district where the student is open enrolled and the school property tax money stays in the property owner’s school district.

This community needs information beyond the “warm fuzzies” and the old catch all of what is “best for the students”.  If citizens question the issues or decisions by the Board and/or Administration, they should not be made to feel intimidated or threatened.  This does NOT signify they are against a good education for the students.  It indicates they are interested in what is happening in the schools and want FULL and honest answers to their questions.  It is my understanding, that presently, the responses to e-mails requesting such information are quote, “the issues are to controversial and would be to lengthy to answer in an e-mail” or “my response will be taken out of context”.  This makes one think there is something being hidden and/or only partially revealed. 

We, the taxpayers, need to take a long hard look at what is being spent and how this IN FACT does translate into what is BEST for the students. The administration needs to be held accountable by our board to do what is in the best interest of our school, students and community.  This responsibility, it appears, is something our present board has not upheld in the past and is not upholding presently.  Our Odebolt-Arthur school, students and the Odebolt community must be made to feel they are partners in the issues and decisions, not as a scheme to further the interests of BCIG and the Ida Grove community to the detriment of our own.

The reorganization issue should be defeated in this upcoming election.  The two districts are NOT a good “match” or “fit” at the present time.  If the whole grade sharing is allowed to continue, will this bring the school up to the discipline, standards and caliber of education that O-A already had?  If so, an assessment can then be made to see if the districts are truly a good “match” or “fit” and what is best for the students and the communities.  If it is not, we must look for other possible solutions such as whole grade sharing or combining with another district.  Our community and patrons deserve to feel they are true partners with full representation. We must have more financial accounting and other questions answered FULLY and honestly if this issue of reorganization is to be presented in the future.

We must NOT RUSH into something that we will regret in the future.  Vote "NO” on TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13th! 

 -   Dorothy Evans, Odebolt