Sean C. Morgan
The District 55 School Board agreed Monday night to send a renewal of the local option levy that provides most of the funding for the pool at Sweet Home High School to voters next May.
The proposed levy continues at the same rate it has now, 32 cents per $1,000 of valuation, said Bruce Davis, a member of the aquatics committee that has advised the board on the issue. It is a renewal, continuing the existing tax rate, not an increase.
The board also agreed to seek a five-year term for the levy, a recommendation of the aquatics committee.
The proposed levy, which falls under property tax limitations for education, cannot affect police or library services, which are funded by local options levies that fall under property tax limitations for general government.
The levy will generate around $100,000 in revenue this fiscal year, 2013-14.
Voting yes to send the levy to the ballot were board members Leena Ellis, Mike E. Adams, Chanz Keeney, Chairman Jason Redick, Mike Reynolds and Jenny Daniels. Dale Keene, David VanDerlip and Kevin Burger were absent.
In other business, the board:
n Discussed how to spend additional funds approved by the Oregon Legislature during a special session this year.
The district will receive some $360,000 more than anticipated next school year, 2014-15. The legislature didn’t limit its use but requested that districts add back days or hire teachers.
Vern Tunnell Sr., a Sweet Home district resident, asked the board what it was going to do with the money, educate children or spend it on benefits.
“I have watched the School District for the past couple of years,” said Tunnell, who ran for a board seat last spring. “I’ve been very interested in what’s happening here and what little education is happening here.”
The legislature said to restore lost days and get teachers here, Tunnell said. “I assure you, I’m going to keep close track of this. Do what you will, but from what I’ve seen our education is going down the toilet.”
Keeney urged the board to vote quickly on whether to return to return to a five-day week or stick to a four-day week this year. He told the board he believes the district could return to the five-day week and decrease class sizes in the elementary schools.
He said he doesn’t want to see a process that should last a week dragged out over several months, and asked that the question be placed on the December agenda for a vote.
He told the board members they made the decision to switch to a four-day week for budgetary reasons not academic reasons, not on student achievement. Since then, the district’s revenue has grown, and he believes the district can afford return to a five-day week. He also said that the four-day week is not good for students, who should be in front of a teacher five days a week for a shorter daily period.
“The test scores do not prove to me that the four-day is the way to go,” Keeney said.
Reynolds said he was most interested in spending money on professional development rather than return to the four-day week. He told the board it was still too early to tell what impact the four-day week is having on students.
Daniels said there isn’t enough information yet, and Ellis said she was not informed enough yet to make a decision.
Adams said he was most interested in reducing class sizes. He was also concerned about adding back the fifth day, something he prefers, followed by a cut in the funding if courts overturn the Public Employees Retirement System reforms that are providing the revenues.
“I think it’s good you’re having this discussion,” said Supt. Don Schrader. “I can make it work either way.”
Whatever the board does with the length of the school week, Schrader said, he will be pushing for professional development for effective teaching, which is the most important element in improving student learning.
n Approved a trip for Samantha Ramirez, paid for by her parents, to attend the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle Nov. 22-25.
n Accepted the donation of an LG television from DonorsChoose.org to the technology class at the Sweet Home Junior High.
n Approveed a $3,000 Oregon Department of Education Effective Behavioral and Instructional Support Systems grant to be used for professional development.
n Announced Budget Committee vacancies for Liberty, Foster, Sweet Home and at large.
n Adopted an administrative rule governing the process for annual review of parental involvement.