Post date: Nov 16, 2012 10:17:04 PM
Superintendent Quinn writes about ongoing work regarding the configuration of grades 6-12 in Bartlesville:
The school district's Long Range Facilities Planning Committee has been hard at work over the past few months examining the topic of grade configuration in the Bartlesville Public School District.
Since we began meeting in September, we have added approximately 15 new members to this committee. Currently, the LRFPC consists of approximately 55 members in total from the Bartlesville community who bring an array of skills and differing opinions to the discussion. I believe it is extremely important that we have a diverse group as it will help us get a broad range of opinions and ideas about grade configuration for our school district. The more input we receive, the better we will be able to identify a plan that will be successful for our district.
One of the first tasks of the LRFPC was to outline requirements that will be part of a successful facilities plan. In establishing the criteria, the group created lists, and from the lists pulled what was most important. The group concluded the plan should have a strong educational design, support of community members, be conscious of the capitol expenses and annual operating expenses, and finally, the plan must be flexible and sustainable over the long term. The plan will not be a five or 10 year decision, but rather a 50 to 100 year decision.
To help address the need for a comprehensive review of grade configuration, sub-committees have been created. Each sub-committee is led by a committee chair. Presently, the LRFPC consists of the five sub-committees.
The Survey Committee is chaired by Scott Bilger. The purpose of the Survey Committee is to gain input from students, staff and community members that will be vital to the decision-making process. Currently, the Survey Committee is in the midst of completing a second survey of BPSD freshman through seniors as well as teachers at Bartlesville Mid-High School and Bartlesville High School. Over the next few months, the group will broaden their survey group and have a community-wide survey. Citizens from throughout the Bartlesville community will have the opportunity to provide valuable input to the planning process and are encouraged to do so.
An Annual Operating Expenses Committee was also established. The group is led by BPSD Executive Director of Human Resources, Chuck McCauley. The focus of this group is to explore all grade configurations and the impact it would have on annual operating expenses. With the BPSD facing budget restrictions each year, it is important we understand the costs associated with operating under various grade configurations.
Sam Herriman, Director of Secondary Education, is leading the Academic Performance Committee. He and several others are looking at what configurations have worked best throughout our region and throughout the country. Furthermore, they are trying to ascertain why certain configurations seem to work better than others. The group has been busy over the past few months examining research and comparing school configurations in order to get an idea of what would best serve the students of Bartlesville. As we look at the possibility of re-configuring grades in our district, it is vital that any change we make is beneficial to our students’ academic performance and learning experience.
Another committee created focuses on construction costs and capitol expenses. This sub-committee is led byScott Ambler of Ambler Architects. Ambler and his group have been gathering information about what the costs of various grade configurations would be. Whether it be renovating existing buildings or constructing new buildings, the group is working hard to make certain the LRFPC has an extensive understanding of what expenses should be expected based on various configuration scenarios. Any decision that we make must be cost effective and with the best possible information available to us.
The final committee created was the Communication Committee. This group is led by BPSD Community Relations Coordinator, Chris Tanea. The focus of this group is to ensure throughout the planning and survey process that the community is kept informed about the ongoing work of the LRFPC and its sub-committees. We strongly believe an open channel of communication during this process is extremely important, and we want to make sure the community understands what is taking place within our school district.
Moving forward, we will continue working hard as we explore grade configuration. At this point, we have no favorable opinion toward any one option; all scenarios are being considered. Additionally, there is no timetable to finalize a plan or a decision. In a process such as this, we must exercise due diligence.
Over the coming months, it will be important that the community help give input to the planning process. Whether it is through completing a survey or speaking with a member of the LRFPC, we value your feedback. Ultimately, your feedback will help make a decision that will improve our school district and benefit our community.