Community weighs in on Cedar Rapids school district’s facilities plan

CEDAR RAPIDS - Questions - about the feasibility of a school bond measure, the role of technology in the classroom and ideal enrollment levels - were posed this week to the Cedar Rapids school district's Facilities Planning committee.

The committee has been working about two months on a new facilities master plan for the district. Part of the process has included meetings at the district's three comprehensive high schools to gather public input, with about 200 people showing up.

Superintendent Brad Buck said the 'Re-imagine, Re-envision, and Reinvest” plan is in its early stages, with a goal of being finalized in October.

'The board is not coming into this, I just want to confirm, with any preconceived notions,” school board President John Laverty said at the Kennedy High session on Tuesday.

Robert Schwarz, CEO of the educational planning firm RSP and Associates, which is helping with the plan, reiterated that point.

'This was the plan that Dr. Buck gave me,” Schwarz said at Kennedy, holding up a sheet of paper. 'It's a blank piece of paper, for those of you in the back.”

Discussions at the public meetings have been divided into five subcommittees: finances; teaching and learning; grade configuration and boundary criteria; new schools and renovations; and closing and repurposing schools.

Just about every group has explored ideas on how to better prepare district students academically.

Even in the finance subcommittee, member Maureen Oviatt said people shifted from 'talking about bricks and mortar” to talking about instruction.

Mark Robinson, the father of three students, told a subcommittee he needs more access to his children's textbooks and resources, many of which can't go home with students, so he can help them with their homework.

Jefferson High business education teacher Matt Hilby asked for a greater emphasis on financial literacy.

'Everything I teach is a reality - how to manage your budget, how to manage a checking account,” Hilby said. 'That's not required, but everyone has to do it after graduation.”

Those at the meetings also discussed a need for facility upgrades - providing more parking now that fewer students walk to school, updating bathrooms and locker rooms and allowing more natural light in buildings.

Sitting in a quiet school subcommittee on school closures, Janel McGovern said many hope the criteria she will help develop never has to be used.

'What are the other committees going to do to make sure we don't get to my committee?” McGovern said. 'But that's married to our fiscal responsibility. There are the realities of our situation.”

For years, Cedar Rapids school officials - like school officials elsewhere - have said state funding is not meeting district needs.

Lawrence Wenclawski, a member of the grade configuration subcommittee, said district finances will ultimately steer the facilities plan.

'We treat it like a pie of five slices, but the final slice is really the pie pan,” Wenclawski said. 'What happens with the financial piece really dictates what happens with the other pieces of the pie.”

The district still is accepting comments on the facilities plan via an online survey at tiny.cc/CRCSD_FacilitiesInput.

Condensed lists of the subcommittee's current belief statements, which will guide planning, are below. Full lists are available at thegazette.com.

Finances

' Funds aside from state supplemental aid, such as a bond issue or an extension of the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) tax, will be required to create better teaching spaces.

' There is a need to share public resources.

' Given finite resources, 'economies of scale must be a priority in order to reallocate resources to teaching and learning.”

Teaching and learning

' 'Purposeful, meaningful integration of technology enhances teaching and learning.”

' '21st century learning is about applying skills into real work situations, problem-solving, working with others, being creative.”

Grade configuration and boundary criteria

' Boundaries 'should preserve students' sense of community.”

' All grade levels in elementary schools should be at least two sections.

' The 'middle school concept” of assigning students to teams of teachers 'will best meet students' needs.”

' Ideal elementary school capacity is 600 to 750 students, middle school is 750 to 900 and high school is 1,600 to 1,800.

' There should be minimal school-to-school transitions for students.

New schools and renovations

' Building larger elementary schools 'will enhance economy of scale, maximize amenities available and optimize staff needs while preserving a sense of community.”

' To maximize benefit, an elementary school's capacity should be low enough to avoid a need for a second set of common areas, such as a second gym.

' Neighborhoods should be considered, but 'may be more than where we live and can also be where we work and play.”

Closing and repurposing schools

' The decision to close or repurpose a school should be based on qualitative and quantitative data.

' Innovative programming options - such as a magnet school concept - should be considered to increase enrollment before a school is closed.

' 'If a school needs to be closed or repurposed, public input is to be part of the discussion.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8330; molly.duffy@thegazette.com