Districts clash over site for shared school
Friction could delay So. Cal, RC-L grade-sharing plansBy BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
ROCKWELL CITY - A plan to share the resources of the Rockwell City-Lytton and Southern Cal school district may be delayed or even stopped by a disagreement over the site of a high school.
''We want the high school,'' Tom Campbell, the vice president of the Southern Cal board of education, said Thursday evening during a joint meeting of the two boards.
That announcement surprised leaders of the Rockwell City-Lytton district.
Mike Sexton, the president of the RC-L board, asked if Southern Cal was thinking about withdrawing its declaration to pursue a whole grade-sharing agreement between the two districts.
''You're just kind of leaving us hanging out here,'' he said.
Four members of the Southern Cal board and the district's superintendent, Eric Wood, sat silently while Sexton pressed them to explain their intentions.
About 50 people attended the meeting of the two boards in the Rockwell City-Lytton Senior High School. By 9 p.m., no resolution to the high school question was achieved.
Last month, both boards voted to pursue a grade-sharing agreement in which senior high students from both districts would attend a new combined high school.
The process was to begin in the fall of 2010 with a merger of the sports teams from both high schools. The actual grade sharing was to begin in the fall of 2011.
However, Wood recently sent a letter to the RC-L leadership asking that the process be delayed by one year to allow more time for planning.
During Thursday's session, Wood and Jim Brown, president of the Southern Cal board, initially said they wanted more data in order to make good decisions.
But the location of the high school soon emerged as a key issue.
''My board would have a problem with a high school in Rockwell City,'' Wood said.
He said the majority of the board and the majority of residents in the district want the combined high school to be in Southern Cal's building in Lake City.
''We are still beholden to the Southern Cal patrons,'' Wood said.
The Southern Cal district includes Lake City, Lohrville and the surrounding rural area.
The Rockwell City-Lytton district includes those two towns and the surrounding rural area.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net
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malachy
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10-17-09 11:33 AM
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I am for the consultant idea also. Ruralmomma captures the essence, ie, the two schools staffs and patrons hang on for identity reasons. Education, however, trumps such a luxery now days. The County Seat is in RC because its the closest place to the center of Calhoun Co. That will be an important factor. The leadership provided by the tow professional;s involved, the Superintendents, is vital. In one of the first, if not the first, school mergers in Iowa, Gerald Reese was the Supt and worked dlligently with the Supt and board of the other school, both men guiding their boards as they are hired to do. Gerry announced early on that he would give up his Supt's position so the other fellow didn't have to hang on for that reason. Professionally, that shouldn't be a factor, but Gerry knew it was. A smooth merger took place and Gerry and the other Supt were on radio and TV explaining things as both boards worked along. Gerry has recently retired; had great career.
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william
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10-17-09 10:59 AM
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RCL has a nice new school. SC has a crappy old school. Where shoukd the high school be?
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dmsmaher
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10-16-09 10:05 PM
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I agree with the consultant idea. They should visit both towns and schools. But the only way it would work is if the school boards agree to go with the consultants findings....but not sure if that would happen. Most of our kids can not even think of making the pros in sports, so they should look more towards an education!!!!
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luckymom
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10-16-09 7:44 PM
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I think if you poll the people of each community you would get the RCL want it in theirs and the SC would be the same. Nobody really likes change. The board needs to take the emotion out of it and really look at who has a viable existing building to fit all, if one is available this would be the logical choice. It's the parents who will be in an uproar no matter which decision. The kids will adjust and in a couple of years you won't know the difference. Having the kids begin their transition sooner than later would be the best. This could be done even before a decision is made. Sports would be a great way to do this. Mabey next year they should merge their sports teams so the kids could begin to get to know eachother and then once a decision has been made it won't be such a big change. And the idea of middle school in one town and highschool in the other is great. Each town wins and the kids would get intergrated at a younger age which makes the transition much easier. Just a thought.
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digger07
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10-16-09 2:49 PM
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you are correct, both are Division A, I remember when RCL was 1A and didn't check. As far as both schools having a say in it, sounds good.... RCL where do you want the high school? RCL= where ours currently is. Ok SCal where do you want the high school? SCal= where ours currently is. Problem solved! Oh, they don't agree huh? I like the consultant idea, they may be there to make money and offer an opinon... but most of the time they offer the best solutions. Let's just hope with the merger they don't try to make everyone happy and keep both schools running at half capacity... just more money down the drain.
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ruralmomma
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10-16-09 2:40 PM
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Wow, I sympathize with everyone involved in making decisions with this issue. Nothing is going to be easy..there will be no perfect answers. It will be hard for both schools, kids, and communities to merge and essentially give up the identities both have held for so many years. Unfortunately, it has to be done if we are to continue. I hope all the difficult issues involved can be resolved with as little pain and fuss as possible. Also, people do need to remember that partial quotes in news stories don't give the complete picture. Only those who were at the meeting got that. I commend everyone on both boards of education for tackling this huge problem. Most of the rest of us wouldn't want to touch it! Those who complain from the sidelines have the easy task. All that being said, my official 'comment from the sidelines' is simply this at this time: why not poll the public and kids in both school districts over various choices/decisions that need to be made?
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piedough
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10-16-09 2:13 PM
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'Twas ever thus! Just try to get two or three people to agree on what is good let alone two or three communities! Stop being so petty and think of the overall good of the children in todays world. In 1971 we argued that within ten years the school budget would be $1,000,000. and got a resounding NO that would NEVER happen! Guess what? It did! CO-OPERATE!!!!
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proudparent
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10-16-09 1:16 PM
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Why would both school districts hire a consultant and both agree in open session they would obide with whatever decision the consultant recommended , i.e. where the high school would be, and know decide the high school has to be in Lake City or else. Talk about a waste of money. Southern Cal is not as financial stable and secure as they would lead you to believe, with the budget cuts coming they will be in a dire situation soon. We are not sending our children to school to play football and run around a track, they are there to get an education. Do what is best for the children, now what oversized eqos that are more attached to a building than their oath of office. I hope Rockwell City goes with Manson who seems to have an open mind and not an overinflated ego!!!
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bvu2011
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10-16-09 12:15 PM
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The schools are both A schools, so they are about the same size. So one isn't smaller and demanding over another. It is about the kids, so why not have them have a say in it. But don't be trashing one school because they are bullying another, they are the same and they both should have a say.
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malachy
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10-16-09 11:44 AM
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Just think of the kids and the best possible site(s) for education if tge kids. This is not a game. Its not about sports. Its about education and culture. Where and how can the kids get the best preparation for the real world-----way outside these rural areas. RC got the court house and round house from Lake City, and some still think of that. Ridiculous. Think of great science labs, and great teachers and the arts. Where and how is best.
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digger07
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10-16-09 9:55 AM
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So the smaller Class A school is demanding the location of the high school through a merger with a Class 1A school.... Talk about ego. Not sure why So-Cal is looking to merger, their school population is perfect for playing smaller schools and boosting their athletic program.
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stuart
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10-16-09 7:13 AM
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Man, is this the first some of the taxpayers of the districts are hearing about this? I would not be a happy camper with my kids at RC-L. Mentioned this to parent in the SC district and they rather thier kids go to Carroll, or Praire ,Glidden Ralston, Paton Churdan, As they see way more potential for thier kids down the road as those districts change and merge. THey like to know when the Counties are going to merge operations. They could easily see a LEC/courthouses for Carroll, Sac and Calhoun in the area of Auburn. They can't wait for the counties to be forced merged. They see other areas if more counties would have to be merged together. Now with the state in big $$ problems don't think for a minute it won't be considered the the people in power in the Capitol.
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dmsmaher
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10-16-09 5:59 AM
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Can one of the current high schools handle all the students without any construction having to be done? If so go for it. If not, maybe the ideal thing would be to have 7,8,9 at one and 10, 11, 12 at the other. Think of the kids, not the parents...do you want the state to tell you where you are going.....
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