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The
superintendent and board of education of Richmond Community Schools are taking a
new look at the future of the district.
Educators have been evaluating the situation since the Sept. 24 defeat of a
proposed $39.98 million bond issue to build a new high school and to carry out
extensive physical improvements throughout the district geared toward future
growth.
Superintendent Patrick Bird said that more than three-fourths of the bond issue
would have gone toward land purchases, building costs, and furnishings and
equipment for a new high school.
The existing high school would have been converted to a middle school, and the
middle school to an upper elementary school, had the bond issue passed.
Paul Ostby, 59, of Richmond, married with two children and five grandchildren,
said he always votes for school proposals and did so with the $40 million bond
proposal. But he said he understands why it was defeated.
He said that coming upon the completion of work with a previous bond issue, the
new proposal was presented to the public too soon.
"I happened to vote for it, but people obviously felt that it wsn't required
because it was too soon after the previous bond issue. And those proposing the
new bonds didn't do an adequate job of promoting it. A lot of people didn't know
about it until it was time to vote."
Ostby said the no voters were also affected by the economy.
He said school leaders "should wait a little bit, and then do a better job of
explaining to the voters what exactly they need and why."
Bird said the $40 million bond issue would have addressed the growth that has
occurred since 1996 and that is expected to continue.
He said that growth in student enrollment in Richmond has averaged 3 percent a
year. However, in 2001, enrollment did not increase, which Bird attributed to a
slowdown in the economy.
The September 2001 count in Richmond was 1,921 full-time equivalent students.
Bird noted that seven new subdivisions are being built or are in the planning
stage in the district. As the new subdivisions begin to fill in, the schools
will need more space and improved facilities, the superintendent said.
"We need to build for the future," he said. "There were numerous community
members who were involved in putting the plan together. We felt we developed a
plan that would solve our long-term need to have space for our growing
community."
Bird said that the schools and the community are using existing space and
facilities of the school district to the fullest at present.
"We will have to somehow come up with a plan that will address our space needs,"
he said. "We've been listening to people and getting ideas as to why the
proposal didn't pass in September and what we should do in the future, and we're
also trying to see what is going to happen with the economy.
"The reality is, this community will grow. It is a great community with an
excellent school system. People want to move here. That creates a situation in
which we take a look at our facility needs so as to benefit our students. I am
sure that we can all put our heads together and develop a plan that will do
that, and that hopefully will get support the next time."
Jim Hanus
www.AllAboutRichmond.com
email:
list@allaboutrichmond.com
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