RES 368 Draft 01 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Exhibit "A" 10. Placement of younger students with high school students is a pressing concern for youth, parents, and staff. An estimated two dozen community members, parents, youth, and teacher testimonies were presented during task force meetings and at the January public hearing. Inappropriate social interactions, intimidation, and the decrease of leadership opportunities for younger students were concerns most cited. Please see attached testimonies for further information. 11. Large capital costs would be required to accommodate consolidation needs. Changes in transportation and utility costs would likely be insignificant. This is based on the premise that utility costs would rise for the campuses accepting an increased population. Data indicates that most of the repair and maintenance costs for the middle school have already been addressed. On the other hand, the costs to construct portable classrooms or add permanent classroom buildings would cost millions of dollars. (Estimates received list a portable classroom costing in the range of $350,000- $400,000 and building housing 12 classrooms costing $15,000,000). Critical review of data, acknowledgement of public input, and consideration of task force discussions indicates multiple compelling reasons why the schools should remain as separate entities. Therefore, the Kohala Schools Consolidation Task Force wholeheartedly recommends that the Kohala Middle School remain on the Halaula Campus. Through this process of research and discussion, the following recommendations are supported by the task force: There is opportunity to help the schools formulate and implement an action plan that will further enhance learning experiences for all students in the Kohala Complex. It is suggested that the complex engage in ongoing collaborative efforts to share resources among schools to effectively utilize assets and to broaden the spectrum of services available to students. As the schools move toward developing a true K -12 construct, the complex will be able to provide a seamless educational experience for the 21 century learner. It is recommended that the schools investigate the feasibility of the School Community Councils being an integral part of this process. Even though this group has deemed the process beneficial, a recommendation is made that the feasibility of consolidation be considered prior to having a Task Force or Committee created. If minimal research had been done to consider the limitations of facilities and space, this study might have been cancelled. With current pressure and expectations on schools, unnecessary work detracts from the time and energy of school administrators and teachers. 3