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GoogleAbout 30 people attended the meeting at the Junior High School, most encouraging concentrated efforts at the high school, which opened in 2002.
"It's in phases and it seems incomplete," said Kenn Stilson, adding that the district needs to finish what it initially planned for the high school. Stilson, who has a daughter in first grade, said he supported a new performing arts center.
The community feedback is part of the planning process to develop a facilities plan for the district. Administrators, parents and community leaders have been meeting to prepare ideas for the plan, which will outline construction and renovation projects. With public input at three forums, school officials say they hope to find direction for the long-term plan and meet community needs.
"We want to be proactive so we can see the changes that will happen in the future," said school board president Kyle McDonald.
Those who attended Monday's meeting completed surveys to provide feedback on possible grade configurations, construction projects and building improvements.
A popular idea emerging from committee planning sessions was to change grade configurations and house sixth through eighth grade in one building. Reconfiguration could lead to redrawing school boundaries and would require more space at the elementary schools.
Several community members also spoke in support of the current grade configurations, saying redistributions would not increase student achievement.
"I have real mixed emotions about overcrowding those elementary schools again," said Pat Renard, who taught with the district for 30 years.
Elaine Stone said redrawing the districts would be hard on the community.
"I think we don't need to put more change on the community unless it's worth it," she said.
Grade configurations, which changed in 2002, should not be shifted again, she said. Stone, who has a child in seventh-grade band, said she supports a fine arts complex at the high school.
The possibility of a sports complex was also a common topic during the forum. Some parents said they wanted Cape Girardeau schools to have the Friday night football tradition that is common throughout the United States. Currently the district plays home games on Thursday at Houck Stadium on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.
"You're talking about building pride in the kids," said Scott Horrell, the father of a sophomore.
Bob Komorech said a sports complex should be funded through area businesses and corporate sponsors. The district, he said, should focus on improving instruction to build achievement.
"If you have a well-defined curriculum, you'll see success," he said.
The district will host two more forums in the next week. The next one will be Thursday at Jefferson Elementary, 520 S. Minnesota Ave., in the cafeteria. Another will be held March 9 at Blanchard Elementary, 1829 N. Sprigg St., in the cafeteria. Both are at 6 p.m.
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OMG! Changing classroom sizes and restructering the grading systems isn't the answer to our failing school system! Getting rid of the bad teachers and giving the good teachers a raise would be a start. Notice that very few people were there- that's because us parents who have been in the school system long enough know that Cape school doesn't want parental input- they do want to give the appearance of asking for it- but when it comes down to the decisions they want us to keep our mouths shut.
frazzled63701, let me guess-you voted for Obama didn't you? It's your attitude that has our country in such a mess. Self-pity and ignorance are the leading causes of the disease we have. ******* your tail and go to the forum. If your ideas are worthy they will listen. Don't even think of complaining about how they did not listen if you do not speak. It's time to grow up!
I should have said "get up off" and it would not have been blocked.
frazzled63701, let me guess, you voted for Obama didn't you? Attitudes like yours are the problem in our country. Self-pity and ignorance are the leading causes of our disease. Go to the forum-if you have worthy ideas they will listen. Don't complain about their unwillingness to listen if you do not speak up! It's time to grow up.
missourinative- or should I say missourinaive-
I did NOT vote for Obama.
and I have spoken my mind many times in the past at Cape school meetings but to no avail. I am commenting on facts- unlike you who are shooting out of your mouth with no facts to back your opinion with.
Cape Girardeau Public schools are the WORSE in the whole county. Not only are the tests scores lower than any other schools in the county- but also their drop out rate is the highest in the county.
If you believe that lowering the scale of grading or redrawing the boundry is the answer to Cape's problems then you need to get you head out of your bottom and wake up to reality.
Frazzled, I don't think Cape schools are where they are at because of bad teachers. I certainly hope that you're just making a general comment. Native, what in the holy heck does Obama or voting for Obama have to do with this article. Go find another place to post your activist attitude.
one person being the head of the ctc and the head football is a situation that never should of happened.
too many people slighted.
only one person benefits. paid for both jobs?
what, no one else can have a job.
'ya feed pigs, and slaughter hogs'
-- Posted by charle on Tue, Mar 3, 2009, 10:34 am CDT
You don't want to overcrowd the elementary schools even more? They are already overcrowded! There is no easy solution here, but I definitely think the issue with not having enough room for students should be taken care of before building a sports complex. They have somewhere to play for now so that can be put on hold until the other problem is solved. Students are coming to schools where they have almost 30 children in a room that is meant for 15-20 and some teachers are having to be put into areas that used to be closets at some of the schools. Classroom sizes have been cut in half or smaller over the past few years because there is just not enough room! Let's be sure to remember this during all of these meetings please!
Have we as a community become so narrow-minded that our immediate response to failure in the schools is it is our teachers' faults? Many try to compare us to area schools, especially Jackson, and you cannot begin to find comparison in the classrooms of our schools. The failure of our schools is the direct effect of our students lack of interest, investment, and motivation in schools. With so little support from their homes, what else can be expected? The population in the Cape Public Schools is unlike any in the immediate area - while this diversity makes the school experience a "well-rounded" opportunity for our youth - it provides likewise a never-ending challenge for the teachers and staff in our buildings. Meeting the needs of our highest learners and the needs of our lowest all in eight hours a day. I have a lot of respect for the teachers of Cape - they could choose to go elsewhere where the diversity is not so challenging and the support is greater - but they choose to stay for our kids. There is no one party to blame for the failure in our schools - shame on you for immediately looking to them as a scapegoat for a community failure.
Forget CHS, let's put some money into the elementary side. Look how old they are--except for Blanchard the other buildings are 50 years old.
No boundary moving either. wowwee, well said.