BACK TO BASICS, NOT BOND ISSUE; BOARD SET TO DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SCHOOLS

It shouldn't cost the taxpayers any money for the Cape Girardeau Board of Education to improve basic education, provide sound financial management, emphasize high academic standards and provide more discipline in the schools.

Those suggestions topped the list of public concerns compiled by the Vision Planning Committee, which submitted a report to the board at Monday's meeting.

"I was not surprised by the fact that the top issues were issues of 'back to the basics' and curriculum," said Dr. Bob Fox, school board president, adding that many of the priorities can be resolved without additional cost to the district.

The board will use the results as it develops a five-year strategic plan for the school district. A study session is planned for March 4.

After a series of 18 public meetings, the eight-member committee added 28 people to help sort through the mounds of information it had gathered. Only a few of the committee members attended Monday's meeting.

The expanded committee agreed to distribute a public survey to verify results from the earlier meetings. A written survey, listing the top concerns, was included in the Southeast Missourian and also mailed to a sample of registered voters during December.

"It is particularly noteworthy that 25 of the 31 items identified as important from the public meetings were perceived as important by at least 60 percent of the respondents," said David Hahs, committee chairman.

But the needs were listed differently in the two reports. The need for new buildings, the No. 1 priority in November, ranked 23rd on the community survey, compiled only a month later.

The difference could be attributed to the survey samples, since the first report relied heavily on information from teachers, administrators and school staff, not necessarily the public.

The board will look at the community meeting results and the survey results separately, but will try to meld them into the strategic plan, said board member Harry Rediger.

Fox said the board hopes to be more open and honest about its business with residents.

But Joyce Jenkins thinks they haven't been honest enough about school policies.

She claims board member Terry Taylor threatened her son in November. She then filed a complaint with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People asking for Taylor's resignation.

Fox said the matter won't be discussed by the board until a written complaint is filed with the superintendent. School board policy restricts discussing personal complaints against a board member in open session of a meeting.

Jenkins refused an offer to meet with the board in closed session Monday.

"It's against the law," she said, referring to the Missouri Sunshine Law, which requires open meetings except under narrow exclusions. She added that the board was trying to sweep the matter away by refusing to address it in open session.

Dawn Evans, NAACP president, supports Jenkins and said she will see that Taylor's term is "uncomfortable" if he doesn't resign.

Taylor said he won't resign.

"This matter is personal and has nothing to do with the school board," he said.

In other action, the board hired Bill Biggerstaff as assistant superintendent effective in the 1996-97 school year. His two-year contract calls for a salary of $62,400 the first year and $63,500 the second. Under a new school policy, all administrators will work under a two-year contract.

Vision Planning Survey

More than 300 responses to the Vision Planning Committee survey were returned by the Dec. 31 deadline. Survey results, listed in order of importance:

Emphasis on basics -- reading, writing and mathematics (98%)

Sound fiscal management and efficiency (97%)

Emphasis on high academic standards (93%)

More discipline in school (90%)

Improve communication/ build community trust (89%)

Equal treatment of all schools (87%)

Increase parental involvement in school (85%)

Develop a facilities master plan (84%)

A long-range financial plan should be presented to the community (84%)

Increased information about school finances (82%)