JACKSON SCHOOLS TO GATHER INPUT FROM COMMUNITY

JACKSON, Mo. -- A recently begun planning process for Jackson schools should dispel complaints that the district seeks only financial support from the community.

School officials have formed a 28-member committee that will lead a series of community meetings to gather public input about current and future needs of the district.

The first meeting will be held from 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday at Jackson Middle School. A second meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at the middle school. Dates have not been scheduled for two other planned meetings.

Information from the meetings will be converted into a list of goals and objectives that should result in a five-year master plan for the district.

The steering committee is charged with studying the district's finances, programs and facilities in an effort to plan for continued growth in enrollment. The committee also will survey staff, parents and community members about their goals for the district.

"It's a good idea for the organization to take a look at where we've been and where we hope to go," said Jackson schools assistant superintendent Dr. Rita Fisher, who is coordinating the steering committee meetings. "We especially want to hear from the public what they view as our strengths and weaknesses."

Outside expert

The district is calling upon expert planner Al Lowes of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to assist in the planning process. Lowes, an assistant schools superintendent in suburban Cedar Rapids, also performs consultant work in school districts across the nation.

"It just helps to have someone impartial take a look," Fischer said. She said Lowes will receive $5,000 fee to attend all community meetings and lead staff development meetings with administrators.

Steering committee members said the planning process should satisfy people who have been critical of the district's communication with the public in the past year.

A number of community members have accused the Board of Education and administrative staff of not being open about problems within the district and not planning for the future.

Committee member Pay Meyr said she hopes to help a good district remain that way and would like to see 100 or more people attend the meetings.

"When I started becoming involved in the past couple of years, I realized they have a lot of meetings," said Meyr. "I think they were criticized maybe out of ignorance more than anything, but if you open a meeting and the public doesn't come to it, they don't really have the right to criticize."

STEERING COMMITTEE

The following people serve on the Jackson School District long-range planning steering committee. They will lead community studies of the district's current and future program needs.

Board of Education

Mark Baker

Brent Wills

Staff

David Gross

Buzz Thompson

Bonnie Knowlan

Dan Beard

Dennis Parham

Rich McClard

Jean Gibbs

Kyle Mabuce

Howard Lewis

Community

Jack Litzelfelner

Geneva Hartle

John Thompson

Jeff Smith

Kathy Casteel

Don Sievers

Tim Goodman

Kent Puchbauer

Kevin Sutton

Pat Meyr

Dewayne Williams

John Rice

Beverly Nelson

Ken Parrrett

Terri Batz

Dale Rauh

Valerie Blodes