School board solicits, gets more public input at meeting

A group of 30 community members spent two hours Thursday night voicing their opinions on everything from staff training to state assessments in the Cape Girardeau School District.

During the district's first stakeholders' meeting, school officials heard ideas and criticisms from parents, students and educators about local communication and curriculum.

"This isn't like a board meeting. It's not a monologue," said board president Sharon Mueller.

Among other things, participants were asked their opinions of how much responsibility the district has for communicating with parents and staff, and if the current curriculum should be maintained in light of the district's financial woes.

Jefferson Elementary fourth-grade teacher Susan Ayers said elementary teachers have only enough time to focus on the middle-performing students, and therefore struggle to teach the lowest- and highest-performing students in their classes.

The poor results show up on annual state assessments.

"What's the point of me doing the humongous projects if kids don't have the basics," Ayers said. "The basics have to be there, budget crunch or not."

Parents expressed concern over a lack of information flow from the district. Suggestions were made to utilize the district's Web site to disseminate information and form welcoming committees to answer questions for newcomers.

"We act like we're so open, but when something is questioned, it's swept under the rug," said parent Sarah Schermann.

The meeting was facilitated by Missouri School Boards Association representative Jan Watson of Columbia, Mo. School board members and superintendent Mark Bowles were present, but did not participate.

"This is an avenue for you to express your feelings, but just because you say it doesn't mean it will happen," Watson told the participants, who were invited by the district to attend.

Thursday's meeting is the first of what the school board hopes to hold at least twice a year, if not quarterly.

School board member Robert Brown said he was surprised by the participation at the first meeting.

"I did not expect every hand to shoot up in the air at one point or another," Brown said. "I think everyone in this room benefited from tonight. It was idea after idea."

The information collected during the meeting by board members will be used when the board sets its annual goals this spring.

cclark@semissourian.com

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