SCHOOLS PROPOSE FORUMS ON RECONFIGURATION PLANS

Cape Girardeau's Board of Education has called for three open forums to solicit community input on a possible change in the school grade structure.

On Wednesday night, the board discussed some options to move the district toward a middle school educational system. The board also discussed the possibility of putting another tax increase on the ballot.

Responding at least in part to comments published in the Southeast Missourian Wednesday through Monday, board members said they believe the community perceives they are not communicating well.

The newspaper solicited and published comments from readers about why they voted against the district's failed tax levy Oct. 5.

The board directed that three meetings be set, one each at May Greene, Alma Schrader and Central Junior High School. Dates have not been selected, but should be set before a second study session tentatively planned for Nov. 22.

Board President John Campbell asked that the scope of the meetings be limited to comments on the proposed reconfiguration plans.

"We are not there to talk about the past election," he said.

In addition to the open forums, written comments are being solicited. Letters may be sent to the district office or any board member.

Board member Steve Wright said, "I think the public has said that we don't communicate well with them. Possibly we can have public meetings at each school and let the public come in so we can get some input."

Board members wondered, based on the low attendance at a public meeting held prior to the October vote, if multiple meetings would be productive. They decided on three.

At the study session the board heard several different options for changing grade-level groupings to more toward a middle school.

The option that received the most discussion was one that would create a sixth-grade center at May Greene Elementary School.

Under this scenario, sixth graders from across the district would attend classes at May Greene, just as all seventh graders now attend L.J. Schultz.

Kindergarten through fifth-grade students who would have attended May Greene elementary school would have their choice of attending any other elementary school in the district, as long as the school has space available.

Richard Bollwerk, director of elementary education, said May Greene was selected as the possible site for a sixth-grade center because the change would also address racial diversity in the district.

May Greene, with a minority population over 60 percent, violates Office of Civil Rights regulations. A school with a minority population is defined as being racially identifiable and in violation of those rules.

Bollwerk said creation of a sixth-grade center would allow teachers to implement some aspects of middle level education. He added that teachers in some elementary schools have already started to use team-teaching, one middle school method. The building in the 1960s and 1970s housed over 400 students. Bollwerk projected a sixth-grade population of about 330.

Some other possible configurations discussed include:

-- Kindergarten through fifth grade elementary schools, two middle schools with grades six through eight (one at L.J. Schultz the other at Central Junior High School), and a high school with grades 9-12.

Under this plan sixth-graders would be brought onto the joint campus of Central High School and Junior High. Division of the sixth through eighth-graders between the two middle schools would have to be done carefully to avoid creating a different racially segregated school at Schultz.

-- Attendance centers grouping kindergarten and first grade, second and third grades, fourth and fifth grades, sixth through eighth grades and 9-12 grades.

When any two consecutive grade levels are combined district-wide, enrollment totals over 700. Alma Schrader, the district's largest elementary building, currently has an enrollment of 579 students, and Bollwerk said it's crowded.

-- Kindergarten through fifth grades at elementary schools, a sixth through eighth grade middle school and a 9-12 high school.

This scenario, which would have been made possible with construction of a new middle school building, is the long-range goal, Superintendent Neyland Clark said. But without that building, the district does not have facilities to accommodate the move.

The board also discussed when they might put another tax increase before voters. Upcoming election dates include Feb. 8, March 8, April 5, June 7 and Aug. 2.

Business manager Larry Dew recapped the two failed ballot issues, one in April and one earlier this month.

Board legal counsel Joe Russell stated that the school district cannot by state law levy any tax except a property tax.

The board discussed the possibility of asking voters to waive the Proposition C rollback. The waiver is possible by a simple majority vote under Missouri's new school funding and reform law. Cape Girardeau rolls back 37 cents.

The board also looked at the possibility of asking voters again for a 51-cent tax increase to fund a lease-purchase construction project -- building a middle school, an addition to Jefferson school and air conditioning one elementary school.