BOARD SHOULD RETHINK WASHINGTON PRINCIPAL

Dwindling finances have forced the Cape Girardeau Board of Education to make some tough choices. On March 9, the board unanimously voted to cut $1.2 million from its budget.

It's no surprise the reductions have stirred some repercussions in the community. Good programs and people should inspire strong loyalties among parents, teachers and staff. Most of the cutbacks seem reasonable, if not necessary, for the district to remain fiscally responsible.

But the board should reconsider its decision to eliminate a full-time elementary principal. School officials have suggested that May Greene and Washington schools could share a principal as an alternative. Board members indicate there are other options as well; these alternatives should be brought out now for public debate.

Washington's PTA is leading the fight to retain its full-time principal. Petitions now circulating will be presented to the board at its April 13 meeting. The Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission has also protested the move, saying it could adversely affect long-term property values.

Some parents and others have suggested that Washington and May Greene have been targeted because the board and administration consider them second-rate facilities, or that the move was racially motivated. These aren't fair accusations. Frankly, the numbers do tend to support the board's decision. May Greene and Washington have the smallest enrollments, with 225 and 340, respectively. That compares to Alma Schrader with an enrollment of 589. A transfer request by Washington's principal, if accepted, created the vacancy in the first place.

But we believe the Cape Girardeau school board should not base its decision on numbers, nor on dollars, alone. What is gained in revenue would be lost in leadership in our elementary schools.

Principals do more than order supplies and evaluate teachers. They are instructional leaders, establishing the educational climate in each building. It's important that parents, teachers and, most of all, students have easy access to our principals. In these days of growing one-parent families, principals can provide a solid role model for students.

Although schools differ in size, the same educational programs are offered in each building. As such, an elementary principal's duties are not that much different from school to school. Washington and May Greene also have Chapter One remedial programs not offered at Alma Schrader and Clippard.

It's true principal sharing is also a common procedure in many districts, including Jackson where two elementary principals administer seven buildings. But that procedure may become less popular under changing state accreditation standards. The new standard requires one principal for every 500 students, instead of 700 under the old guidelines. As such, a combined principal at May Greene and Washington would not qualify.

The district will realize a $50,000 savings from the current position when Franklin's long-time principal retires. That includes salary and fringe benefits. But the price to replace the Washington principal full time would be less probably around $40,000 plus benefits. That represents a small percentage of the $1.2 million in reductions, and is surely not worth the hard feelings it has generated among parents and staff.

School board members have indicated that Washington School can be effectively administered without a full-time principal. If that were done, a full-time principal would probably be retained at May Greene.

But one elementary school should not be singled out. If a change in elementary administration is proposed, let it be publicly debated and adopted across the board.

Reconsidering the elimination of a full-time principal should not be seen as a lack of leadership on the part of the board. It's not a matter of backing down. It's a matter of being responsive to district patrons with a legitimate grievance.