Bond Survey Results

Last Friday a group of our National Honor Society students opened the bond surveys and entered the data and comments.  As of today we have had 45% of all voters respond to the survey with results being nearly 50-50 yes and no voters.  Outside a few pointed negative comments the feedback will be extremely valuable as the Central Board of Directors makes a decision on how to solve our current facility problems in regards to age, safety, accessibility, and student learning.  A work session is planned for October 5th at 6:00pm in the High School Media Center to discuss the survey data and possible next steps.

As the Central Board of Directors works through next steps for our facilities, the Central staff and I have our work cut out for us in addressing some major misconceptions about Central.

1. Central is a viable school district and can will remain so for a very long time.  Yes enrollment is a concern, but even if we combine with another district enrollment will remain a concern.  Outside of a few urban areas, enrollment around Iowa is declining.  Merging two school districts with declining enrollment and all you have created is one district with declining enrollment, plus you expanded your transportation and building costs.  In the November Central Newsletter I will provide data showing Central's financial status and enrollment.
2. Education is different from when we went to school, and that is a good thing.  I know this is a tough concept for most to grasp, but education has changed immensely in the last 5 years.  Federal and State mandates have led to much higher accountability on teachers and administration.  Gone are the days were we can teach "one-size fits all" out of a textbook to the whole grade level class.  Teachers are now asked to meet each individual student's needs, something our public education system was never designed for.  I am incredibly proud of the work our Central teachers have done to meet the changes of higher accountability.  Data also shows it is working!  In my two years as elementary principal, Central Elementary has went from a 74% reading proficiency rate to an 85% reading proficiency rate.
3. Improving Central isn't about a feather in the Superintendent's hat, and it isn't about luxury for teachers and staff.  Improving Central is about improving our community.  We can not recruit new people to our area without a vibrant school district.  You have to look no further than our surrounding communities to see what happens when the High School leaves.  When you lose your High School, you lose your identity, you lose your events, you lose your crowds that visit our businesses.  We sometimes take for granted the fact that we have a hospital, movie theater, grocery store, restaurants, bowling ally, car dealership, and a variety of other businesses not found in most small rural towns.  How do we support these businesses we often take for granted without youth?
4. Face-to-face communication needs to continue to improve.  Social media makes it easy for anyone to be brave and say anything (I have been guilty of this myself).  Highly successful schools have incredible parent and community support.  All of us need to work together and own our school.  If you live in this district, you are a taxpayer and a stakeholder of Central.  Lets work together to find ways of communicating that do not divide the community and school, but unite them.  Our bond survey wasn't meant for finger pointing, but instead meant to make whatever we decide to try and do with Central's facilities, a true community effort and project.  If you have a concern with Central, please bring that to our attention before posting something on Facebook.  Nobody wins when our school district is spoken about negatively.  You are our stakeholders and we want to hear from you, that is the only way we can improve!

Results from the bond survey will be released on our district website and in the local paper shortly after the work-session.  We are also continuously working on updating our new district website to better provide information to our stakeholders.  Please let us know how we are doing or suggestions of things you would like to see.

Yes or No on the bond vote, lets work together to improve our Central Community.  Together we can do great things!