Minutes - 20031016 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Leslie Lee: Good evening. My name is Leslie Lee, and I will read a statement from the Mary Scroggs Elementary School Parent Advocacy Committee. And most of the things that I have to say, I'm afraid you've heard by now. The Mary Scroggs Elementary School Parent Advocacy Committee believes that every child in Orange County should be provided with the best possible education and that every school should receive the necessary resources to accomplish this goal. We believe there are disparities between our school systems. However, given the information we have at this point, it is unclear to us whether merger is the answer. The recent report on the potential impact of merger raised many questions -questions we believe should be answered before a decision is reached on whether to vote on the issue of merger. For example, in the event of merger, what would a likely redistricting plan look like? What would the transportation needs be and how would they be met? Would the funding and salaries of city schools be frozen until the two school systems become equal? How would academic programs, staffing, and resources for these programs be affected in the time leading up to merger and following merger? All schools follow a State mandated curriculum, yet have the flexibility to implement the curriculum according to their needs. How would an impending merger or the merger itself impact ongoing curriculum planning and development? Would teachers be reassigned in order to equalize staffing? Parents and staff value greatly the opportunity to provide input into the running of their schools. What effect would an impending merger have on site-based management and long-term decision-making? Would a larger school system be more effective than two smaller ones? In addition to these questions, we believe there are other issues which are harder to address, but should also receive careful consideration before a decision is reached. Would stagnant funding of City schools in the time leading to a merger result in the loss of qualified teachers and staff in a time where all schools are struggling to meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act? The County Commissioners required the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education to adhere to the principles of smart growth with design of the third high school. Could merger be accomplished in a manner compatible with the principles of smart growth? How would urban sprawl be restricted? Given the Triangle area's recent smart growth report card, we believe this is an important issue. We urge you to carefully and thoroughly consider all potential consequences of going down the merger path, since it will not be possible to turn back, to seriously consider all alternatives, and to study other examples of merger and their outcomes. Most importantly, we ask that a merger vote not proceed without swell-developed plan that addresses all of our questions. Thank you. Patty Courtright: Hi, my name is Patty Courtright, and I have a child in the Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools. I am opposed to merging the two school systems. We have two excellent systems. Parents in each school system are supportive of our schools and are proud of their respective school system. In all the information that's been presented, I have heard no good reason for merger. What I have heard is the need to increase funding for the Orange County school system. As the County Manager's office has pointed out, there are many options for creating this necessary funding that do not require merger. I urge you to adopt a County district tax that will provide the needed funding and is fair to the taxpayers in the County. In addition, Dr. Pederson and Mr.