Hello, Mr. Evans, Dr. Willow and Board members. As you know, I am Roger Stenersen, speaking on behalf of Rising to Learn, a nonprofit organization which follows the actions of the Board of Education and reports them to the public. Members of the public are invited to join with us by navigating to our website at RisingtoLearn.com.
First, on behalf of Rising to Learn, I publicly congratulate Dr. Willow on his appointment as superintendent for Washington County Public Schools. We all know your role will be a challenging one, and Rising to Learn stands ready to advocate for and support what is best for students.
Second, I would like to bring to the Board members’ and to the public’s attention this evening that an extensive volume of policies and procedures has been developed to guide your deliberation and decision-making. This volume is available online by navigating to the school system’s web site, selecting SCHOOL BOARD, then BOARDDOCS. The policies of this Board are intended to provide ways in which this Board keeps itself between the lines, as it were, and on the road to effective school system oversight. Unfortunately, it appears to the public that policies have been disregarded, manipulated and ignored.
Case in point number one: During the recent superintendent transition process, despite repeated requests from the community, absolutely no transparency about the process was shared by the Board. Your policy ABA: STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING expresses that “The Board of Education endorses the concept that community participation in the affairs of the school is essential if the school system and the community are to maintain mutual confidence and respect and work together to improve the quality of education for students.” Excluding the public from participating in a superintendent search is contrary to this statement and detracts from public confidence in this Board. Policy ABA further states that the Board will “keep the citizens of the district regularly and thoroughly informed through all the channels of communication” about pertinent processes. Again, I submit that the Board’s recent approach to the process of identifying and appointing a new superintendent fails to meet its own policy standard in that no communication about the superintendent selection process was shared. This concern in no way is intended to reflect on Dr. Willow or his abilities, but simply the lack of communication from the Board during the process.
Case in point number two: Recently a large number of citizens appealed to this Board regarding the re-naming of Salem Avenue Elementary School in Mr. Garner’s name. These individuals are, indeed, expressing their opinion to you, as you have expressed through your policy ABA that “All citizens will be encouraged to express opinions and educational concerns.” Your policy FF: NAMING AND RENAMING OF FACILITIES AND GRANTING OF NAMING RIGHTS states (with exclusions) that “Facilities may be named or renamed for…an individual who has made a significant contribution to the community…” Though there are certainly other individuals who may qualify for having a school named or renamed for them, it is abundantly clear to anyone familiar with the situation that Mr. Garner did, in fact, make a significant contribution to the Salem Avenue community by greatly enhancing the self-image of members of the school population and general community; this contribution on his part clearly resulted in an enhanced educational product for students. Others are better able to cite the numerous specific ways in which Mr. Garner effected this change – many have already done so - but to exclude him based on the debatably greater contributions of others is neither logical, valid nor within the written intent of your policy. Merely because this Board or the ones preceding it failed to exercise their rights as stated in this policy to name schools after others is no reason to deny the concerns and request of the Salem Avenue community.
In conclusion, for whatever reason, this Board seems to disregard policies by which it is legally bound to abide. Making this point is not, as one Board member has suggested, negative; it is simply a matter of fact. What will it take for this Board to take its responsibilities seriously? A legal suit? Another appeal to the State Board of Education? We hope neither occurs, but you have put this Board at risk for both. To avoid these eventualities, Rising to Learn urges the members of this Board to read, digest and abide by the policies which provide the legal roadmaps for you.