The 2015-2016 school year marks the end of Alta and Aurelia’s
first five year Whole Grade Sharing Agreement.
This past school year, both school boards from Alta and Aurelia entered
into discussion and conducted a review of the first four years of whole grade
sharing in preparation for the next phase in the journey together as
Alta-Aurelia.
A committee with two representatives from each school board was
formed to conduct the review and report back on findings, discussions and
recommendations. Both school districts’
attorneys reviewed the current contract for any needed legal changes or
updates. The following is a brief
summary of what the committee reported back to the independent school boards:
1. Financially, both school districts are stronger as a result of
whole grade sharing. Aurelia finished
FY15 with $1.2 million of unspent balance and Alta finished FY15 with $1.6
million of unspent balance.
2. Both districts have increased access to technology for students and teachers. Both districts have improved their technology infrastructure. Partly due to the increased financial ability to make improvements.
3. Improved professional development opportunities and increased opportunities for teachers to “team” with other teachers. Due to an overall increased number of staff members. Teachers work together on professional learning, lesson designs, curriculum writing and curriculum alignment making for a more positive teaching and learning environment.
4. Increased academic opportunities for students that didn’t exist prior to the whole grade sharing. Increased offerings in science and math, as well as increased exploratory opportunities for middle school students.
5. Increased extra-curricular activities in athletics, and fine arts as compared to offerings prior to the whole grade sharing. Both athletics and fine arts have had state champion competition levels of success.
Based on these discussions, the school boards for both Alta and
Aurelia unanimously approved a new Whole Grade Sharing agreement this past summer,
which will go into effect July 1, 2016 and will continue for the next ten (10)
years. During that time, re-organization
will be studied as a possible next step in the process.
So, what
is the difference between Whole Grade Sharing and Re-Organization?
In Whole Grade Sharing, two schools agree to share students,
classes, and staff but remain separate school districts. The two schools maintain separate school
boards, separated budgets, and separate taxing authorities.
In Re-Organization (commonly referred to as ‘consolidation’). Two separate school districts join to become
one new district with one new school board, one budget and one taxing
authority.
There are pro’s and con’s to each.
In the current Whole Grade Sharing Agreement between Alta and Aurelia
there are a number of shared positions for which both districts receive
additional funding (superintendent, business manager, transportation director,
curriculum coordinator to name a few). This additional funding would not be
available if the two districts consolidated.
For districts that vote to consolidate, there are some efficiencies
gained and a small property tax incentive for three years.
Whole Grade Sharing requires a vote of the school boards to
approve. Re-Organization (consolidation)
requires a vote of the public.
Personally, as long as Alta and Aurelia remain together in
whatever fashion the school boards and communities see fit, I view it as a huge
positive. As I am out visiting classrooms I witness more students in the
elective classes than in years prior to the sharing agreement. In elective
courses that would have literally had 2 or three students in the past now have
double digits. Small class sizes are great, but there comes a point where
a class is so small that it impedes education. In some of our elective classes,
that is where we were when we were separate.
Because of our now larger student numbers, we are able to offer
more elective classes at the high school and more exploratory classes in the
middle school than we have been able to offer in many years, and possibly ever.
Advanced Science classes have been developed, expanded offerings in
Business, Family/Consumer Science, Business and Industrial Technology are now
offered. Multiple sections of elective classes as well as multiple sections of
required classes are now offered, where, prior to the sharing agreement, only
one section may have been available in the schedule. This gives students
greater choice and flexibility to take classes in their areas of interest and
need.
The extra-curricular and co-curricular offerings are richer
together than when we were separate. Increased numbers have allowed for
for multiple levels of competition in many of our activities.
There are increased numbers in our music programs at both middle
school and high school. Interest is high and we anticipate those numbers
continuing to increase. Greater numbers in co-curricular and
extra-curricular programs gives us the opportunity to now have truly developmental
programs. Students aren't forced into situations where they have to
compete at levels above or below their skill levels, as was the case at times
when both schools were separate.
The board of education for both Aurelia and Alta meet at joint
monthly board meetings. Each gets to hear the discussions of the other
district and both boards are taking a keen, positive, interest in the business
of the other. If you were to walk in the board room as an observer, I think it
would be difficult to determine who was an Alta board member and who was an
Aurelia board member. The discussion is positive and forthcoming. There is a sense
of "team" that has been developed in the board room. This is
not only exciting and positive, but it will continue to have a positive impact
in the classrooms and our students' educational experience.
There are two questions that I have continually asked myself over
the past four years, "Are we better together than on our own?" and
"Is being together better than the alternatives both school districts faced
for their futures?" Based on what I am currently witnessing, the answer to
both questions is a definite "Yes!"
I for one am looking positively to the future as Alta and Aurelia
continue to grow together for the benefit of our children’s education.
