Consolodation?

[Merlin]

Good points yourself there Rock.

The study was, in fact just that, a study. It was a snap-shot of what these experts perceive as the current state of the school system as a whole -- all aspects. It was not part of the study to tell the school board and administration what to do about it, though they could have made it part of the contract to provide a detailed list of possible solutions. But, they really didn't provide details or easy answers. There will be none. When all is said and done the school system will have to use the results of this study as just one more piece of information in the process to make some very difficult decisions in the not too distant future. These decisions will likely be openly hated by some, unpopular with most at best, but a necessity none the less. What the final landscape of our schools will look like, I have no idea at this point, but I do believe that drastic changes are needed and will be made....sooner as opposed to later.

[R0cketer]

A) The meetings were not public forums. They went out into the community and talked with people, individuals and into all communities. They didn't have big public forums for this study, because this is what they call a 'sampling'. If they announce a meeting, 9/10 times the same people show, the same people speak, and that tends to be the only people you hear from. You don't think so, look in the newspapers whenever there are school board meeting or board of supervisor meetings. The same people stand, the same people speak, the same people are quoted 90% or greater of the time. How is that getting a new view? Like Counts said, when they had public meetings in Dickenson County, the same group showed up at the Clintwood meeting, the Haysi meeting and the Ervinton meeting. They got nothing new or very little from having those type of meetings. By doing a sampling, and visiting individuals, you can find out what other people, maybe those aren't so 'enthusiastic' think about it.

B) You say that they weren't here to look at consolidation, nor have a view on it. They didn't. Read what is said. They do not say "Wise County schools you better consolidate" They gave numbers, they gave what other like sized counties do and said hey there are some hard decisions ahead. That's it. They didn't tell Basham to colsolidate and full speed ahead. You said after asking several that you was under the influence that the school were not even looking to be consolidated. First off, again, you're asking people and what you get an answer depends entirely on who you ask. If you go Appalachia and ask 10 people their view on consolidation, I'm giving you good odds that you're going to get 9/10 saying its something akin to the devil. If you go to Wise, most are going to not give to much of a care about it, either way. You said the study was to make the schools and its system run more efficiently. If you take your car to a garage to try to make it run more efficiently or better and they tell you hey we can fix it for 8000 and you can buy a new one for 10000, well if you aren't capable of figuring out whats the best idea, than that is your problem. Go buy a VCR for $35 at Walmart and then when it breaks spend $50 to send it off to get fixed or go buy a new one...sometimes the more efficient way is to just say crap on the old and get new.

Again, this was a resource management review. This was not a consolidation study. This was looking at the big picture, while believe it or not, consolidation is only one issue. There was issues dealing with maintenance, there was information dealing with technology, staffing (schools and central office), finances, transportation, and more.

Again, the information you get, depends on who you ask. If you ask some old timers around Clintwood, our school colors were green and gold and white. If you ask people who were around the last ten years, they had no clue of gold. It all is relative and depends on who you ask.

[oakland_raiders]

consolidation would really suck but i am graduating this year so i am not worried about it

The point your missing is these Rocketer.

Trust, reliability and honesty at our local government. That is and now has been broken. I can give figures and opinions all day.
But the idea is to fix what is wrong. You cannot fix what is wrong.
Till you fix the first few problems. I know that is not popular and many have to much pride and ego to say. I was wrong. Or maybe we went to far to quick.
The damage is and has been done.

Until there is a level of honest and open dialogue you will never get this going. It's as simple as that. The citizens feel betrayed. Heck even the board of supervisors are questioning our school administration.

To me that is where the problems lie. They need to step up to the plate and assume responsibility for what they created. Yes they created.

I don't think the citizens would see it as hard or be as hard on the issue if, honesty and some clear thoughts and agenda's were put out.
And honestly citizen groups from each community. Working with the school administration, and board. But when it is evident you are getting lied to. All that leads to is what you have here.

We can discuss it all day. Like i told the one person. This study can not be done without a huge change in the whole system. And consolidation. I was given no answer. I didn't expect one. But i knew exactly what the recommendations would be.

Like i have said. It's not about pride or this or that. It's about a thing called honesty.
Well the school administration and many on the board have not been. Yet they expect the citizens not to say a word or question them?
How can you not?

Big picture. Study or not. Change will come and is needed. But it must be done on open channels involving the administration, the board and citizens of the communities.

Again. Will that ever happen?
If i told you i would give you $10 dollars for something. And i give you only $5 dollars and never give you your other $5 would you apt to believe me again, when i come asking?
I don't think so.

Maybe that will put it in terms a lot can understand.

Trust has been lost. It has to be re-earned. When that is done. I think you will see progress. But not till then. And it's not just the citizens it's other boards in Wise County who are questioning why not just be open and honest with the citizens and let them, help not make them hate, or feel betrayed.

[imported_Counts]

Things are getting a little fuzzy for me will there be a vote for or against consolidation in the near future or is even that somewhere in the haze of the future. I assume that since this report "Was Not About Consolidation" that there will have to be a committee to do a report on "Consolidation"....aint burcrecy great LOL

[imported_six4three]

what this report says is this: "you told us not to look at consolidation, but we think it is what needs to be done. we are not experts on consolidation, but it looks like to us that you need to study it."

[R0cketer]

LPD,

Trust, honesty...government....come on! If you think any government is truthful, honest and such, ocean front property in Kansas for sale cheap. That being said, listening to someone, or second hand information told to you by someone, might just might be corrupted! You ever play that game where a group of people sit in a circle, and whisper something to the person beside them and it goes all the way around the circle and by the time it gets back to where it starts it was almost never close to what you started with. Welcome to politics. When quotes are taken from the paper, from people who are completely against consolidation, what do you expect them to say??? If I sit here and tell you the sky is blue 50 times and you keep saying no its not, I'm not lying to you, its just your not wanting to hear the truth and in a lot of the cases, especially on this issue, thats the case.

They need to step to the plate and assume responsibility for what they created....absolutely!!! I think the report says the central office is over staffed, thats out there, thats in the paper, did they hide that? Did they tell him to not bring that out in the meeting? Heck no, its there. Sitting around harping on mistakes is not going to fix it. Them saying hey we probably done some things wrong isn't going to fix it. You can sit here all day, all night, all week, and for the next 20 years waiting for someone to say we messed up, that isn't going to fix a thing. Get past the issue of 'hey maybe they talked about consolidation when they said they hadn't' and focus on THE issue, which is the kids, the schools and how the heck to afford them. It doesn't take a study or rocket science to realize that a lot of the money that pays for the schools around here is coming from Northern Virginia and that the tax money coming in from Appalachia or Pound isn't going to keep a school open.

To many want honesty but then when they get honesty, if its not what they want to hear, they tell people they will get rid of them. I mean when the guy who presented the information at the meeting last night had to have police escort him out, you get an idea of what you're dealing with. It's people who don't want facts, unless its what they want to hear!

You're right if you tell me you're going to give me $10, and only give me $5, I wouldn't trust you, but if you say you're going to give me $10 and then tell me you can't afford to give me $5, I cant sit and demand the other $5 just because I want it.

Exactly guys. The study was done to see what needed to be done and how to make the system run more efficiently. It was not a study on consolidation.
It pointed to consolidation as a means to fix the problems, and be able to afford what was looked at.

The problem with our schools is not going to go away. Something needs to be done. We all see that.

But a few first steps. One everyone needs to lay their cards on the table and say look this is where we are. This is what we need to look at. And with some truth and honesty. The administration, board and citizen groups from all schools, should be formed. So they can sit down and iron out some solutions.
These groups can talk to those they represent.

At the present time. There is a huge problem with honesty and trust. But progress as far as anything can be made. But you have to have a way to get it started.

We all agree something needs to be done. The study outlined many problems from buildings, classes, maintenance and all Rocketer said.

The problem. As i said. A lack of communication and trust. The study was just that a study. But it is something that will have to be implemented at some time.

But to even start that process. You have to fix the problems you have now. To me i think it would help if the administration would just be straight out with the folks of Wise County on what they feel needs to be done. Get some straight talk from the Board. And then let them and elected citizen groups sit down and work out something without lies and attitudes getting in the way. We all know the school have problems. We all hate to lose a school, it a natural part of your community. But at some point and time we all know something has to change.

Problem is how to get back what has been destroyed and work for the common good of the kids and their future. Whether it's consolidation or whatever needs to be done.

Im not against it. I have issues with it because of past lies and some who had their own agenda's. Like i said it's time the administration says we messed up. If we are to proceed or look at any thing with consolidation. We have to fix that first and win back our citizens and other boards, without their confidence we cannot proceed. And the board needs to do the same. And level headed citizen from each community needs to be involved in these talks, so they can inform the others of what is being considered. One meeting or two a month to fix a county wide problem, is that to much to ask. And to mend some broke fences?

[R0cketer]

Actually, my information and views are that there no study will be done till the process is started, kind of like what is going on in DC Counts. The Board has to decide what to do and then it starts...

[Merlin]

I'm sorry, but I don't necessarily think that anyone has lied to us yet. This whole consolidation fiasco was ignited by a supposed rumor about Appalachia being closed during an upcoming school board meeting. But, I have yet to hear anything from a reliable source that this actually was to the case. No real public discussion by the school board on the issue has happened other than in an attempt to rebut other rumors and lies. So, now we find ourselves in a volatile environment with a lot of half-truths and misinformation being spouted by individuals who may or may not know anything factual. The only thing we really know is that the subject is now out in the open and on the table for debate.

There was a study performed sometime ago to determine the proposed costs to renovate some of the schools while closing the two least cost-effective ones, Appalachia and Pound. That study along with this new "Resources Management Review" is the only factual information I've seen to date about the true current condition of the school system as a whole and the need for major changes. Everything else is unsubstantiated. If certain people would just shut up and listen with open minds and a real desire to do whatever is best for the school system and ALL of our children then and only then will the truth be allowed to be presented.