Don't Blame Kolesar

Read Mr. Kolesar's proposal and answers for parents below

Rickard Turns Deaf Ear to Consolidation Plan

Student Count Takes Another Big Drop

Mr. Kolesar advised the board that he is receiving many inquires as to the  specifics of the consolidation plan. Tim put together a basic plan and suggested joint sessions of the school boards to come to some agreement on a plan. Yes, it is true that an intermediate board is not bound by the previous boards. However, why would they not follow the wishes of the previous school representatives.

Principal Tim Kolesar in the photo above presented the School Board with a letter (below) and a consolidation plan. Without so much as a thank you Tim for the work you put into this endeavor , Board Member Ed Rickard dismissed the plan within  a heartbeat and without studying or discussing it. Why did the other board members sit silent ? No wonder this district is in trouble.

Are Rickard and IASD Board Playing Games
With Consolidation Proposal?

By being silent the IASD hopes to avoid any controversy and lull Bessemer and Wakefield voters to sleep on the issue. In the previous consolidation effort, the Superintendents of the three school districts, Larry Kapugia, Al Gaiss and Percy Smith put a detailed plan together which included what schools the students would attend, what bus routes would be incorporated, and personnel allocations. Students and Parents have the right to know the answer to these questions.

What School Will My Child Attend?

The I.A.S.D. is still planning to close Norrie School and build an addition onto the L.L.Wright High School. The I.A.S.D.  will be unable to pass the bond issue and are looking to use the Bessemer District to get a bond passed. They  plan on keeping the Sleight School open for the the K-2 grades. If consolidation is approved they also intend to hire all the teachers from all three school districts .

So how will this plan or lack thereof do any good for any of the school districts? The first thing they may tell you is that there will be savings in administration cost.  But only temporarily, as other increases in budgetary items will quickly wipe out the small, very small savings in administration cost.

Ironwood District Heading Into a Deficit

If consolidation would pass what we would have in the end is one very large financially strapped school district instead of one smaller one (IASD)

Kolesar Letter  Below Rejected Out of Hand by Ed Rickard

Tim Kolesar's Effort to Provide Answers to Parents

Best Interest of All Students Plan

1.) Consolidation will do the following:
A.) Guarantee a strong/diverse curriculum for all students in 4 communities.
B.) Offer a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities for students to pursue their areas of interest and develop healthy ways to interface with other students.
2.) We must look at the big picture and do what is best for our students. With all the extra-curricular offerings, students will find the right activity to meet their needs. Our students will compete with any program in the U.P. and be very. successful. The curriculum will also prepare our students to meet the challenges of any. institution of higher learning in the country.
3.) If consolidation occurs, we-will provide an excellent basic skills curriculum, but equally important, maintain a diversified program which answers the needs of college- bound, employment-bound; and those who. are still searching for direction.

Course Offerings
 

ENGLISH
Sections
5 English 9
5 English 10
1 Applied Comm I
5 English 11
1 Applied Comm II
4 English 12
1 App Comm III
1 AP Adv. Comp
1 Drama
1 Mythology
1 English in Media (Journalism)
1 Speech

LANGUAGE
Sections
3 Spanish 1 2 Spanish II· 2 Spanish III 1 Spanish IV 1 German 1 1 German II
SOCIAL STUDIES
Sections
5 American History 5 World History
5 Government/ Econ 2 Sociology
1 Psychology

SCIENCE
Sections
3 Physical Science
1 Earth and Space
1 Earth, Sea & Sky
1 Ecology
4 General Biology
2 Human Biology
5 Chemistry 1
3 Chemistry 2
1 Physics

MATH
Sections
5 Alg 1
5 Geometry
1 Math 301
4 Alg II
2 Pre-Calculus
1 AP Calculus
 

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Sections
2 Tech 1
2 Tech 2
2 Woodworking 1
1 Woodworking 2
2 Welding 1
1 Welding 2
1 Vocational Welding 1 & Z 1 Vocational CAD 1 & Z
1 Vocational Computer Repair 1 & Z 1 Vocational Graphic Arts 1 & 2
1 Vocational Building Trades 1 a Z
Nice to Have:
1 Machine Shop
1 Auto Mechanics.

ART
Sections
3 Art 1
2 Art 2
1 Ceramics and Crafts/Commercial Art :
 

Thoughts About Athletics:
 

Would be difficult to change some of the current thinking:
Example:
Frosh would try out for Freshman teams. Sophomores would try out for JV Teams.
Junior/Seniors would be competing for a spot on the Varsity teams. Currently - a lot of 9th and 10th grade athletes are forced to play on
varsity teams due to low numbers.: .
Students would actually have choices With. a consolidated district.
. Currently - some schools may have only one sport per season
for the ·boys and another for the girls. .
Some Students may actually be playing or participating in an activity they don't like.
 

2.) Have we properly prepared our vocational students for a career in:
a.) Welding
b.) Machine Tool
c.) Building Trades
d.) Computer Repair
e.) Plumbing
f.) Electrical

3.) Do our students possess the knowledge necessary to compete in a technologically-advanced society. Computer skills are now needed to make sure you can make it through your years at college.

4.) We must realize that the cost of higher education is definitely rising. If our students are forced to take introductory courses before entering the real curriculum, our parents will be spending hundreds of dollars and not even realize the waste of their money.
 

Questions and Answers

Answer: If the schools consolidate, all four present boards cease to exist. The Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District Board appoints an interim board. The first responsibility of the interim board is to call for an election for the regular board within 45 days.
 

Question: How· . many members would . be on the new Board of Education, and are there any residence restrictions?
 

Answer: Both the interim board and the new board would have seven members. The seven members would be elected at large, that is, they could come from anyplace from within the new school district,
 

Question: Do the present boards of Bessemer, Ironwood, Wakefield, and Marenisco have any influence over the policies of the new consolidated school district?
 

Answer: Legally, the present boards of Bessemer, Ironwood,
Wakefield, and Marenisco do not have the ability to bind the . board of a new school district. The new school district board could accept or reject proposals from the individual boards.
 

Question: Why is it necessary to consider consolidation?
 

Answer: State financing is not continuing to keep up with inflation.
The number of students has been declining for the past 10 - 15 years. The school districts believe voters should have the opportunity to vote on consolidation to improve curriculum and generate a larger tax base for the new school district.

 

Answer: During the 2003-04 school year, Bessemer has 552 students, Wakefield has 267 students, Marenisco has 74 students, and Ironwood has 1,117 students in grades PK-12. That means that the PK - 12 enrollment of the new school district would be 2,010. The high school enrollment would be 727. This means that the newly consolidated school district would be Class BB for football, and Class B for all other activities.
 

Question: What is a Middle School?
 

Answer: It is a school devoted exclusively to the education of students
at the Middle Grade level. The most conventional
combinations are:
Grades 6, 7 & 8 Grades 7, 8 & 9 Grades 7 & 8
Middle Schools have been primarily created to adequately provide for the unique developmental characteristics of students in this age range. Those characteristics include the intellectual, physical, psychological, social, and moral and ethical development of children of this age. A middle school provides a school devoted to the transition between the elementary and secondary levels.
 

Question: How will the busing issue be handled?
 

Answer: The four transportation systems would be merged into one.
All of the routes would be studied to eliminate duplication. The starting times of the elementary schools, middle school, and high school would have to be coordinated and changed slightly so that most bus runs would start at approximately the same time and end at approximately the same time. This will have to be studied in greater detail.

 

Answer: Yes. All of these factors are important. Individuals would have to change their concept of the school community to include all four districts. Intramural programs and other sports could be added to help ease the student demand for sporting activities.
 

Question: Who decides on the new district's mascot name, etc?
 

Answer: The new Board of Education would be charged with this responsibility. Most of the school districts that have consolidated have done it through a contest involving parents, students, and staff. The new Board of Education could use this procedure.
 

Question: What is consolidation going to do for academics now? .
 

Answer: A proposed curriculum is being developed by the principals for submission to the respective committees. The curriculum will be more extensive than it is now.
 

Question: Where are we curriculum-wise if we do not consolidate?
 

Answer: If the school districts do not consolidate, each individual school district will have to continue to try to the best of its ability to maintain a strong curriculum. Individual schools will not be able to offer separately what they could offer together.
 

Question: Will all the special programs be set up after the vote?
 

Answer: The proposed special programs will be set up ahead of time.
Voters will know what programs· are being recommended for the new school district before they vote.
 

Answer: The proposed curriculums are being developed. The curriculums are an improvement over any that are being offered by anyone of the four school districts. This is the curriculum that will be recommended to the new Board of Education. The new Board of Education could change the proposals, but probably won't do so initially.
 

Question: What will happen to course offerings that already fill up rapidly?
 

Answer: Additional sections of course offerings that fill up rapidly could be added.
 

Question: Are the curriculum advantages more at the high school level?
 

Answer: There will be curriculum improvements at all levels. Whether the advantages will be more at the high school than at the junior high level, or than at the elementary level will depend upon one's perspective.
. .
 

Question: If we consolidate, will new textbooks have to be purchased?
 

Answer: If the school districts consolidate, the textbooks will have to be ·uniform throughout the school district. Therefore, some new textbooks will have to be purchased.
 

Question: If the school districts consolidate, what plan should be made to prepare students?
 

Answer: Students in grades 7 - 12 should be able to tour the facilities they will be going to school at the following year. The students should meet the other students from the other schools that they. will be attending school with, both formally and informally. Formally could include school assemblies. Informally could be dances.
Students in grades PK - 6 would not be affected.

 

Answer: The' athletic program for the possible newly consolidated
, school district will be ' developed by the athletic directors/principals from the four school districts. This will be announced as soon as possible.
 

Question: Would there be an athletic eligibility loss?
 

Answer: No.
 

Question: To what athletic conference would the new district belong?
 

Answer; This question cannot be answered at this time. It would depend upon the wishes of the respective conferences that schools are in now. With the size of the new district, a conference with schools like Houghton, Calumet, Kingsford, Menominee, Escanaba, Gladstone, Marquette, etc. could be formed.
 

Question: Will the number of extra-curricular actlvitles be increased?
 

Answer: Yes, they would. The exact additions will be developed by the principals and athletic directors. In addition, there could be an intramural program.
 

Question: ' Regarding the resolutions passed by each of the present four school districts to keep current employees, do these resolutions bind the new school district?
 

Answer: No. The resolutions do indicate that the . purpose of
considering consolidation between the present four school districts is to improve student curriculum and educational -opportunities.

Answer: It would be up to the new school district and its Board of Education to decide on retaining employees. Bessemer, Ironwood, Marenisco and Wakefield could pass resolutions recommending that all present employees be kept and the staff reductions be arrived at through attrition. That is, through people retiring or leaving.
 

Question: What will happen to existing teachers?
 

Answer: If the new school district follows the resolutions of each of the present four school districts, no teacher would lose a job. Building assignments could change due to the changing building configuration.
 

Question: What happens to the union contracts that each school district presently has with teachers and support staff?
 

Answer: Contracts with individual teachers. would remain in effect through the end of the school year. The new school district would then negotiate new contracts for teachers and support staff. The present contracts of all school districts with these two groups will be null and void at the end of this school year.
 

Question: What does the law say about personnel contracts in the new district?
 

Answer:· The law indicates that the new district would have to negotiate new contracts with the different employee groups. Each employee group would have to decide which, if any, union would represent them ..
 

Answer: That has to be negotiated with the new school district after the vote, but all employees should retain years of seniority and they should be placed in their earned spot on the seniority list.
 

Question: Would employees lose personal days and sick leave days?
 

Answer: That would have to be negotiated with the new school district.
 

Question: Who will be the Superintendent, the principal, or the head coach of any sport area?
 

Answer: That cannot be answered at this time. The new school board would appoint who the Superintendent is, who the high school principal is, who the elementary principals are, and who the head coaches are .
..
Question: Will faculty size increase?
 

Answer: Faculty size should not be larger than the sum total of the four separate faculties.
 

Question: What is the effect on the Intermediate School District?
Answer: The Intermediate School District would be dealing with one district instead of four.

2.) What will the new curriculum look like for:
a) Elementary?
b) Middle School?
c) High School?

No answer
 
3.) Combining the 3 Extra-Curricular Activity budgets into one - what will our Sport Programs and other Extra-Curricular Activities look like?

No Answer

4.) Do the present boards of Bessemer, Ironwood, and Wakefield/Marenisco have any influence over the policies of the new consolidated school district?

No Answer

5.) What will happen to existing teachers that are currently employed by the three school districts?

No Answer

6.) What happens to the union contracts that each school district presently have with teachers and support staff?
No Answer

7.) What happens to the Seniority of the teachers and support staffs of the three school districts?

No Answer

8.) Would employees lose personal days and sick leave days?

No Answer