Time for a change

I am now to a point where I welcome new leadership at the highest levels in my hometown school district. This is because there is a proven pattern of not listening to valid concerns with responsive progressive changes and people are treated poorly or ignored. As a community member for 40 years, a taxpayer and someone who loves our local school district, I will clearly focus on just 2 major areas of concern for now.

Sound human dynamics

I feel that quality relationships and a high level of collaborative thinking with a growth mindset must always be priorities in an organization. The system leader of the most complex system in the GCDSD is leaving. This individual informed me that she greatly appreciated previous thoughts I’ve shared in The Star newspaper. She knows it is hard to speak up but she also realizes I’ve been spot on. Now the GCDSD Sharp Kids Director is leaving. These are great, loyal people, and their exodus is unbelievable. Please read between the lines. These and other so-called resignations, retirements should not be acceptable. I also noticed an impossible job posting for a combined Special Education Director/Psychologist. I heard from someone involved that this posting was disappointing because both of these areas of expertise are extremely demanding (especially in today’s world) and require separate expertise and postings.

Fiscal expectations

The previous extra $1.00 levy ballot measure request by the GCDSD was made during this Covid-19 pandemic, now our local district wants to maintain this so our future total taxpayer costs per $1,000 valuation will stay at a projected $4.70 per year. This is not right, especially since our property taxes have doubled. Most school districts request only $1.50 and they make things work along with their other funding sources that school districts receive. Locally, we also received a significant amount of Impact Aid funds. Many school districts have a limited tax base and or other challenges. We are not as unique as we’re told. Here are a few major concerns that have been ignored:

49% voted no on GCDSD’s last ballot request.

Administration and the District Office are still over staffed.

The district office building needs to be sold.

Who is being held responsible and accountable for all of this dysfunction? We expect leadership not reactive management. Our top administrator must do much more, total taxation must be no more that 1.50 per $1,000 and everyone needs to be valued, respected, heard and treated properly or many will continue to vote no.

Change is very difficult, but we must find significant, creative solutions to serious challenges we’re all dealing with. Our students deserve nothing less!

John M. Adkins