Invest in YES for Garretson. Vote YES on the Opt-Out Vote. Invest in our current and future Blue Dragons!
The residents of the Garretson School District have been presented a very important choice to consider with upcoming vote on Tuesday, March 21st. The question is whether our district should join close to 50 percent of the districts in the State and opt out of the state’s formula for funding schools. This vote is important to say YES to if we want to maintain the programming we currently have in place at the school, including our positive student to teacher ratios, which has always been important to our families and staff in the district.
I have been involved in the “behind the scenes” of the Garretson School District since joining the board 10 years ago. I am currently serving as the school board president. I have and have had the pleasure of working with many extremely knowledgeable and caring board members with a wide variety of areas of expertise that they bring to the table.
This diversification of our board has been good and there has always been someone that can offer “extra knowledge” in specific areas. I and these other board members have studied many different subject matters and situations with the guidance of our administration.
I have learned that for the district to match our mission and perform the necessary work to match the needs of a very diverse student base requires special work and special people in our buildings daily.
The needs of our students continue to INCREASE not DECREASE. The attention required for students with learning disabilities, students recovering the learning deficits from covid, and with more students than ever with behavioral issues related to serious mental health concerns continues to increase.
These challenges come along with the happy normal school environment of teaching and championing for the wide variety of personalities that are gathered with our GHS students and families. It does take all hands-on deck to do things well. The Middle School-High School principal needs to be focused on the staff and students grades 6-12 on all facets of education, discipline, and future thinking. The Elementary principal does the same for those precious k-5 kiddo’s, parents, and staff.
The expectations of what a school needs to do for students has continued to grow in those areas as well. The Special Ed director must focus on a growing set of challenges as this group has grown faster than most can imagine. This need is seen across the State and region, it has been in the news and is well documented in the meetings we attend in the world of “school”.
We need to keep an eye on curriculum and communicate with others in the area districts to keep up to date in these areas also. Our Superintendent is busy planning, implementing, and monitoring all facets of our student’s education and with the business of the school and its staff.
I have had a front row seat and the subjects to tend to, monitor and plan for do not seem to have limits. I have witnessed our superintendent as a life-long learner that will tirelessly lead and watch over for the district and the students, making important decisions in the best interest of the district, even when unpopular with some. The business manager is constantly working on the daily records, finances and HR needs of the staff. It is truly an enterprise more than I imagined when I first raised my hand to join the board. I also have a business background building and managing our family company which has now reached 80 Employees.
I have learned that not everything that I do for a private business translates to the public sector. This can be very frustrating at times, but I have taken the time to learn why some things are the way they are, and it mostly makes sense. There are times all I can do is shake my head as your hands are tied by State and Federal rules and regulations.
When our school district opted out the first time in 2016, I said my goal was to use the extra public money only as needed as the student numbers increased; they did, and we honored that pledge. For the final two years of the previous opt out we did not take the full $500,000, we only used $350,000. It was important to the administration and the board to honor that pledge; that importance has not changed.
Nobody wants to spend more money, that is completely understandable, and I am with you. When I am involved in asking the public for money, I take it very seriously. I hear what people tell me and listen; I am not immune to it. I wear it in my gut with my caring and hyper DNA. I know that many others in the district care the same and many have opinions that are different. I respect your opinion, albeit we may not all agree on every subject and decision.
What I do not want is LESS in our school. I have seen what it takes to make it all happen. The staff’s job has not gotten any “easier” with the students. The coordination with the government agencies and the requirements to keep current and in compliance has not lessened. All the bureaucracy and legalities has increased, and you must do everything to the letter of the law, or we will find our district in serious legal jeopardy.
An opt out will cost our family just like it will cost yours, but I look at YES as an important investment in our future. I look at YES as investment in our community. I look at YES as in investment in the lives of EVERY student. I look at YES as investment in the teachers and staff it takes to offer a FULL school experience for all students. I look at YES as an investment in my property. Do we really want to make our school LESS than it can be and show how we can “get by”.
I prefer not to do less when it comes to the education of EVERY child and young adult and helping them with their growth and well-being for their future. We now have data showing the results of recent efforts with the REACH program and student support teams and it is very positive.
These are the things that get me very excited. I am witnessing the focus on doing things the right way for every child. Our Administration team is leading as a group, all pulling the same direction to lead the different groups and reporting back with progress and having accountability for the work to get done. We have great teachers and staff that are working hard but at the same time are being asked to do some things differently than they have in the past. The goal is to make sure we can continue to move the needle in a positive way with our student performance and inclusion. Why would we want to cut these efforts short when the results are showing the difference (info to be released at the next board meeting).
I feel there has been a lot of change at the school and it has been moving in positive direction. That change has also made some people uncomfortable as there is consistent accountability to the expectations of education and behavior.
We have administration leading and challenging the staff to follow. Within the staff there is a commitment to raising the bar for the good of education and fostering an environment where kids can have fun learning, feel safe and can be prepared for their future whether that be the workforce or furthering their education.
We are a currently a unique size district that does not hit the target for the State’s formula. We are a district that will grow if we continue to offer the programs and ratios that we historically have. It is important to stay the course with the structure of our school.
The larger community has rallied with efforts like “Grow Garretson” and the city has made huge infrastructure investments for the future since the last opt out. We need to stay the course and let those investments mature and bring those young children into the schoolhouse to become Blue Dragons for life. Please think bigger than a difference or perception that some might have with a teacher, or administrator.
Since I have been old enough to pay attention, clear back to my elementary time in Garretson I remember there has been and I suspect there will always be challenges where not all will agree. Often, from these differences strong opinions will grow but we cannot let that distract us from the bigger picture. Often doing the right thing is not always the popular thing.
I have witnessed and have been part of a commitment to doing the right thing to work on a bigger vision and want to see the results to the finish line. As our sign says outside of town reads, I am “Proud to Call Garretson Home” and I invite you to invest in YES with me.
Sorry, this was long, but I had many thoughts I desired to convey as a parent, community member and with my years as a school board member. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
-Shannon Nordstrom
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