problems with the k-8 model

7/29/2019 Problems with the K-8 Model

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Find

The district went forward before we had the space. We need two big gyms at least at each K-8 and a big

cafeteria and 2 computer rooms and a bigger library. The 7th grade teachers get no library time and the 6th and

7th get no computer time. Only having 2 45 minute PE periods a week doesn't meet the WAC code for number

of PE minutes a week for 6th graders. Our multi purpose room is way too small for all the kids we shove in

there each day for lunch. The fire Marshall would probably freak. I don't see how Pre-Al, Algebra. Home-Ec,

technology, Art, Music (each day), and any other electives will be taught in each K-8. Recess is only given to

K-5 classes not fair to our fellow teachers or kids. Why should I get an extra 15 minute recess when my 6th

grade neighbor does not? Different start and end times is ridiculous. The fact that CCS gets the prime schedule

is unfair. And, why can't my choice child be bussed to Otis when all CCS kids are bussed? I pay the same taxes

that a CCS parent does. Why do both my kids get out at separate times and 3:40 really, way too late to make

medical appointments.

Find

Having a vision without and adequate plan is a recipe for disaster. An effective plan would require adequate

research, funding, facilities, staffing, training, strong leadership, and solutions to anticipated problems. During

the so-called planning stage, our superintendent was asked dozens of critical questions about the

challenges/problems that would be created by his plan. His only response what that it was up to us to figure out

solutions, many of which required resources and support that were beyond our control and/or not available to

us. In addition to poor planning by our superintendent, EVSD grade schools are not adequate for meeting the

physical and educational needs of middle-school students. Our classrooms, gymnasiums, and cafeterias are

overcrowed. Our grade schools do not have lockerrooms, music facilities/equipment, science labs etc. Without

a central location for teaching art, science, technology, advanced, classes, etc. our students will be deprived ofthe opportunities that our neighboring schools provide for their students. It is our students who will have to pay

the highest price for the madness being forced upon them; it is a price that they will pay for years to come as

the enter high school, ill-equipped to take advantage of the opportunites awaiting them. This is incredibly

disheartening! Also, preteen children are going through major develpmental and hormonal changes which

impact their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Many of these behaviors are not appropriate for young children,

yet they are copying their older peers. Our students entering this stage of development were not trained to be

mentors or role models for the younger children that they are influencing. They do not understand the impact

that they naturally have on our young ones. A district mentoring program for sixth through eighth grade should

have been in place in each and every building prior to implementing the re-visioning. As the school board and

superintendent face the devastating conseque

FindWe can't seem to offer the same opportunities that we could with the middle school model. Our parents and

community don't seem to support it.

Find

The "revisioning" plan wasn't well-planned. Everyone is well aware of that now. And I think to go forward will

cause more issues than it solves. I wish there had been more options than "yes" or "no" to these questions,

because I don't think we should be on hold next year, but I also don't want to move forward. What I think our

district needs to do is consider this third option: keep the 6th graders at the elementary schools, and make the

middle school a junior high (7th and 8th grade only). Middle school/junior high provide extremely valuable life

and educational experiences that our current version of a K-8 school simply will not provide. These include, but

are not limited to, making new friends, figuring out a schedule, changing classes, having a locker, participating

in team sports, tapping into an inner artist or musician or actor. For many of our kids, finding something that

engages their soul in junior high, whether that be athletics or something creative, is what is going to keep them


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from destroying their lives. And the life experiences are invaluable and incomparable--it may seem a little thing

to learn how to change classes and decipher a schedule, but it is something that will force them to problem-

solve and use their own internal and external resources--a lesson that will follow them well into adulthood. The

only way you can truly create a cohesive, well-adjusted K-8 school is if you offer the same experiences and

autonomy to those older students. We are not doing that, nor will we ever be capable of it, even with a bond. I

grew up in a K-12 school. But there was not a day of junior high or high school that I didn't feel as though I had

my own space, independent of what was happening in the rest of the school. We can't begin to offer that, and sowe should stop this process now.

Find

The facilities for the K-8 model are not adequate in our district. Meaning, adding another portable isn't going to

solve the problem. The split starting times in the K-7 are not what's best for kids. All the negative people that

can't get over the K-8 model need to move on. Life's not fair, deal with it and don't drag others down with you.

Administration/EVEA/Everyone just needs to say the facts, no more "in the past we've done..... Blah blah

blah," or "we're one of the only district's to .... Blah blah blah." Just answer the question with a fact. If you don't

know, say "I don't know" quit speculating.

Find

1. If the voters get too agitated (and too accustomed to filling that NO bubble for school elections), then the

district is risking the M&O levey being defeated when it is next run, which would be a huge blow to the district

and its students. 2. Staff are afraid of administration and try very hard to keep their mouths shut. I have not seen

anyone act to undermine the changes that have been made, but the climate of fear is poisonous and has a

negative effect on the educational process for the students. 3. The new portable learning suites have tiny little

classrooms that are not big enough for the classes of students who are in them. The adminstration made amistake in selecting these particular buildings. 4. The Middle Level Learning Center, I hear, is not working

well at all for the students' education. The administration pushed for this idea hard and marketed it as a

wonderful opportunity for students. But I hear from administrative sources that it is already being abandoned,

and the rumor is that it is a complete failure, with some students running wild and others afraid to even go

there. What other ideas that will be tried next will also be mistakes, with staff and students once again taking

the hits. 5. There's NO WAY a bond is going to pass, and it's hard to see how transforming schools into k-8 can

reasonably be done without. 6. If we do push ahead with K-8, is it just going to be undone next year after new

school board elections? If so, what a waste of everyone's time and energy. Note: I answered "no" to question 2,

but I don't want it "on hold." I don't think the middle level learning center concept is working, so I don't want to

continue that, but I don't want the middle level students kept all day at the former elementary buildings either.

My preference is to have 7-8 students at EVMS, with a strong administrator to keep the building calm.

FindIt feels as if we have gone forward with a plan without an infrastructure to support the the proposed changes.

Administrators, teachers and support personnel are spread too thin and becoming overworked and tired.

Find

If we truely will lose all of the above, then how can we educate our students? The science and technical fields

are huge employers. Our students must be prepared. Art and music teach problem solving, communication, and

produce well rounded individuals. Libraries? simply put are the spine of an educational community. How can

learning and research occur with out resources?

Find The students are not being kept in mind. Out school district is far behind others.

Find

The board just wants to ram it through while they have the current board members to go forward. We don't

have the buildings to make this work. We are really do a disservice to our kids and community by moving

ahead. It is obvious by the failure of the bonds that the community doesn't want this. We will be lucky if we

ever pass another bond or levy again. This will really hurt our students.

Find

Definitely is a difficult process, but if we would unite & put our efforts into solving difficulties instead of

listing them and being negative, we as professional learning communities can make a difference for our

students and the atmosphere of all of our schools. We have so much experience, expertise, talent, passion in our

jobs that we can make this happen for the best of our students and our work place. This list looks daunting &I'm not sure that all of it really is on the chopping block. Even if just a few of the items are realistic, we have a

big job ahead of us - I believe that when we work together we can accomplish great things. It seems to me it

would be ridiculous to stop the process now. Our 7th graders have been at their home school for an extended 2

years - of what benefit would it be to take them away for 1 year to a different site? It seems like we would be

hurting the process instead of helping it.

Find

Students and faculty members were sent from a middle school to an elementary school to begin the 2012-2013

school year with no plan of how these major transitions were going to impact any of the students or staff at

either elementary or middle school levels. Now we are losing great families in the district if they haven't


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already jumped ship, most of our fabulous families are planning to this summer. I am amazed at the complete

disregard for the students by our administration. These 6th - 7th graders are at an age where they need to be

figuring out what they love to do through great academic programs that should be offered to them as well as a

variety of electives to choose from that will inspire them to become successful, passionate adults someday. We

need to stop moving around and take whatever time is needed to develop what a successful K-8 will look like

before the district implodes itself. This is a public school after all not Glenwinkel's circus!!!!

Find1. Two different time schedules 2. Not enough room in the schools for PE, music, tech, science 3. No electivesfor 7 & 8 graders 4. Time staff to plan for the assimulation of 7 & 8 graders 5. Leadership oppertunities for 7

&8 graders 6. 7 & 8 grade staff are diverse enough in their specialities 7. No common planning time between 6,

7, 8 teachers

Find

I see the lack of appropriate facilities being the biggest issue. The elementary buildings are not designed to

affectively and efficiently house K-8. This greatly impacts the quality of the programs and compromises the

ability for teachers, especially specialist to implement, teach and meet the state standards and required time that

are required for their field. The lunch facilities are very crowded and do not function efficiently. Also, the

different start time do not allow for a successful K-8 program. At this time 7th grade is very isolated.

Find

In my opinion there is and has been a goal with no apparent plan to achieve it. We are doing it all by the seat of

our pants. The reasons I percieve for the k-8 change are to more effectively use our resources in a shrinking

district and to create an environment of change that will inspire us to change our teaching for the better. These

are the wrong motives for this change. Though there may be philosophical/pedagogical reasons for having a k-8

organization, I cannot discern one in our implementation. I believe a 7-8 middle school in the EVMS buildingwould be a better option.

Find1-I am just tried of sharing my opinion and having it go NO WHERE. 2-Special education services are given

NO thought. Hosing K-8 in one classroom all day long is not what is best for those kids!! 3-communication

Find

Currently, the outdated elementary schools, even with the modulars, are being stretched to the limits. Next year,

it does not seem possible to hold more students without drastic measures and improvements to each building.

Safety is a concern with the modulars as well.

Find

iddle school students are not receiving the services they need. Examples-counseling, appropriate bussing,

health & fitness, access to after school sports, high quality of instruction in higher level math and science. We

need more time to improve our revisioning plan and follow through. Building staff need to work together to

create a revioning plan that will work for their school community. EACH BUILDING NEEDS THEIR OWN

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELOR! We are in crisis. Students are in danger because counselors are spread between

two buildings. Their is Not enough time to serve and help the students in dangerous family situations. All

schools need a full time counselor to deal with students who have extreme behaviors. These students put otherchildren at great risk. I am not a counselor.

Find

No training given to teachers prior to the installation. You throw shit on a wall and see what sticks. We are still

stuck with shit. How can we drop PE to below state levels but we just finished a multi year grant to get more

PE in place. We have Music and computers in same room. WTF? Board is not listening to its community. I

have been looking for comments on what is bad with middle school concepts but cant find any. Also why are

districts (Mead, Cheney,CV, etc) still building fabulous new Middle schools if they are so bad. Why are we

overcrowding 5 elementary schools when we could move the portables to the middle school that has proper

facilities. Or better yet what is wrong with two small middle schools. Athletics are being killed. Too much

bussing, poor learning environments, not good for football, wrestling, track, music, pe large group etc.

Find Money and physical spaces. Human Resources spread to thin. Student apathy at the middle school level.

FindNo facilities in place. Cuts is PE and Music. 8th grade transitioning to high school. Cuts in math and sciences

offered.

Find

I am a new hire since the re-visioning began. I am trying to jump on board, but seems like we need to make

decisions or have some better planning in place before we start...then stick to the plan. I want to know what we

are doing, but it seems like the message changes often and it is hard to keep up. I don't think we can step back,

but changes need to be made. There is a ton of issues that buildings are trying to change/solve, but it seems like

the volume of them are so great that it is hard to move through them.

Find

1. East Valley kids don't have the same opportunities as kids in other districts as far as electives, PE time, home

Ec, shop, etc..2. Not enough space at the schools, and the plan for EF kids having to walk a quarter mile to

Mountain View is a waste of time for both students and teachers' prep time. 3. Programs that our middle school


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school kids have had in the past will not be available. 4. Lack of parent support. 5. Modulars are too small for

classrooms and lack storage space. 5. Too many kids for one principal. 6. Different schedules make it so we

don't see the 7th graders and they don't feel like they're part of our school, plus staff has a hard time attending

staff meetings and staying connected.

Find

We are so focused on making our school a k-8 that we are not investing our time or money on curriculum,

training, or teaching that needs to benefit our students. We are not doing them any good by showing them that

we don't know what is going on. Most of these students need stability and that is the last thing we are givingthem.

Find The above stated reasons are why I would like to put a hold on the K-8 model.

Find

The main problem with the re-visioning along with this survey is that no one is ever provided with ALL the

information. We are given snipits of information and 1/2 truths. How can anyone make an infomed decision

when all the information given is as clear as mudd???? People on both sides of the fences only provide the

district with the information that will make their intentions look good. The questions on this survey are poorly

written. There are issues at play that can not be addressed by simple closed ended "yes" and "no" questions.

You throw information out at the top of this survey gearing people up tp be upset.... that is not the way a survey

should be written. As part of the union I will not stand behihnd these tactics. If you want honest opinions then

there needs to be answers to all the questions aksed before any decisions can be made. For goodness sakes......

Have a clear cut vision and a plan!!!!!!

Find Number one SPACE! Bussing! Losing parent support! Loss of electives!

FindWay too many sacrifices will be made by kids for small potential gains. Too many unknowns. We have aresponsibility to our kids and to taxpayers to not dive in to K8 without being better prepared.

Find

The negativity is hampering the effectiveness of the change and the possibilities that we may encounter along

the way. The goal of the changes has been clear but the path has not which has led to mistrust etc. A more

thought out approach need to be put forward to give those who are not comfortable with change a chance to see

the bigger picture. I don't say slow it down; think it through and make the hard decisions when they come-

that's what leaders do!

Find

1. Inadequate facilities for implementing the K-8 model. 2. Less opportunities for advanced classes. 3. Less

turn out for sports, ability to get students out when they are spread out throughout the district. 4. Limiting the

social contacts (not able to find a group to identify with), by having 5 small school cultures vs. 1 larger one. 5.

Limited gym space for daily PE for 7th or 8th grade

Find Financial and space

Find I think that the space issue--lack there of and the lack of planning for specialists including P.E.Find No money Poor planning

Find Too much to do without the resources available.

FindSpecial programs will suffer. High School sports will suffer. The community does not support it. There is no

clear plan for implementation. There is no funding for proper implementation.

Find

Some of the struggles that I see with transition to K-8 are staff meetings are difficult to have to include all staff

members, Principals have more kids and more grade-levels and are spending more time on behavior and

organizing rather than on academics.

Find All the problems mentioned above

Find

Middle school needs the opportunity to have all of the math offered to them. You look at other districts around

us... we are pathetic! C'mon give our kids the chance to grow with opportunites of enrichment! Our kids will be

so behind it's not even funny. Also, taking away all of the school stipends. No yearbook, honors? Get real! I

loved that as a middle schooler!No art? There're so many kids that need that because they only thrive on that.They need an outlet. I think this just needs to be put to rest! PERIOD! No on hold for a year. Make the middle

school a middle school!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7th and 8th over there and 6th down at the elementary!!!

Find Negative attitudes amongst some staff and some community.

FindThe unintended consequences don't appear to have been well thought out. Being so spread out has limited the

offerings too severely to the middle school level students.

Find

There has been poor communication to the community, unfortunately. There just are not the financial resources

to do the revisioning process well; however, pulling out of the revisioning may not be the correct way to solve

this problem. No matter what the path the board chooses, there will be planning that needs to occur. It might be


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best to simply get to where we stated we were going, and although it creates much upheaval...we can only go

up from there. I am not confident that staying where we are sends the best message, nor do I believe we will

resolve the issues in one year's time. We need to see how it all plays out and work with what we have. I actually

didn't mind the idea of a PREK-K center...thought that could create more space for 8th graders and solidify a

neat center for our young in the district. The loss of electives and honors programs is definately something we

cannot overlook...and we will lose clientelle on this

Find We do not have the facilities and the resources to implement it.Find Going to fast with insufficient resources.

FindInadequate facilities and inappropriate staffing for the model we are trying to introduce. There is a reason that

there are middle schools beside the coming-of-age/right-of-passage argument.

Find

Lack of answers to major questions. Lack of community support, other than CCS parents who are virtually

unaffected! Lack of funds! Kids losing all around! Poorly taught subjects due to lack of space, materials, and

proper environment. Forced decisions that are not fully funded, supported or explained. What's best for our

kids, is not a focus or option. Hell or high water is pushing revisioning. Our kids, families and staff deserve a

quality district with a kid focus. We do not have funds, facilities, or clear directions and answers to go further

now.

FindLoss of opportunities for learning and enrichment for our students. I do not care about loss of stipends for

teachers, I DO care about full opportunities for our students to have advanced classes and enrichment classes.

Find

I believe that the school board is unwilling to admit that they have made a mistake so therefore are continuing

to push the changes through. Many of our best families are leaving the district because they are not happy with

the changes. I have had numerous parents tell me directly that they are unhappy and are looking to move out of

our district to a place where their children can receive better learning opportunities. Central Valley and West

Valley School Districts are gaining many of our students. There are young children at my school who have

middle school aged brothers or sisters that are currently attending neighboring middle schools. To me that

speaks volumes about the community's feelings about the changes. I am not against a K-8 system, however it

seems we pushing through a plan that is not taking into consideration what is the best way to prepare our

students for the future.

Find Not enough space, money, resources, to make it happen successfully at this point in time.

Find

We do not have the facilities we need. 6, 7, 8, students deserve to have the same opportunities that neighboring

districts have. Jumping into adding 8th grade with no plan in place for the above any advanced classes, music

or PE. We are going backwards in academic offerings for middle school students. Technology! Where is it

included for middle school students?Find

We do not have the appropriate facilities or financial resources to make this huge change a success. It has been

an avoidable distraction for students and staff, leading to less than productive days for learning.

Find

The idea of PK-8 is interesting and alright with me. So the concept is fine but NOT the way we've gone about

it. We read a book last year as part of a book study about creating successful K-8 schools. One the major points

made that if you don't have the funds to convert and facilitate a K-8 structure, don't do it; what you wind up

with won't really be a K-8. With the lack of funds (no bonds for years) and the disengagement of a large portion

of our community, I don't believe continuing on this path at this time is a good choice. To add to this, I'm

mindful of the fact that our last levy passed by a VERY small margin and I'm concerned that if we continue on

this path, the community will be further disengaged which may cause our next levy to fail. I feel that concern is

too big to ignore.

Findbussing implementation scheduling facilities staffing no planning lack of finances to do it right lack of parent

support programs cuts

FindI think that it might have been better if they battled one school at a time. Since the plans aren't going to changeI think that it would be best to start the Early Learning Center and have ECAP, Preschool and Kindergarten in

one location.

Find

Behavior issues have exploded. Middle school teachers were more lacks with the older kids. Elementary

teachers are still training students the skills of functioning in a school setting. Older students are modeling and

displaying a lot of inappropriate behavior. No locker rooms. No middle school special courses. Students being

transported from one building to another. We lost a lot of students due to the lack of classes we can offer.

Parents are not happy. Older students have adjusted as kids do, but what have they missed by the re-visioning.

(Maybe a course in music, art or AP class that might have led them to do great things.)


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Find

We are focusing on adults and not on what is best for students. We as adults need to go through the greaving

process and realize that in the end the results will be best for KIDS. I think the biggest issue is that we, as

teachers and adults want to know that if we give this up now, in the future we will have that.

Find

-lack of budget to make the changes in facilities If a bond were to pass before next year I would agree with

continuing the changes. If no money to make changes to accept students with the current building useage then

wait. It seems money would be wasted to move whole school populations to a new building. Too much time

and money going to moving whole schools and impacting so many students.

Find

How to implement was not adequately planned. New questions keep surfacing re. how are we doing to deal

with this concern and how are we going to provide that concern when we are in the middle of the problem. The

plan keeps changing leading to uncertainty and anxiety for the community.

Find A list a mile long :(

Find I am concerned about higher level math possibilities diminishing.

Find Too many things are being cut because of it. Parents, staff, and the community are not on board with it.

Find

There is nothing inherently 'right' or 'wrong' with a K -8 building. The process used at EVSD is what has gone

'wrong'. Inadequate time taken to consider ALL the ramifications of the transition such as: Bussing nightmare

Time for students to recieve extra face time with teacher for help Any meaningful consequences for 7th grade

misbehavior Adequate size of portables for a real classroom How the physical interaction of all K - 8 students

would transpire vs 7th and 8th being sequestered in portables Schedule discrepancies: 7 - 8 teachers can't attend

staff meetings 1st period students don't arrive early enough to eat and be to class on time or get help before

school Sports Lack of space eliminating or greatly reducing PE, electives, acceleration, behavior intervention

class, etc. Loss of students as a result of the above.

Findschedules- start times/end times course offerings- not enough staff to handle necessary classes (IE Advanced,

"specials")

Find The logistics of the plan were not planned for adequetly

Find

The implementation of the re-visioning has not been well planned out. Relocating students, bus times, poor

management and design of the modules, etc was not well thought out. The book that was to be used as our

model for the K-8 transition was not followed very closely. Did the school board even read it?

Find

We do not have the infrastructure to support it. This year our seventh graders were totally isolated from the rest

of the school. They were on a different time schedule and out in the portables. They were bussed to the middle

school everyday where they now have developed new friends and were able to feel what it is like to be a middle

schooler. Now they will be pushed back into cramped classrooms with no electives, and will not reap the

benefits that middle schoolers have in neighboring districts. The administrators are pushing forward eventhough they know that we as a district are NOT ready for K-8. They are not listening to the parents, staff and

students. I predict we are going to witness high drop out rates when these students reach junior and senior

years. We are going to continute to lose students because the community does not support the re-visioning.

Find Same as above

Find

The whole revisioning concept has been pushed at everyone with no regard to educators' or patrons' feelings or

input. There has been an upset with scheduling, transportation, budget, and discipline was non-existent.

Students from alternative programs were put out and delivered to the middle school. This resulted in what

appeared to be "gangs" roaming the halls with no respect for authority. Any student on the edge gravitated to

these displaced children and joined in on the attitude that they could be disrespectful and defiant. I don't know

if this is exactly a part of the revisioning, but is is a part of someone's vision without regard to consequences.

Things have to be thought through and implemented in a rational way to be successful. Plowing ahead without

even listening to alternatives have led us down a slippery slope and now we are sliding at rapid speed.

Find

The planning and solutions for the above-listed problems should have happened at the administrative levelbefore the move to K-8, and it would have been a success. Administration is again asking for input from the

community and the staff, but before the re-visioning went forward they asked for input and didn't listen. Now I

feel reluctant to spend time and effort to come up with ideas to solve the issues, in fear that administration will

ignore my/our ideas and just do what they want regardless.

Find

Was not done well. It has become the teacher's problem to deal with all of the issues. Principals of these k8's

are not prepared to deal with middle school students in discipline or curriculum issues. We were told the k8

would offer MORE for our kids. It has taken away from PE, Music, Science, Math, drama, computers and

library. It was said that the k-5 teachers would take ownership of the kids they have watched grow up and


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would embrace these kids to 8th grade. This is not true. K5 teachers do not understand the dramatic differences

of middle school children and cannot understand why they act so differently. They don't embrace them. They

are angry that their behaviors affect the younger students' behavior. They want the middle schoolers to act like

they did when they were younger. But they are just growing up and being normal middle school kids. It was

said that the k8 model would keep kids younger. This is not true. We still have the same issues of bullying, peer

pressure, language but now we don't have the resources we used to have to deal with these issues. Principals do

not know how to deal with students on a non-elementary level. Counselors are too stretched. They aren'tyounger because they stayed in an elementary building. The issues are still here. But now our young students

are seeing these behaviors much earlier. It doesn't keep kids younger, it makes the younger students grow up

faster.

Find

The K-8 model as it stands, and as it is progressing will not offer our students the chances that the surrounding

districts provide. Without facilities, which we are not going to be able to provide any time in the near future,

this plan is NOT whats best for kids. We are taking away enrichment and electives from our middle level

students. If we cannot offer classes such as algebra, yearbook, percussion, etc. to our middle level student, in an

environment that they have the subject on a daily basis and with enough students to build a program (i.e. band,

orchestra, art, sports) then our programs will suffer when these students reach high school. Our students will

not be prepared for advanced classes. As a district we will not be competitive with our surrounding districts.

Our parents are not blind to this fact. We have heard this over and over in the district meetings. Our community

is not happy with our direction. Our teachers are frustrated because we cannot provide the level of education

that we could 3 years ago. Our students are miserable crammed into little classroom designed for smaller

students, and not receiving the same opportunities that were provided just 2 years ago. We currently have a K-8

model in our district. For the parents who want that model for their child, we have an offering for them. We

need to make sure we have a model for the rest of the students; a model that provides for the needs of students

who want a more traditional middle level experience.

FindWe are unprepared financially and have not been trained. The book the board had teacher leaders reading last

year (11-12) warned against the type of implementation we are doing.

Find

All of the items listed above are problems with re-visioning. The initial idea was implemented based upon

having the resources and money to make this successful. This is no longer the case. Our superintendent and

school board never had a contingency plan. Whenever anyone asked questions or inquired about alternatives,

that person was silenced and we were even told: "Go find a job somewhere else". Have the superintendent and

board finally realized that they should have listened to all of the voices asking questions and taken other ideas

into consideration? No, I do not have confidence in our superintendent or board. How can we have confidence

in them when they do not even plan for the unexpected? It is great to have lofty goals, but those goals also needto be realistic. Based upon the resources which this district has and the the things which were needed to make

revisioning happen, it was too much, too fast. Hopefully they learned a hard lesson, but it has come at the

expense of future generations.

Find

Not enough communication to the public...not enough effort to get parents to input. In my class, if a student

doesn't come to me for help, AND I OFFER LOTS OF TIMES AVAILABLE, then I don't just say-

"Well...he/she had the chance to learn...." I have to MAKE them learn. I have to make sure they are here at

recess or after school so I can get the information to them...I think we offer the public many times to meet, but

the public doesn't beleive that the time will mean anything so they don't come. Set an agenda that will be voted

on by the people and tell them there will be opportunities to respond by mail or at a meeting by verbal votes or

handwritten ballets....Make sure people KNOW what they are voting on and get it out in ballot form...get their

voices heard. Make them be heard. (I know that is not giving them the responsibility that they SHOULD be

capable of BUT it is how I MAKE my students learn...they would LOVE to NOT pay attention in class, go to

recess and then blame the school for not teaching them....We HAVE to get the word out and be overly creative

about how we do it...we also have to make it simpiler.

Find

I feel like we are assembling the car, as we are driving it 70 miles an hour down the freeway! Not enough time

has been spent anticipating problems and working out the kinks. Our facilities are not adequate to accomodate

middle level student needs. Our parents --the patrons of our district are not behind our school district. Our bond

failed at nearly 65%. I have had parents tell me that they will never pass another levy or bond with current

board and administration. This is a huge worry. They do not feel like they are being listened to. That in itself

should cause us to stop, or a least slow down until we can again gain their confidence. We are to serve them

and have their children's best interests always in the forefront of our decision making process. Like it, or not,

we are competing with neighboring districts. At this point, they are winning!


8/16

FindI feel that the mail problems with re-visioning are the people that want what was and are not willing to change

to help the school district become a better place for students.

Find

The problem with re-visioning has been that there is no way to implement a strategy so that everyone is happy.

Do I feel like everything went smooth and perfect? No. But I accept that I am not the only member of this

district and therefore was and am willing to make sacrifices so that others may benefit as well.

FindPeople have not been heard when addressing the impact of the change. The details have not been worked out

and there are already casualties and more to come.

Find

All of the cuts for this "revisioning" happen to be in areas such as liberal arts (electives). What happened to the

often-touted "arc of education" that we have heard about? The arc is supposed to represent a spectrum of

different kinds of learners & therefore opportunities - yet we seem to be proposing cuts in liberal arts & health

areas (art, languages, PE, music) rather than across the board. Other program cuts are not mentioned, leaving

me to believe that our district does not care about a well-rounded education - only what is necessary (the

upcoming Common Core, for example), so let's lower the bar once more. Why do you think parents are

choosing to take their kids out of our district? And why do you think our parents do not support our

superintendent, and will not vote for a bond? They have no confidence in him, his "plan," his ability to lead or

to represent their voices. The teachers of this district are beginning to feel much the same way, and it is hurting

morale.

Find Facilities

Find

First of all, we do not have the money to do this re-visioning correctly. We don't have staffing, nor money to

add staffing and it is NOT what is best for middle level students. What we will lose far out weights what theschool board or Supt. believe we will gain. This will hurt our kids and our district. Parents who want their

children to have advanced classes, PE every day, music everyday, etc... will take their children to another

district. That is already happening. Despite what the Supt. is telling us, we ARE losing students because of this

plan. We might be picking up students with the on-line alternative programs, but most of those students' parents

do not live in our district, therefore they don't vote in our district (for bonds, leveys, etc...). This board and Supt

are mad at the community and any teachers who do not support this, and they have dug in their heels, and yes,

come Hell or high water they are going to do this. They have gone at this with a top down approach, and that is

not an effective way for change. They turned middle level teachers off from the start by saying that the middles

schools were broken and disfunctional, when in fact the reading MSP scores were going up etc... Just offering

to bus students once a week to EVMS for "enrichment" isn't going to prepare them for AP classes, music

classes etc... in high school. The school board is not made up of seasoned, established, respected and capable

teachers, and they have no business making these kinds of decisions because they are NOT qualified. Instead of

asking for input from people who have taught middle school for years, they stacked committees so they couldget the answers they wanted. I am also worried about the districts financially, and really question the decisions

they are making with tax payer money and borrowing money for portable classrooms. It also appears that we

paid a lot more for the portables than we should have. Why didn't we get bids from several different

companies? Some in the portables don't get to go

Find Not enough planning.

Find

Not sure of the real facts. Is the financial picture a result of poor planning or lack of public support do to

economy/etc.? Is this re-visioning a personal agenda or a well thought out financial/educational consideration?

A huge concern over disciplin has become a major topic in our district and has not been appropriately resovled.

Personal agendas on the part of a few have apparently taken presidence over the majority veiwpoint. Do we

believe we can do a better job raising the kids we teach than the parents? Sounds socialistic to me. Re-visioning

should include a plan for appropriate disciplin, good educational practices and materials and a sound financial

structure that takes into account that bonds may not pass.

FindThe drama - I mostly put my blinders on so my rose colored glasses don't get smudged. Gotta have my positiveattitude and energy for first graders.

Find The kids will not get a middle school OR Jr. High experience.

FindThere was never a plan that that was feasible. They did not have facilities to accommodate the change nor did

they have support ----yet they continued --bad business plan. There is a feeling of a bullying mentality

FindThe cart has been put before the horse. An appropriate physical structure must be in place before any program

structuring should be implemented.

Find We do not have the facilities or resources to be successful


9/16

Find Not thought out enough...

Find

-Not enough research on the K-8 process (including visitations to multiple sites where this has been

implemented.) -Not making a decision after receiving majority support- they have never had it. -Not thinking

through the changes in a way that made students and teachers feel supported within their new environments. -

Not having the facilities be appropriately ready for students. -Not recognizing that it is time to change our

vision or it will be the death of our district. I personally do not mind the changes, but sadly enough, I do not

believe the patrons will forgive them. I don't want to keep seeing our bonds fail because the patrons are stillangry and won't let go. It is time to re-think this direction.

Find

We have rushed into this with no plan or consideration of how it will effect our students. Money has been

spent, programs will be dropped and portables bought without the facilities to have what is needed for our older

children. I live in this district and will not keep my four children here because the opportunities for higher level,

music and sports will be extremely limited.

FindThe way it has been done, it is detrimental to student achievement, academic growth, social/emotional growth,

building climate and student and staff morale.

Find

1. There are significant space and building limitations that adversely affect our students. While K-8 might be a

positive educational model to move toward, the infrastructure of the district needs to be in step with the model

as well; it currently IS NOT!!! 2. There needs to be more training and meaningful communication to make

revisioning work in a positive manner. The School Board and Superintendent need to LISTEN to the very real

concerns that have become major issues, especially for former "Middle School" students. 3. There seems to be

a "Plan of the Week" at this point. Parents and students (and staff as well!) deserve to be able to recognize thatthe School Board and Administrators actually know what they are doing.....

Find

The facilities should be in place before moving students. Taking a year or two to carefully plan how to

impliment the plan would be wise and what is best for kids. Are the 8th graders going to be able to handle high

school after always being in a sheltered one classroom setting.?

FindAt this time the district lacks the facilities to implement re-visioning properly, and without impacting the

overall educational experience for students in a negative way.

Find

It seems as if we are sacrificing all of the items that enrich students' learning. Students come to school because

of art, P.E., music, and sports, and if we take those things away we loose the opportunity to educate them.

These are items that make parents and community members come to a school district and it is my fear that we

will loose FTE if we move forward with this plan.

Find

Lack of space in current buildings. Lack of resources and time for the classes that enhance the education and

life of our students that they can receive in other school districts. This may cause the students to move out ofdistrict for their education.

Find

The staff/community/parents not being heard. The lack of organization with regarded research and

communication of re-visioning for the district personnel (staff). This goes hand and hand with a lack of trust

with the district admin. There has been a severe LACK of organizing staff for the re-visioning. It has been the

practice of the district to throw staff into the mix and "let them figure it out". Lacking desperately CLEAR

DIRECTION with consideration of space/facilities. Middle school level CAN WORK, there are different

models that can aide in the facilitating this level. Why is it the middle school level student is now being

targeted in limiting what we have had for years in way of offering various classes or the severe drop in classes

or contact time (i.e. music/PE)? There is a "top down" mentality with what feels purposeful limited

communication to the district staff. Again showing dictatorship with no respect to a true "input from the

staff/community".

FindIt's fragmenting the district as a whole and it's taking away great learning/leadership opportunities for students.

It totally goes against what the district has been preaching about "what's best for kids!"

Find

I believe the problems with re-visioning stem from the attitudes and expectations of staff. While it is

disheartening to see programs limited, there are ways to tie music, art, and technology into our classroom

instruction. In regards to advanced courses, are there on-line courses that students can have access to while

supervised by the subject area teachers so they still can receive appropriate instruction? CCS already has

limited music, health and fitness, and no art--- our test and academic scores haven't revealed a deficit. What I

see are adults - who have not embraced change- attempting to bully and use manipulative, childish measures to

cause uprising. A plan should be made to team build with staff in each building.

Find The impact of housing and educating that many students in our existing buildings with existing staff was not


10/16

thought through. Having kids/staff in portables just serves to alienate them - they are not part of the school.

Find

It restricts opportunity for students to reach their potential. It is not a good learning environment for older or

younger students. The portables cost is unexplainable as are other expenditures. The parents don't want it. The

teachers don't want it. It is the reason we can't pass a bond.

Find See above - enough said.

Find

It was pushed through and not very well planned. This administration is not taking seriously the public's

questions and concerns. We cna't have a K-8 without the porper facilities.

Find After the last levy vote it looks as if the voters do not agree with re-visioning.

Find I believe too many opportunities are being taken from our middle school aged students.

Find

Different starting times at the elementary schools. 7th grade teachers role as mentors after 7th graders leave to

go to the middle school in the afternoon Not enough space at the buildings to accommodate core requirements

(PE especially) It's very sad when Transportation runs a school district.

Find

Not fully thought out, especially financially. Too many new "magic" potions - K-8, schools within schools,

White River SD dogma crammed down out throats, people teaching core subject without any college

certification in those subjects.

Find

Implemented without the confidence of it's people. Not enough time spent to research proper implementation.

Too much haste!! Poor leadership with disrespect to his teachers. Top down decisions. Lack of respect for the

community the board and superintendent serve.

Find No plan No finances No facilities No communnity support

Find

The difficulties with the re-visioning to date has been the lack of a clear plan on implementation. It seems as

though each year there has been a scramble to address the immediate issues - no long range plan in place,

particularly for the space, scheduling and transportation issues. Another concern is to make sure that there are

opportunities to experience some kind of transitional model to the high school so that when the students enter

as 9th graders, it is not a total shock because of the differing models.

Find

Algebra is must at the 8th grade level, as is lab science. How can we reduce PE from 60 minutes per day to 90

minutes per week or 15 minutes per day a drop of 75%. Our kids are not active enough!! No music, art, library

etc... we reduce the offerings for our students to low level math with only reading and English language.

Find Too many to list.

FindIt felt like the superintendent was going to bully his way through, regardless of what any of us, parents or

teacher, thought. The only opinion that seemed to matter was his.

FindMy main concern is the lack of facilities/infrastructure, to provide pertenant programs for our students that wehave had in the past.

Find

The process was begun prematurely. As in any budget. funding for essentials must be in place and it was not so.

Now we have a fiscal fiasco and a wide-ranging public perception problem. Parents, angry & frustrated, not

only decline bonds but also share their opinion with neighbors/friends. This is NOT the way to build a sense of

community. With the way the transition has gone so far, we can anticipate that matters will get worse.

Find

Cart before the horse, maybe? With the drive to implement the new vision for the district, it appears that

students will miss out on essential extracurricular classes and activities, if the above projections are accurate.

Though the high school seems to be above the fray, I believe that the impact of this narrowing of experience for

students will be significant, and detrimental.

Find lack of the above componets to middle level student opportunities

Find change is difficult for people

Find The lack of appropriate facilities.

Find

The ring leaders have lost respect and trust of the stake holders. A challenging transition has now turned very

sour and the resistance level between a divided community has gone toxic. Students are relocating, teachers are

worn out and so distracted by the admin drama that we may see teachers leave as well or stay with a bit of wind

knocked out of their sails. Poor leadership has no benefit or productive quality. Glenwinkle and Brou had their

shot with second and third chances and continue to blow it. As long as they are enabled to continue the

destruction, they will and we can count on that 100% which is one of the few definitive facts in a sea of "what

ifs" East Valley is dealing with. It's a lose, lose proposition with this style of leadership and lack of sincerity

they model. You reap what you sow and they are reaping no return on an organization that is de- motivated and

in dire need of a positive re-charge.


11/16

Find

I think when the committee spoke to move ahead with revisioning, there was a lot more work to do --something

that big needed lots of seeds planted before moving forward --should have been broken into smaller steps, with

more PR to sell the idea. (hindsight speaking) I know I did not speak up. I am a proponent of pre-k-8, but I

believe we need to back up the cart and get more people on board.

Find

No problem with the k-8 model, however, how our district is implementing it is ridiculous. We have forced this

change against the will of the patrons and at the expense of what is best for students. The changes above show

what other districts are offering over and above us in East Valley. No wonder students have moved on to otherdistricts.

FindFacilities, alternative options for kids--art, yearbook, ASB, technology etc. Worried about discipline for all

grades.

Find

Transportation issues No plan in place, have it ready before it is put into action Students opportunities limited

After school sports issues Not adequate facilities Safety issues Music and PE lack of minutes per week District

is too spread out to make re-visioning work District is losing students as we speak District doesnt have the

facilities to make the plan work

Find

My concerns are related to the community. I feel that the community does not support what we are doing even

though we are here to serve them. I feel like we should be genuinely listening to their concerns and addressing

them instead of holding public meetings to discuss decisions that have already been made. Many studies show

that the K-8 model works, but it is possible to find just as many studies that disagree. The biggest problem with

re-visioning is that it was not discussed in detail with the community that we service before the plan was put

into place, with contingencies built in just in case there were bumps in the road. The split schedule is alsoproblematic, to truly be K-8 we need to start and end at the same time and have the opportunities to include all

grade levels in school-wide activities. The different start and end times within the district make it difficult to be

productive at grade level meetings since some people arrive earlier and leave earlier to miss decision-making

that should be done as a team. The transition time is another problematic area- although I do not agree with the

way in which the re-visioning was implemented I believe that it is important to finish what we have started. I

am concerned that if we stretch it out, we will have far more problems in the long run.

Find

I believe we rushed into this with out completely thinking it through and are starting to feel the effects. It

doesn't seem like we ever have a plan. The only plan is k-8 and then figure it out as we go. This (k-8) sounded

fine before we ran the first k-8 bond when were were planning on having facilities, when we didn't pass it we

needed to slow down, sell the community and do some planning, but instead we are pushing down this road

lacking forethought, planning and facilities. I don't believe this is what is best for our students. If we continue

down this path, I worry we are putting our students behind when it comes to access to electives, music, pe and

computer time. The bottom line is we are finding out we don't have the facilities, resources or communitysupport to pull this off well. The board likes to sight research and studies, studies show students that are active

(have pe) perform better in class, they even sent a team to chicago to witness this, but we are going to limit pe

time to less then state recomended levels. It doesn't make sense that this is best for our students. We are busing

students all over the place. How is being on a bus better than being in class (this is a question students are

asking)? Sports teams are losing numbers and I think we are headed to an intramural system at the middle

school level that will leave our high school teams short on numbers and uncompetitive down the road.

Find

The destruction of middle level programs is simply unacceptable. We are losing twenty years of progress. Loss

of alternative programs has resulted in a tremendously detrimental effect on school climate at the middle and

high school levels. The school board is not listening to the staff or the patrons. This is a very serious dereliction

of their most important duty, which is to serve the public and represent the public interest. The board must

either listen to the public or be replaced.

Find

This process is so detrimental to students at all levels. I have seen so much taken away from our students and

staff. It affects students who are performing below, at and above grade level. The resources are not there tosupport students academic and emotional needs. This transition has taken us so many steps backwards. The

surrounding schools districts are offering students many more opportunities and we are losing students. I

honestly can't blame parents for moving or choicing their kids out. 7th and 8th grade students are at a critical

stage in adolescent development. We are not able to be build relationships. There are 15 year old 8th graders.

They are 3 years away from voting or dying for our country and we want them to be in an elementary setting.

This is an outright travesty and disservice to our students and I am am embarrassed to work for people that

think this is so great.

Find The School board is not listening


12/16

Findno facilities - need to have complete facilities to implement fully and common schedules. Need electives. All

students riding like bus routes

Find

Our schools were not built and not set up for p-8. There are vast discrepancies within our schools and what

each one can handle and do. SOUND planning and implementing need to be done, with much input BEFORE

and during the process. There needs to be 70-80% agreement of the community. They have not been asked.

Their votes have not been heard.

FindChange is scary. People tend to be fatalistic. It will no doubt be painful, inititally. I don't think people feelheard; but I think they were given an opportunity to be hated & didn't take it.

FindThey put the wrong groups in the wrong school. For instance Trent Wood should be going to EVMS. Because

of size and space.It

Find

The district lacks leadership and vision. The district is a poster child for what is wrong with public education. I

could go on and on. Glenwinckle and the school board need to take a trip to a school district that works

properly to get an idea of what should be done. The district pays "lip service" to education. The only positive

thing i have to say about this district and the principals, is that at least i get a paycheck.

FindIt takes out a lot of decompression time away from kids. Activities thst teach leisure skills and interest. Not all

families can afford outside of school extra curricular activities.

FindLack of a long term plan. decreasing community buy-in. No facilities. Not to mention all of the stuff listed

above.

Find

Extremely limited facilities!!! Lack of staffing to fill areas like science, and math. Forcing teachers to be inareas that are not their best subject area. This is not best for the kids!!! We will go back in time 40 years, with

the opportunities we will loose for our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. If this is such a great idea, why can't we wait a

year, examine the pros and cons, and do it right. There are way too many problems, (see above) !!! I have been

a very successful teacher for darn near 30 years, yet the thought of teaching my classes in one of those tiny

portables next year is making me consider activating my placement file. And I love East Valley!!!!

Find

There has been no planning for details. Staff and community have not been a part of the process. There should

be community buy in or we will not pass a bond or levy in the future if this goes through. We would have more

support if we had the facilities, programs kept in tact, and the money. Shoving adult size kids in substandard

portables is unacceptable. To borrow over 6 million dollars when voters said no on the bond sends a message

that the district is indifferent to the voters. this is WRONG. We need gyms, cafeterias, band, choir, and

orchestra rooms. We need full libraries for middle grades. we need access to technology, science labs,

advanced language arts and math classes and teachers to teach them.This is not being done right. To go ahead

with this for the sake of saving face is irresponsible. Mr. Glenwinkle cites research against middle schools.There is also research to support middle schools. We can always find research and data to support our point of

view. What really matters is what we know as educators because we live it. This should be the most important

information gathered from our leaders and they haven't even asked. Unfortunately, they aren't interested in

what we think and know about kids. Teachers are the best experts on what really happens in our schools and

know what our kids need and want. We also have positive connections with our parents. We are not doing what

is best for our students at all levels.

Find

-Adequate space for students in the classroom. -Access to PE within PK-7 school -must bus 7th graders and 6th

graders get two 45 minute periods per week- may not dress down. -Music only exploratory option at 6th and

only two 45 minute periods per week . 7th graders must be bussed. -Limited access to computer lab. -No access

to advanced math. -No access to science lab. -PK-7 schedule - 7th on different time which isolates them

completely. Do not attend staff meetings,must leave late start while others still working -Also- Late dismissal

time of 3:40 -Ideas do not equal plans that are viable. The idea has been pushed on the community/staff and

then staff are expected to make it work. Cart is before the horse. -Equity-6/7 receive 30 minutes less break time

per day than k-5 because of recess. -Schools lost any individual identity when we were all forced to become

Knights. No opportunities for our middle school aged kids to feel they belong. They don't stay for sports, feel

connected. -Friend-students who have been together forever form friendships. The left out kids will continue to

be left out. They do not have the "pool" of students to seek friends in. They are lonely!

Find No Plan No finances No facilities No community support

Find

That we are listening to too many people. Everyone was able to come & give input, but only a few came. Now,

we are only hearing from the negative people. There are many variables in this move - failure of EVMS to meet

AYP, poverty of our student's family, the recession, failure to pass a bond since 1998 (not just this


13/16

superintendent's problem), people wanting this to fail so they can see our superintendent fail rather than

wanting what is best for students, negative employees spreading rumors, etc. I don't 100% agree with every

decision that is being made, but I try to come up with solutions rather than dwell on everything that isn't

working. I do wish that more classroom teachers would be involved rather than administration & specialists (it

always seems like the same people on the committees over and over again). The board needs to get more

involved and go out door to door to invite positive input - come only with your solutions.

Find

Space.....................!! I feel the teachers/staff are willing to be flexible and make changes. I feel the students arebenefiting (especially middle school students, by having a more cohesive group together). I just think that it is

difficult because everyone is "cramped". We don't have adequate space such as gymnasium, cafeteria, larger

classrooms for 6/7th grade. I feel the instruction is good. I also feel that if we are going to be a true K-8, then

we need to make the schedule a priority! I know there is a problem with bussing, but the HAS TO get figured

out because in order to collaborate with our colleagues, we NEED to be on the same schedule. However....I

really do like the K-8 model and hate to see it fail simply because of space issues. Computer lab time is not

enough. Small gymnasium. Transition is always hard for people. The longer it takes to transition, the longer we

have to listen to the "negatives". the "middle school" staff that has been moved is still frustrated and not feeling

part of a group so they have more negativity and that is hard when we are trying to move forward. We need to

somehow make this transition easier for them since they are the most effected

Find

A small group made a decision for the majority. There has been no plan in place. No foresight! Nothing seems

to be thought through! How is it possible that an amazing district like this has been dismantled piece by piece?

We r losing everything that made us stand out! We were once a successful, innovative district! Now we r ashell of what we! An embarrassment to education as we know it!! We r losing great families, great kids, and we

will be losing great teachers! When is this going to stop?? We need to band together before it is too late!

Find

They have put the cart before the horse. What is the plan to get us to the end goal. How can we move ahead

when there is no room to place the 8th graders or the teachers? And now we are thinking about making a

kindergarten center? Really! Doesn't that go against the K-8 model. It seems like a small group of people are

making decisions for the masses and not taking into consideration what the teachers or the community wants.

How can we keep allowing money to be spent and decisions to be made without a consensus? Where is the

communication? You don't want rumors going around and moral to be hurt, but that's the only means of

figuring out this mess. What is the truth? Who is going to tell us? Who do we believe? Why are we destroying

the middle school model? Isn't that a right of passage? What about those programs that will no longer be? How

are we to create a well rounded student? What do we have that will keep students in our district?

Find Acceptance

Find

There are a lot of details that need to be sorted out. My understanding of the plan leaves programs no physicalspace and questionable human resources without a drastic cut in contact time or cuts. For example if PK-8 is at

Otis, where are the 8th graders going to go? How are the needs filled there for computer labs? Band and

Orchestra Rooms?

Find

The idea is great. More planning should have been done (including financially) before we began any shifts.

Change is always chaos. It could have been less chaos with more planning the fine details. Staying in chaos

won't help. Get through it & get it over with so we can eventually be out of chaos.

Find

The biggest problems with the revisioning are: 1) the elementary facilities are not appropriate/suitable and

clearly with the bond not passing the facilities will remain inadequate. The portables are a JOKE in that they

are substandard... they are in no way large enough, suitable, equipped, nor engaging for students nor teachers. I

shudder to think that when admin talks about moving teachers' rooms that I would end up in a low ceilinged,

dark, cabinet-less room all day, isolated away from the 'real school'! 2) This top down approach is ludicrous....

teachers are told to "figure out a way to make this work". What? We did not demand this change. The

community does not approve of the revisioning, the teachers who are impacted do not approve of therevisioning, the administrators are suspiciously silent... why is that?

Find A huge loss for our students of acedemic learning opportunities. Students are leaving our district due to this.

Find

Less learning opportunities for kids 4 straight hours of curriculum in 4 subjects for 7th graders-not too

conducive to learning and causes discipline problems Lots of discipline issues not being addressed with the 7th

graders being at two schools Crowded classrooms in the modulars with 6th and 7th graders who are just too big

for the small space Inconsistent discipline in the elementary and then the middle school Loss of technology

availability for 6th and 7th graders-how do we meet standards and do CBAs No library time for 7th graders, no

access to reading books No time for kids to make up missing work Middle schoolers get left out of assemblies


14/16

and activities at the elementaries

Find Space.. Meeting needs of students...

Find

Moving ahead without thinking of ALL consequences. analogy ...jumping into the Deep end of the pool

without knowing if you can swim. The book the board studied said over and over again to not jump in until

everything is in place or you will fail.

Find Time

FindListed above quite well. In addition. .. loss of middle school social development from limited interaction with

peers. The superintendent will implement whatever program and direction the school board chooses.

Find

-Start/end time for students/teachers being determined by transportation -Lack of transportation to run a K-8

system -Lack of space in building -Poor quality of portables (and too small) -Cost of portables -Lack of gym

space -Lack of lunch room space -Lack of music room space -Lack of computer space/technology -Bussing

students to EVMS because of lack of space and options -Lack of enrichment for ms students and situation

worsening -Discipline really hasn't improved as predicted -Students in portables are isolated -Lack of MUCH

NEEDED course options because of lack of number of students in a grade level to put together a class -Lack of

community trust -Unfulfilled promises...what happened to our fulltime elementary counselors Mr. Glenwinkel?

-Mr. Glenwinkel is not detail oriented....and he has even said it himself -Decrease in sports participation

FindAll plans moved too fast without all staff being aware of the changes. There was not a good representation of

community input before the re-visioning was implemented.

FindRampant rumors and people speaking about things that they have no clue about because they haven't beeninvolved. Dealing with people who don't want to be flexible and forget that they work for the school district

and not the school building. Building space and possibly transportation. The possibility of sports being put on

the backburner. Causing less kids to turn out.

Find

Unfortunately, the poor implementation and lack of community buy in (the K-8 parent advisory did not

represent the majority of the community at any point) has led to an uproar amongst the EVSD community. John

can talk about teacher naysayers or 'ghosts' all he wants, but the community is who votes. The community

spoke loud and clear through the failure of the bond. If John continues to push to the next stage next year, I

would not be surprised if a failure of a levy is next. Especially, if the community feels like the teachers do not

start to listen, act and value their opinions. Also, just a quick fact...District 81 has posted 26 online learning

teaching positions. 26 teachers in the online learning world is quite a few. Sounds like they are building a

quality program. They must want their f.t.e.s back, plus, want to gain more. I am not an online learning fan, but

I have heard many of our students are choice. How many of our students will we lose to 81's program next year

or two years down the road if they build a quality program? This could cause even more of a financial disaster.John has always said our online learning program has been one thing that has kept us afloat financially. In

addition, Primary teachers do not realize that it's much easier for 40 teachers to take on ASB, Honors, Study

Group, etc. then a team of 9 teachers from 6th-8th grade. Even if there are less kids in those programs, it's still

something extra a teacher has to manage...spreading them more thin.

Find

Simply put, we don't have the facilities to accommodate it. We should not have proceeded without them. Many

of us did the book study where we read the book about how to build great K-8 schools; it had a list of things

that need to be in place before attempting the switch; we had none of those things (not the least of which are

insufficient facilities and lack of staff buy in). We jumped in too quickly and without sufficient planning. My

hope is that all else will be put aside to really focus on what our kids need. Ask 7th and 8th grade students what

their experience has been - survey those kids and their parents. Really, we do need to listen to them also.

Find

There isn't a well thought out DETAILED plan. We figure things out as we go. When parents ask us questions

we can't answer them because we don't know the answers. We're not included in the process at all...or it sure

feels that way. The way it's been handled doesn't make us look very professional. Programs that were needed atthe middle school level are gone....counselors, library, even an after school discipline program or study hall. It's

also sad to see their extra programs like shop, home ec, art, advanced math, etc. no longer available.

Find

There was no long-term plan for how to proceed with re-visioning should the bond not pass. It seems that we

are left to wonder what is happening every single year. It is impossible to support a plan when there really isn't

a long-term plan on how to achieve this re-visioning. It is extremely frustrating for staff and parents to not

know what is happening every single year.

FindThe community doesn't support it. All the things listed above. Staff is not asked what we want or what is best

for kids.kids are going to go other places when east valley has nothing to offer.


15/16

Find Facilities and having a well thoug

FindNo facilities to do it right. Student

process, decisions were made my

Find

All of the above mentioned issues.

to deal with as students get older.

isolated and cut off from the redt

thing "on-hold" for a year is what'been poorly planned and impleme

Find

How can we do "what's best for ki

trying every new program that co

are spreading our resources too thi

money on updating the computer l

computer skills.

Find

We do not have the funding to ma

to push forward without the mone

(quote by John) 'the original broke

Find

The re visioning happened before

haven't passed a bond in 14 years.

and how long would we stop for, t

of achieving the ultimate k-8 goal,go on. We don't have room and fa

how it can work and what they ne

what they need for next year. John

school. However our district has g

schools for behavior that is disrup

M.S. was going to close anyway b

The board is doing the K-8 re visi

would only fail our students. John'

relying on the district to come up

Find Honors and sports, enough space,

FindPrograms offered to kids, unhapp

enough technology, no common p

Find

No space. No additional vice prin

awful, I had better behaved classe

starting times of the 7th grade teac

a k-5 school. Our 6th and 7th grad

time with students than our K-5 te

Electives not being offered and hi

ripped off, the tiny, nonband room

lockers or band rooms makes our

for this and we trip over instrumen

room is packed beyond its limit.

grade teachers.

Find done too quickly

Privacy P

Copyright

No portion of this site may be c

t out plan

s will miss out on very important electives. Teachers wer

dmin office.

... Also, we have discipline issue that elementary princip

also believe that, in some buildings, the 6/7 students an

f the building. With that being said, I don't believe that p

best for our students. I do believe strongly that this entirted.

ds" when we are cutting out all these programs? No libra

es down the pike instead of concentrating our efforts on

n. Stick to the basics, stop trying aeronautics, new 9th gr

abs at the high school so kids can compete in the world o

e the Superintendent and School Boards' 'good model' s

- it makes a TERRIBLE MODEL......we would be MU

n middle school model'. Which in my opinion was not br

the funds were there. However, the funds will never be th

We need to see this through because it would be more ha

he bond to pass? We need to realize there will be plans m

including all facilities and resources, that can and will cilities at most of our schools. Teachers need to speak up

d to make it work. It is critical for 8th grade teachers to t

needs to be asked. Parents are pulling their kids to take t

rown 200+ physical students, not on-line students. We ne

ive in the class, especially on the 6-8 level. We need to r

ecause the students weren't passing and that Skyview wa

ning because our students are graduating. Waiting for th

's goal is improving grades. He just doesn't have any inte

ith them promotes distress.

adequate space

teachers, space for classrooms, last minute decisions, tra

anning time, not common PLC time

ipal and a full time counselor like we had at the middle s

at the middle school. How is it fair that our principals h

hers but stay until the k-6 is out? We aren't really a K-8,

e get no recess like the K-5 and we get paid the same, bu

achers. Budgets did not increase in buildings as we adde

her math classes not being offered is tragic. The music p

is a joke. Not meeting the number of minutes for PE isn'

lasses full of instruments, coats and backpacks. My roo

ts all the time. I think we break the fire code each day as

e can't collaborate as a staff as we are on different sched

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opied without the express written consent of StellarSurv

not involved in the

ls are not prepared

teachers are

utting the whole

e transition has

y?! I feel we keep

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de school. Spend

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oken by any means!

ere because we

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ed help in our

member that the

closing anyway.

bond to pass

mediate plans and

nsportation, not

hool. Behavior is

ve to come in at the

we are a 6,7 within

have more contact

more staff.

rogram is being

t even legal is it? No

isn't big enough

our mini lunch

ules than the 7th

y.com LLC.


16/16

problems with the k-8 model

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