Brooks recommends NA-FC school board keep all schools open this fall

By TARA HETTINGER
Tara.Hettinger@newsandtribune.com

June 30, 2009 11:25 am

— After three years of research with the Resources for Results committee, New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Dennis Brooks fell short of saying whether or not any schools would be closed in the near future.
In his list of recommendations he made during his last school board meeting Monday night, he said not to close a school for the upcoming school year. However, the issue was left open for years beyond that.
The committee was started to help the corporation better utilize resources. The approximately 30 appointed members — including two school board members — studied boundary lines, enrollment, facility issues and more.
However, Brooks’ recommendations are to start another group — a visioning team — set out to create a 10-year plan for the corporation, have the administration review and adjust boundary lines, pay for a feasibility study to be done on the district’s elementary schools to determine the condition of the facilities and what’s needed for those and more.
After the meeting, Brooks said he’s only disappointed in the outcome if the public doesn’t understand what has really come from those three years of research.
“This is not dodging the bullet,” he said. “This is strategically planning how to move forward.”
However, Board President Neal Smith said he was disappointed.
“I had hoped for some more definitive recommendations,” Smith said. “I think the process was disrupted by folks who wouldn’t allow the committee to do its work.
“ ... I think we’ll be doing all this all over again in a year or so.”
Board member Lee Ann Wiseheart was on the committee.
“It is disappointing to spend three years of very committed time for however many people were on that committee and to have a recommendation that is, in my opinion, is to recommend other people to make the decisions,” Wiseheart said. “The good point to that is, it’s going to be stakeholders. That’s the good that really came out of it. There’s going to be a lot more people involved in the visioning. We need a lot more people involved.”
Wiseheart said she believes that parents, staff members and more will be involved in the visioning process. However, she isn’t sure yet how it will be handled in gathering those who want to participate.
She said she does feel that the process should remain close to what Resources had, by having private meetings. She said public meetings would force the group to continually rehash information for the changing audience instead of moving forward. Wiseheart said she feels that the group would be regularly reporting to the board and public on its findings.
Smith said he felt that the board should wait until a new superintendent is hired before forming the visioning group. The board has set a tentative date of Aug. 3 to announce the new superintendent.
When leaked notes from the Resources for Results committee meetings showed that school closures, specifically Pine View and Silver Street elementaries, were being considered, some residents decided to take action. FOSSE, or Friends of Silver Street Elementary, formed as a way for people to come together to save their school.
Brandi Tabeling, acting chairperson for FOSSE, said she was happy Silver Street would be open in the fall, but afraid of what the future might hold.
“The recommendation is not very reassuring at all. It leads me to believe this is all going to start again very soon,” Tabeling said. “I don’t know what will happen ... but we will make our presence known.”
Tabeling said it’s her hope that some FOSSE members may be a part of the visioning group, so that they can let their side be heard.

SAYING GOODBYE
Brooks, who is leaving to take a position with the Indiana Department of Education, said goodbye to his board, administrative team and more at his last meeting.
He will work as assistant to the superintendent for administration and operations to Tony Bennett, state superintendent of public instruction.
Bennett, who formerly worked under Brooks’ with the title that Brooks will be assuming, surprised the board by showing up to say a few words, including announcing Brooks as receiving the corporation’s “Nobody does it better” award.
“New Albany-Floyd County’s loss is the state of Indiana’s gain,” Bennett said.
Brooks then took time to compliment the administration, parents and more with NA-FC.
“I am so excited about going to work with Tony and the new experience,” Brooks said. “It’s kind of hard to say goodbye ... farewell and we will go from here and I know New Albany-Floyd will have a strong superintendent in the future.”
Others took time to say goodbye to him.
“Our corporation has been made better by his contributions, his energetic work ethic,” board member Rebecca Gardenour said, pausing with emotion in her voice, “... his honesty, his integrity and most of all his passion for the children.”
She continued, thanking him for his service to the district.
“The effects of your outstanding leadership will be felt for a long time,” Gardenour said.
Don Sakel, board member, said that in his years in education, he has worked for/associated with 12 superintendents and that Brooks was the best.
Brooks’ last day with NA-FC is today.

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