West Newsmagazine 11-26-2014

22 I SCHOOLS I
NOVEMBER 26, 2014
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
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By MARY SHAPIRO
mshapiro@newsmagazinenetwork.com
Rockwood’s Board of Education, on
Nov. 13, failed to pass, by a 3-4 vote, a
request to allow staff to investigate a proposed
change in the district’s policy development
procedure.
Board Members Dominqué Paul, Rob
Castle and Sherri Rogers voted in favor of
the plan.
A Problem/Issue/Need (PIN) form was
completed by Paul, asking for a change
in the procedure to include a question and
answer session, or some opportunity for
the community to participate during policy
review meetings.
“Now, people can listen in at these meetings
but they can’t suggest anything,” Paul
said. “The meetings don’t incorporate the
public at all, and they need that option.”
However, Board Member Matt Doell contended
that a high percentage of the policy
development updates that are needed hinge
on complying with state, county or other
regulatory requirements.
“It’s not a matter of having conversations
on those,” he said. “We often have no choice
on doing them. And anything that may be
more controversial, needing public input,
is rare. For those, we could say the Board
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Rockwood Board votes down request
to change policy development process
wouldn’t have a second reading on them
before we have public questions and answers.
“But I don’t want us to have to hold a public
question and answer session on every change,
especially on these mandatory requirements
for regulation changes that nobody would
come to anyway. The sessions, for most
policy changes, would be a waste of time.”
Superintendent Eric Knost said taxpayers
do have a voice on those issues through
the Board of Education members they elect.
“Policy changes come to the board three
times at their meetings for three separate votes
before final approval, and people can speak
about them during public comment,” he said.
Doell added that residents, during board
meeting public comment periods, can talk
to the board about anything. But Paul said
the public now isn’t able to ask questions or
express concerns at policy review committee
meetings, where the committee examines
proposed new or amended policies
before they come to the board for approval.
Doell insisted that if residents had questions
about a proposal, board members
would be willing to meet with them before
board meetings begin.
“We need to put the opportunities to do
that in writing,” Paul said. “Some people
are saying their voices haven’t been heard.”
Holiday Holiday Ad.doc Ad.doc 11/20/2009 11/20/2009
CAPITAL NEEDS, from page 18
10 years and likely longer. Also, annual maintenance
costs would total $77,720 for grass
fields versus $8,000 for turf fields which need
no mowing, seeding, water or pesticides.
He said the district also would avoid
$42,671 in estimated annual costs this
fiscal year of having to relocate games due
to problems with grass fields.
“Eureka High School’s Homecoming game
had to be moved to Parkway Central High
due to condition of grass fields, and that was
a shame,” Board Member Matt Doell said.
Board Member Sherri Rogers added that
junior football teams have experienced
extensive practice cancellations due to the
condition of the grass fields.
And Board Member Rob Castle said that,
in regard to Rockwood Summit’s marching
band, “I can count on one hand the practices
we’ve had on that stadium field due to
rain and rescheduled football games.”
He said the current grass fields don’t
allow for heavy student traffic, and turf
fields would allow for more uses for purposes
other than football games.
“Depending on the weather and schedule
of usage, grass fields are difficult to
maintain properly and can pose safety
issues ... but turf is more durable,” Rooney
said. “Turf fields are not a luxury item,
and patrons of neighboring districts have
already chosen to use them.”
He estimated total annual impact of
moving from grass to turf fields would
save the district about $82,391 per year.
Knost said turf fields would “open up
two acres in the middle of our high school
campuses, which are now unusable a lot
of the time so that our curricular programs
can’t touch them.”
And he said more district labor could be
shifted away from stadium field maintenance
to better care for practice fields and fields at
other schools that would remain grass.
“We’re not trying to sell the board on turf,
but, when you look at our facility needs,
grass fields are costing us more tax money,”
Knost said.
Board Member Dominquè Paul noted that
some recent health concerns have arisen in
regard to turf fields; and Rogers questioned
whether all the needs brought up “are a prelude
to asking for a bond issue.”
Knost admitted it could be to some degree.
“But we have a lot of information on these
needs, and we need to review it and set priorities
before any decision would be made, such
as on a future ballot,” he said. “When you let
maintenance and other issues sit, they only
compound and things further deteriorate.”