For several years there has been discussion about the much needed renovating of our schools and closing buildings. Now that the Bond Issue has passed it is much more real. Our community is such a special place to be able to pass this kind of levy. We are now faced with the real challenges of this new work. It is easy for me to imagine many of the obstacles, problems, and chaos that may ensue until we are all neatly in beautiful modern classrooms. There are so many details to attend to that will probably all cause disruptions in our lives and work. There are questions of every conceivable type and there are few answers available right now. I can’t imagine how we are going to accomplish many of the things that need to be done to make these next few years successful and smooth.
What we need to be thinking about is how we should be getting involved in problem-solving and helping to anticipate issues before they arise. Every one of us has some area of expertise to offer that may not be in the skill sets of the people who are charged with the overall planning. We need to have our voices heard, offer our insights, get involved in planning and designing new classrooms and swing spaces. Without our input we will see the kind of things that happen when no one asks us. Many of you probably recall how phones were put in classrooms without regard to the room design or the convenience due to decisions to place a phone tucked in the back of a classroom or hard to reach corner. I am also sure that many of you know of similar fiascos. We should be helping to figure out how we can thrive during the changes, not just get through it. To this end, we will be asking for your help in all aspects of phase 1 of this renovation. Dr. McDaniel has already stated in her email to staff that she believes this input is important. It will be interesting, tiring, rejuvenating, and important. We have a chance to have input into a monumental change for the district. I believe that we can be helpful in ensuring that these changes are planned, managed, and carried out properly. I am certain there will still be problems, but perhaps we can stem many of the more obvious ones. I believe we can make a difference moving forward.