OPINION: BHS - Achieving the Very Best of Small School Benefits
Creating a small class and small school feeling in a larger high school building is possible.
I have a fifth grader at West Hills Middle School. He was moved as a fourth grader from a “small” elementary school of about 350 kids to the middle school numbering nearly 600 kids as part of our last consolidation.
At West Hills, the 4/5 grades are nestled in a wing all by themselves. My son has a small single classroom elementary educational experience. He gets all the benefits that the building can offer, like more computers, a large gym and field house, band rooms, and art facilities. He now has the opportunity to take accelerated classes with the 6th graders, all without leaving the school grounds. He has a counselor that he never had before that will get to know him over 5 years. He has the opportunity to join clubs and school sports to meet older, more-experienced kids. And he gets all this and feels part of a larger community at West Hills in his small, safe elementary wing.
This is a perfect example of past experience we can draw from to create a small class and small school feeling in a larger high school building community. One that captures all the benefits that we can provide to enhance that experience.
Do we really want to isolate the 9th graders to where they don’t feel a part of a larger community? Keep them from a complete high school experience? For clubs, arts, and sports they will either be separated or bused back to the main campus including any advanced or other classes that are not offered at the 9th grade campus.
For the people thinking of voting ”no,” please think about this. We will lose out on $1.4 million each year that we could be spending on academics. Instead, we will spend this money to maintain two very old, out-of-date infrastructures. The environment is less safe in these two older buildings. The teaching flexibility will suffer and we will not keep pace with our neighboring communities that have spent money to invest in their futures. Is that really better?
True, it requires us to make an investment in our community, in our future, in our own excellence. But it asks us to invest at a level that is 20% lower than what we currently pay now.
I choose an investment rather than risk the deterioration of my community and my schools as they fall the way of the old edifices that the buildings represent. Our community stays strong when we attract people to it that are looking for the very best. Will they continue to move here? Will the best teachers choose us? Let’s not gamble with the answer. Vote 'Yes' on May 8th.
Barb Kaufman,
West Bloomfield
Amy Cardin
8:08 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Totally agree! The BHSD has historically proven their commitment to being the best. By hiring the very best educators, offering a broad array of curriculum choices and augmenting with numerous co-curricular and extra curricular programs, our district has remained at the forefront of public education in our state and nation.
Now we have the opportunity to afford those top notch educators and motivated students with a facility that will enhance their learning experience. The proposal is a smart investment in our community.
Please vote YES on May 8.
S Sera
9:15 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Our experience at Bloomfield Hills Middle School is much like your experience at West Hills. Thank you for putting it so well.
Jenny Greenwell
11:23 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Please remind the treasurer of OBU to file the campaign finance report with Oakland county elections. It's required by law. I am sure that many BHSD taxpayers would like to know who is funding the PAC.
Both Bloomfield Voice and B20/20 have submitted the required documents, and I am very grateful to the hard-working volunteers who serve as our Treasurers!
Taxpayers can easily access the information, which is public, by visiting the Oakland County elections site.
I'll be voting NO on May 8 as the proposal adds 800 additional seats to a district plagued with a chronic problem of excess capacity. Any reasonable plan must include selective demolition and reduction of excess capacity. A right-sized school district can focus education tax dollars on the students. Our dollars are maintaining empty and under-utilized buildings.
Howard Baron
11:59 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Ms Greenwell, at the Curriculum Community Partnership meeting on Monday, 4/30/12, there was serious discussion about the creation of FMP3, the next phase of the facilities master plan. A key element of that plan will be the disposal of unused buildings that you speak about in your post. Your attendance and input at these CPC meetings would be welcomed. This will give you a greater opportunity to set the direction of the district than writing about it on the Patch blog. I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting.
Neena
12:35 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
Jenny, I will be voting YES on May 8th for all the reasons Barb explains. From the comments below it is obvious that you are simly trying to derail the conversation by changing the subject. I would like to bring it back to the original post.
I feel like I could have written it myself. I have been so pleased with the transition of the 4th and 5th graders at West Hills. My son has flourished in a setting that allows him opportunities he would not have otherwise. That he gets to do this while still having the elementary school experience is amazing!
If you ask both parents and students, the response will be overwhelming. This district has consistently demonstrated that they can make tough choices result in successful outcomes. To preserve the quality of education Bloomfield Hills demands, this next step is necessary. They deserve our trust, support and vote!
Neal Charness
11:29 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
I'm not sure the 2010 B2020 report is yet filed so I'm sure you're conversant with the requirements.
Your 800 seat comment is simply ludicrous since the auditorium at the old Lahser building will no long be in use. But...I suspect you knew that when you wrote your post.
Enjoy your Thursday.
Ken Jackson
11:42 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
The way BHMS handles different grade levels has given us, too, great confident in the district. I am delighted at the way my tax dollars are being utilized for my kids. I very much appreciate, too, the honesty and directness with which One Bloomfield United have worked.
Brandon Kaufman
12:46 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Thank you for the people who are commenting on the topic, that is, the district has demonstrated successful consolidations in the past and we have all the confidence in the administrations ability to implement this consolidation. It’s also important to note the confidence is coming from parents who have children that will be experiencing the consolidation process.
As for Ms. Greenwell accusations regarding OBU filing, I will just make 2 comments. First, B2020 consistently filed their paperwork late, if at all. Second and most importantly, OBU has had an unprecedented number of supporters. The report is massive and requires detailed documentation. The report will be filled within the next few days and will comply with all campaign finance rules.
Have a great day.
Howard Baron
5:03 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Brandon, could you document your claim that B2020 files late contribution reports?
I can't support that claim based on my brief research of the subject.
Charles Gaba
5:38 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Howard--I took a look myself out of curiosity. I see about a half-dozen "errors and ommissions" warnings to B2020 from the County Clerk's office back in 2010, when Chris Fellin himself was their treasurer, and one error/ommission warning to them so far this time around. All told, they've been warned of over 60 errors on the various reports.
So, basically, they're getting their reports in, but they're sloppily done and incomplete. Their completed/corrected forms came in later, so I guess it's a matter of perspective.
I'll leave it to others to judge how serious or inconsequential either issue is.
Howard Baron
6:37 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Charles, the rules are VERY picky so I have sympathy for us non-professionals doing these filings.
Charles Gaba
7:05 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Howard (and, believe it or not, Chris)--I actually have sympathy for both campaigns on this issue. Campaign finance filing reports ARE a MASSIVE headache, and extremely nit-picky, so I fault neither B2020 for having numerous errors nor OBU for not getting it done quite under the wire (as long as it's complete and accurate when it *is* filed).
It's basically a non-issue unless it turns out that all of B2020's (or OBU's) money actually came from, like, the Koch Brothers, George Soros or some other politically-active gazillionaire (of any stripe) unrelated to the district.
Howard Baron
7:53 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
All, the campaign finance world is made up of campaign committees vs. candidate committees, error and omission letters vs. failure to file letters, late filing fee notices and then waivers, etc. Let's disarm on this issue please. We all are trying to follow the detailed rules the best we can. If someone is obviously trying to skirt the law, that is one thing. They are putting themselves at risk of being prosecuted. Otherwise, drop this subject.
Neal Charness
1:05 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Chris: I'm sure you've seen Brandon's post. I kind of feel for you here. You've carried the ball for B2020 all this time and now Jenny is posting, just 5 days before the vote. Neal
Neal Charness
1:57 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Distractions again: the allegations about campaign finance filings is one more distraction being perpetrated by B2020. Even if this were remotely true (Having seen Chris' and Brandon's presentations of facts over time I think it's more likely Brandon has it right. I've seen "financial facts" claimed by B2020/Chris so...) it has absolutely nothing to do with the merits of the bond issue. Knowing they have no case B2020 once again is trying to distract the voters with non-issues. Truthfully, can anyone deny that's their actual strategy?
Neal Charness
11:45 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Chris: The campaign finance issue was instigated by Jenny. I believe she's still part of B2020. This is regarding your post, just below. You didn't, by the way, say your filings were complete when they were made so we still can't say whether they were fully filed on time, all we know is that at least some filing was made, although, according to Charles the clerk's office did issue "errors and omissions" warnings. If this is true, then your statement that the filings were made at time is, at best, a partial truth.
Ken Jackson
2:38 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Mr. Charness,
I don't think it is possible any more to deny that Mr. Fellin and 20/20 are trying to distort the rather straightforward issue on the May 8th ballot. For whatever else good Mr. Fellin and others in 2020 might have done in the past -- they are now actively tryng to distort a rather straightforward local school issue. These distortions have included unsubstantiated claims of wrongdoing by the school board, the administration, and other citizens. This is a shame as the May 8th issue in of itself is straightforward: Because of demographic changes and massive changes in the way public education is financed BHS finally has had to consolidate its two high schools in to one. BHS has recommended to the district that renovating the Andover site is the best way to complete that consolidation and so they have called -- after much consultation -- for a bond to help pay for that renovation. As they have no way of knowing which way voters will go they have also prepared a back up plan ('Plan B') wherein the single high school will be organized in two buildings. In this plan all 9th graders will be in what used to be Lahser. If you VOTE YES you help support the district's recommendation to renovate Andover and have the new single high school in one building; if you vote no you vote against the district's recommendation. You say, in effect, the district that has been providing great education for years is dead wrong about how to provide education in tough times. VOTE YES.
Neal Charness
4:42 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Chris: We're going to have to leave it up to the community: I think it'll be hope and progress over fear and inaction. Best. Neal
Barb Kaufman
10:08 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
I am assuming that since no one has commented on the topic that we all agree that the district has demonstrated well that they can create small classes and a small school feel in a larger school building.
Ken Jackson
7:29 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Ms. Kaufman,
Slight correction. If anyone bothers to track the string they will see that several people were agreeing -- rather wholeheartedly -- with your important point about the district's proven capacity to create a small school feel in larger buildings. Then the distractions about campaign financing paperwork jumped in -- egads.