Hutchinson Leader - Schools - Comments

I think the concept of a

JaneDoe_22 — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:36:47 -0500

I think the concept of a "County" high school is a great idea!!! Yes, the school would be larger than our small town schools and it would be expensive, but there would be more taxpayers available to pay for it!! Each town could maintain its own elementary schools, but a centrally located middle and high school would be great! The argument about a long commute doesn't fly in my book because right now now the students living in the northernmost part of the county in the GSL District have a long commute right now - this would be closer for them. This would solve the Stewart - Brownton problem because both town's students would be attending a new school. No school would have anything special about its former school in this new school. A new name, mascot, etc. would solve alot of problems for everybody. Times are changing, and education needs to change, too. Think of the classes this area could offer its students and the best of the best teachers would clammer to teach there!! I think this is something that all of the surrounding school districts need to look at. I, for one, would definitely vote yes for something like this!!

A mega-high school in

Terry Davis — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:41:23 -0500

A mega-high school in Biscay? Maybe the courthouse should be centrally located, too? Don't let Glencoe residents read this!

While the idea of a high school in Biscay makes geographical sense for three districts, one issue needing to be addressed is all the added infrastructure (sewer, water, etc.) required. I'm don't think Biscay's infrastructure is designed to handle what would amount to adding 2,500 residents overnight to a town of about 115. I suspect major sewer and water treatment plants would need to be constructed. That might add millions of dollars to the cost of building the school.

I just wonder in the future, when fuel prices hit $4 to $5 a gallon or more (20 years ago, did we ever think we would see $3.30 gas in the U.S., so could fuel actually go higher than $5? Probably), if transporting a large amount of students additional miles will be economically feasible? The cost of fuel and energy is growing faster than staffing costs (except for health care), the traditional big ticket item in education.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)

Unfortunately the problems

pat.rolman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:18:59 -0500

Unfortunately the problems at McLeod West come down to simple economics. Even if Brownton and Stewart residents agreed on a path to try to save the district, there would still be major problems in the near future. Major issues with infrastructure, declining/stagnant(at best) enrollment numbers (even if a majority of the students came back to the district), and little, if any economic growth in the tax base to name a few. Compounding that is the rising cost of doing business. (Governmental or private enterprise) Having a sense of community is very important, but it is time to start changing what we view as a community. I think the entire "community" of western McLeod County has a wonderful opportunity at hand. Hutchinson has a dire need for a new high school, Glencoe-Silver Lake has similar infrastructure and economic problems, and I don't think I need to describe McLeod West's situation. Has anyone thought about a consolidation of the three district's? We could build a large, state of the art high school near Biscay to serve the needs of the "community". Middle Schools in Glencoe and Hutchinson, and elementary schools located closer to home. This is just a thought. The recent Northwest/Delta merger is just one example of this in the private sector. We may not like it, but unfortunately economics is forcing our hand.

This reply is for Jorge...

ThAtSsOrAvEn — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:41:24 -0500

This reply is for Jorge... please stay away from MW news. They have a newspaper... let them battle it out in their rags not ours!

My reply is to

phs86 — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:36:09 -0500

My reply is to thatssoraven
Brownton/Stewart does have their own paper. It is called the Bulletin (soon to be added to the Chronicle) If you could keep Jorge out of MW news we would not be on this website airing any dirty laundry.

To Skyzacken. Sad to hear

homeland — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:26:31 -0500

To Skyzacken. Sad to hear that you are a parent acting like a child. You are sick of some of us having nothing good to say. I'm telling YOU that we are tired of parents crying and whining about this. The majority of the people are against doing any thing now so how many more times do we need to vote some thing down befor you stop crying. Last time i checked, majority rules in voting. MOVE ON!!!! donutsmakemybro...i couldn't say it better.

The people from Brownton and

donutsmakemybrowneyesblue — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:08:14 -0500

The people from Brownton and Stewart hang up their laundry on the Hutchinson Leader website and post their opinions but do not want anyone outside of Brownton/Stewart to comment on this debacle of a school district.

I think a Brownwart newspaper is a wonderful idea, but until then, expect people outside of the McLeod West Civil War to make comments.

It appears as though many parents are looking out for their kids and getting them out of dodge before it's too late. Good for them. The rest of the people remind me of those stubborn coastal people that refuse to leave their homes even though they've been warned several days in advance of a strong hurricane approaching and then get thrashed by a hurricane.

My only wish is that either

ThAtSsOrAvEn — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:51:45 -0500

My only wish is that either stewart or brownton had their own paper so we wouldn't have to keep reading about the same topic over and over and over again. Maybe they could start a newspaper business in both towns... both have smart people, probably avid readers in fact. The newspaper would bring in new families and more students too. What would be a good name for such a paper... a name that would not tick off either town...hmmm, let me think... how about "The BrownWart Journal"

Well said Skyzacken, We as

jessie1 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:46:36 -0500

Well said Skyzacken,
We as students do know a little more about this school issue than most people give us credit for. Maybe Homeland should take a look at there tax statement. What really have people paid for in this district? I heard some adult say at the last two community meetings that besides an operating levy in 2000 / 2001 the people of this district haven't paid for nothing. Now we have to listen to people that most likely either open enrolled the kids out of this district or don't even have kids in this district. I agree Skyzacken leave us alone. If you don't like the direction the board has given us to go in next year, I say " tough luck, move on and don't bother us anymore". All the other districts around us have problems too. Go bother them.

Hate to inform you Homeland,

Skyzacken — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:06:39 -0500

Hate to inform you Homeland, but I do not attend McLeod West, I have 3 children who attend there and love their school and are really sick and tired of ignorant people (such as yourself) talking about things they know NOTHING about. I don't recall telling anyone to be quiet, rather keep your negative opinions to yourself when you know nothing of the subject! The last thing Brownton or Stewart needs is more drama, SO if you have nothing good to say or any solutions on how we unite as a district again then keep them to yourselves cause ALOT of people are sick of hearing it!

To Skyzacken. I'm guessing

homeland — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:21:33 -0500

To Skyzacken. I'm guessing you are a sophomore or a junior this year. Are you affraid you might have to go to a different school and you may not be as popular or you may not be as smart as you think you are? In the long run it would be best for you. You are always talking about listening to the students. Why are so many leaving next year....i think you need to listen to the students. I would also encourage you to take an accounting class. You might be suprised to find out that the debt that the district is in is alot worse than you know. When you have to start paying for things like this, then you will look at it differently. Anybody that lives in the district can say what they want about it so STOP TELLING THEM TO BE QUIET! You don't hear what you want so your imature side tells you to tell people to shut up. SOOOOOO SAD!!

LT, do you have any idea how

Skyzacken — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:44:46 -0500

LT, do you have any idea how many surrounding towns are in debt (much higher debt that McLeod West), paying off their levy for improvements to the school or for a new building? You either pay the SMALL price to keep McLeod West united and open OR you WILL be paying for another schools' debt that is probably higher than what we are paying now, if we consolidate because no one can stop thinking of what they want and listen to the students of McLeod West. Most of the students that have been thinking of leaving is because of what their parents have stated or wanted for them. All of this negative talk and bashing of the school board and McLeod West will not get us anywhere. The pointing of fingers and needing someone to blame for the situation our school is in needs to STOP! The students need our support, whatever they choose, they deserve every opportunity and solution we can offer them. If your against McLeod West then stay out of anything that pertains to McLeod West, you have have given up and anything you say means nothing!

They are already $740,000 in

LT — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:03:28 -0500

They are already $740,000 in debt, and they expect to be able to run a K-12 school with less kids than they have now? From the last count published in the paper, enrollment will be down 20% from THIS year, and those are the kids they know about. There are more undecided, (or at least not telling that they are leaving, to save themselves harrassment.) They are going to put themselves even farther in debt, and we as the taxpayers will have to pay for it.
At least they will be able to play football, from the last meeting I was at, that is all at least one of the board members is concerned about.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Hey!! This is the tying post

homeland — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:47:46 -0500

Hey!! This is the tying post for the "McLeod West school bond vote defeated" post!!! Tied at 111 each!! Who wants to break it???

Sorry jessie1, but I have

givin up — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:51:31 -0500

Sorry jessie1, but I have never been a "no voter". I have always supported McLeod West. My "true colors" have always been black and red. I have done no hateful things to anyone in this district. I feel horrible for all the students at your school. It is not my fault MW will be over a million dollars in debt in the future. I tried over and over to support the right choices to build a strong McLeod West. But my bank account can now no longer support another tax for a district that is slowly coming to an end. Not having enough funds to back these choices makes me an evil "no voter"?
And yes, my backside is burning right now, because some children have grown tired of the fight, and would much more enjoy life concentrating on the real meaning of school. Education. Wouldn't you much more enjoy the fun times of school instead of sitting on a newspaper blog defending your opinions?
Well, this is my opinion and it doesn't make me a bad MW hater. Just a person with some insight that the future at McLeod West isn't looking very bright right now and I am very sad about it. But being sad isn't going to put more money in my pocket to pay for the tax increases that would come along with reopening the Stewart campus. So jesse1, that's my reality.