One high school or two?

JC board members spell out their stands on issue

Members of the dais look toward school board member John Ruth as he expounds upon the reasoning for a single high school in the Jefferson City Public Schools system. Officials were at the Mission Road round-about Oct. 1, 2012, to make an announcement regarding the purchase of land and the location of the proposed new high school. Next to Ruth is Dennis Nickelson and Joy Sweeny, both on the school board, Brian Mitchell, superintendent, and architect Cary Gampher. Photo by Julie Smith.

By Kris Hilgedick

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Six of Jefferson City’s seven school board members are convinced that replacing the city’s existing high school with a new one east of Highway 179 is the best possible option, if the community hopes to remain competitive in a global marketplace, address problems with overcrowding and meet those obligations in a way that doesn’t translate into an onerous burden for taxpayers.

To that end, members already have purchased a $3.1 million tract and signed contracts to sell the “old” high school to Lincoln University and Linn State Technical College.

Only one member — Marie Peoples — has raised concerns the district is not headed in the right direction.

“My stance is that one mega high school does not best serve the academic needs of all students,” Peoples said. “I believe that two high schools will provide more academic and extracurricular opportunities.”

Her peers have chosen a different direction; they argue a single high school — broken into seven smaller learning communities called academies — strikes a good compromise between the expense of operating two high schools and the Jay Pride excellence the district cherishes.

Ultimately, it will be up to the voters to decide whether or not the board’s GPS is functioning or on the fritz.

Here is a sampling of the board’s various viewpoints:

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yamahamian 5 months, 2 weeks ago

All you keyboard coyboys who have been chiming in about the school situation all these weeks (and you know very well who you are) should be attending any and all future public meetings on this subject. If not, you have no right to gripe on a website about how this issue is being handled, decisions made, etc... Otherwise you're nothing but an internet troll who likes to play armchair quarterback.

JCsleeper 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Two.

JCLifer 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Two.

hater1234 5 months, 1 week ago

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 1 week ago

Six

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

Agreed! 6-8...called "Academies".

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 1 week ago

Wrong six new board members! Rob

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

haha! nice one, rob!

Crump 5 months, 1 week ago

Put it up for a vote, let it get blown out of the water and get it over with. STUPID PLAN. Class of 1969

JCLifer 5 months, 1 week ago

Transformation vote part II

hudson 5 months, 1 week ago

the one that will cost the taxpayers the most .

Just_a_Mom 5 months, 1 week ago

Allow us to vote on a two high school model. Let the voter decide what is cost prohibitive. Communities all over have multiple high schools, both public and private, and the business people determine how to distribute their advertising dollars. Continue to let them do their jobs. As far as the argument of creating a have and have-not situation (new facility vs. current JCHS), that happens all the time, too. In fact, didn't that happen in the JCPS district when Pioneer Trail was opened and won't it happen again when the new, proposed elementary is built?? There will be some that are attracted to the shiny new facility while others will prefer the tradition of the old. Put the two high school issue to rest by allowing the voter to do their job. If it passes, proceed down that route. If it doesn't, the current proposal is a great Plan B and you'll have my support.

rodinman 5 months, 1 week ago

Their surveys showed that two high schools were preferred. That is why they don't want a vote on it. They want what they want and to heck with how the citizenry wants their tax dollars spent.

him 5 months, 1 week ago

These people are living in the past where JC once dominated in football and they have hopes of once being at that level again. There is a lot of talent in the kids from Jeff City and most of them don't get the chance to prove it. Its the same with basketball. Most of the kids don't even tryout to be on a team. With two high schools I bet that Jeff City would have two big name football teams that others fear to place against.

PatsyDecline 5 months, 1 week ago

Finally.....someone uses the dirty "F" word that lies at the heart of the School Board's desire for 1 HS.

Let's be honest....the only "Excellence" that most of these folks truly care about involves a pointed ball.

Two HS dilutes the talent pool.....can't have that!!

yamahamian 5 months, 1 week ago

What a load of baloney (avoiding the net nanny here). People drop the "oh, its all about football" beef please, its way too old.

sancho 5 months, 1 week ago

I see this very differently. My hope is that building the academies will mean this community can focus on teaching and not on sports. Providing opportunities for students to play sports outside of varsity sports (such as intramural sports) will give more students the chance to be involved in team sports.

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

right on!

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 1 week ago

Sancho, that is the plan back in the early 80s? 4 junior highs playing each other intramural , feeding into one high school? They built the Grand stadium, to sell it at a fire sale price? Thats nice that Lincoln or Linn Tech can pick them up, but why were my taxes spent in such a poor manner? Was there no planning? Smaller class size means more oppurtunity for students, 2 high schools means more oppurtunity for students, whether it is on the football team, class president, debate team, or band. Wikipedia shown me that all the notable alumni JC has produce was Govenor, and a handful of atheletes! Tell me how we rank with smaller schools alumni, or better yet tell me how JCHS alumni ranks with schools the same size? It is not about the Dynasties created, it is about academics, and participation! Rob

JCLifer 5 months, 1 week ago

I know six board members who need to be replaced, plus an old superintendent who gets a huge bloated salary paid for with our tax dollars.

sancho 5 months, 1 week ago

I have found Dr. Mitchell to be a strong leader. People on the school board have worked very hard on researching and developing different concepts for the community to consider. A year ago they held several public meetings to share their work with the community. It is unfortunate that when elected officials support something people in this community do not like or understand people want to replace them.

dokeus6 5 months, 1 week ago

Would you care to elaborate on how Dr. Mitchell is a strong leader. Do you have personal knowledge of his leadership? Has he directed a disaster to make him such a strong leaders?

"It is unfortunate that when elected officials support something people in this community do not like or understand people want to replace them." We want to replace them because they are not doing what the citizens voted for. They are behaving like typical politicians. They don't listen.

sancho 5 months, 1 week ago

I have been on committees that Dr. Mitchell was on and talked to others who work for the school system, and they had very positive things to say about him.

Often in this community, when people in public positions recommend change, there is an outcry to replace the officials. That is not my approach. Doke, you said, "We want to replace them because they are not doing what the citizens voted for." In my opinion that's not correct. Over and over and over again the citizens have voted down tax increases. The school board and superintendent must develop a plan to improove education to get the biggest bang for our buck. That applies to the construction cost and the operating costs. They have given us what we want: a model that will be an excellent high school, but will not cost as much to operate as 2 schools.

JCLifer 5 months, 1 week ago

Hitler was a strong leader. So what?

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

haha! We've gone from "The Snow-day Nazi", Richard Pimberton ("No snow day for you!"), to just a straight up Nazi? [I know you weren't quite suggesting that.] I feel that the board needs to tighten the leash a bit sometimes... Elected Board members should drive decisions more than an appointed administrator.

january 5 months, 1 week ago

One high school to rule them all

JCPSDad 5 months, 1 week ago

Come on, this is funny!!!! One School to Rule Them All. One School to Find Them. One School to Bring Them All and In The Darkness Bind Them

january 5 months, 1 week ago

Thank you! Guess somebody will be at the theater with me on Friday.

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

Because of football? Thats's an idea from the past. Look at the Board. It's mainly teachers, spouses of teachers, and others that have made education their number one priority.

RobHunterJohnson 5 months, 1 week ago

Marie Peoples, has the right idea, and is willing to stand up against the Board, and the Jefferson City establishment! We are not headed in the right direction with another mega school! Clayton this entire town runs on scratching and grease! Rob

JCLifer 5 months, 1 week ago

Marie Peoples is the only board member who cares about the children and who listens to the voters/tax payers. She is probably the only board member who is not a member of the Chamber of Commerce too.

Marie- thanks for your support of sanity!

sancho 5 months, 1 week ago

Marie Peoples is a good person. I have a lot of respect for her, and for the rest of our school board. It is a good thing that we have people on the school board that are presenting different viewpoints. As long as the discussion is respectful, and people don't verbally attack those they disagree with, we can get the different options in the public discussion. The more we understand about the different ways to improve our high school, the pros and cons of the different options, the better we can work towards picking the option that offers the community the best educational system at an acceptable cost.

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

...board members don't care about children? Seriously? Most of the board is made of former teachers or spouses of teachers. I don't think people go into teaching for the money. (especially in this district.)

I understand the conspiracy logic that there's a group of elites that think they know what's best for the city, and try to push it onto the general population. (annexation, Transform JC, etc.) But explain how that's the case here? I don't see it that way in this instance... First, Marie is one of 4 non-Chamber members on the Board. See profiles at jcps.k12.mo.us . (And she was first appointed by many of the very board members people're suggesting get voted/thrown out.) More importantly, the main thing that survey said was that the public doesn't want to pay for two high schools. Sure, we like the idea of improving education, but don't want to foot the bill. The Board seems to have heard this point loud and clear. Hence, they've found an innovative way to boost education, keep costs down, and deliver a new high school to the public. The board is working hard to save us money. Look, the budget that the Board has passed over the past few years has voluntarily rolled back the levy... rather than asking for more $ and being told no, the Board is listening to voters and doing what they can to keep costs down. So, instead of paying $5.40 a year like Columbia property owners do, we pay just $3.67 in JC. (the JCPS budget is online)

Clayton 5 months, 1 week ago

Linn and Lincoln have agreed to purchase all of the current HS buildings. And a $20mil grant may come from the Fed. This is the first (and only) well-planed, good idea to come from JC leaders in a long time.
Twenty-first century facilities with minimal tax burden is much better than having to pay for two industrial-style HS buildings. The more you know, the more you'll like it:
check out the site at newjchs.us

JCLifer 5 months, 1 week ago

That $20 million dollar Race to the Top grant from Arney Duncan is just a way for the Feds to get in and make our local district jump through the Fed's hoops. We would be better off telling the Feds to keep their money and keep their nose out of our local schools. We don't need our schools to end up like Chicago schools have done under Arney Duncan.

JCPSDad 5 months, 1 week ago

JCLifer - seriously????? You would rather turn down 20 million dollars that could help our students and teachers just because you see a conspiracy? The RTTT grant was designed to help foster innovation and to get schools trying new ways to engage and educate the kids.... The 20 million grant will help fund a 1-to-1 computer intiatives for our students 6th-12th, with a TON of tech in the elementaries- also fund millions for teacher professional development... You do realize the vast majority of school funds already come from federal initiatives, correct????

sancho 5 months, 1 week ago

Well, God forbid that some of the federal tax money that we send to Washington should end up back in our own community. Yep, those nasty ole federal grants and tax credits, they are being spent here and destroying our society. Can't be having money spent here that's not locally generated. No no no, we can't be bringing outside money into Jefferson City, we are only allowed to recycle money that's already here.

But remember, other communities that are not turning away federal grants are benefiting from their willingness to accept grants - and they are competing with us for business, new ventures, and economic development.

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