Cd'A superintendent will continue community forums

Posted: Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008 - 11:19:41 pm PDT
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By MAUREEN DOLAN
Staff writer

Bauman says value of listening to patrons was 'really underscored' for her

COEUR d'ALENE -- Hazel Bauman isn't finished listening.

She's also exploring ways to meet the needs of the district without building new schools.

The Coeur d'Alene School District superintendent, who Tuesday hosted the last in a series of community forums she called for after voters rejected a $31 million levy at the polls in May, said there will be more of them.

"I'm planning to have forums as long as I'm superintendent. Some will be topic specific. Some just to find out how we're doing," Bauman said. "The value of communicating directly with patrons was really underscored for me, that truly listening, not being in a defensive mode, but hearing their concerns, that's huge and I will continue to do that."

At the most recent forum, Bauman asked the dozen patrons who attended for permission to discuss with them not only the failed levy, but to hear their thoughts about some ideas being considered by the district to meet its building needs.

The conversation centered on not only what to do with Lakes Middle School, which would have been rebuilt at a cost to taxpayers of $23.6 million had the levy passed, but on possible uses for Hayden Lake Elementary School, a building that has remained vacant for several years.

"If we decide to delay running any more school plant facility levies or bonds for awhile, we are really going to have to take a hard look at the Hayden Lake facility as a place to house kids in the fall of 2009," Bauman said in a phone interview Wednesday.

One idea for use for the building is turning it into a kindercenter, a facility that would house all the district's kindergartners, Bauman said.

Bauman said the data has not been gathered yet to see if a move like that would be feasible, but the idea is being heavily discussed and other district buildings could be considered for the same purpose.

"If we could put a kindercenter in one of our buildings, it could free up enough classrooms, at least in the northern buildings and postpone the need for a new elementary school," Bauman said.

Eliminating the need for a new elementary school would save taxpayers millions of dollars.

The failed levy included $7.9 million to build a new elementary school on property owned by the district near the intersection of Atlas and Nez Perce Roads.

Bauman said she knows that educationally the idea of housing the kindergartners in the same location is a good one.

But, it's another issue that will have to be discussed with the community and Bauman is aware there may be opposition to the idea.

"Families for the most part, like their kindergartner in the same building as their siblings.

It's easier for transportation and they like having big brothers and sisters there with their little ones," Bauman said. "That is not to be discounted. That is a positive of having a K-5 setup."

Bauman "absolutely" plans to include the community in any decisions made about what to do with the Lakes Middle School building, including how to spend funds leftover from a 2002 levy voters approved to renovate Lakes. That project never took place after construction costs soared causing other projects included on the same levy to come in over budget.

Bauman plans to invite more members of the community to get involved in that decision through forums and by having more people connected with the Long Range Planning Committee, the group that advises and makes recommendations to the board regarding facilities planning decisions.

The district is currently accepting applications from members of the public who are interested in being appointed to the 28-member committee.

"If anybody who fills out an application and isn't selected wants to join us, we will have a seat for them. I will personally invite them to attend the meetings," Bauman said. "Although they won't be voting members, we'll find a way to include their thoughts and ideas for consideration."