February 29, 2008- Regarding Comments from February 21st, 2008

First of all I want to apologize if my behavior was unpleasant or disconcerting. I am glad to hear ALL of the news that comes from the members of our great community and have tried to create a welcoming report, but I will work to become more blank if that will help you to feel more comfortable. As it is easy for me to have people tell me what I already understand, I actually am very glad to receive information that may run contrary to my thinking to help me better appreciate and empathize with points of view that I may not always fully understand.

I agree whole heartedly about use of the flash system to inform about our meetings and will see what we can do to bring this about.

Next I want to address the discussion about charter schools generally and RMCA specifically. I agree that Charter schools are generally a different clientele and may not be a direct comparison to our traditional school system, but in the end we need proficiency to increase to 100% in all systems. I can give 100 reasons why our traditional system may be challenged in a way that charters are not, but I can give an equally lengthy list of the advantages that our traditional system enjoys that the charter system does not. In the end I do not wholly agree with the excessive comparison of one school to another, instead I prefer to look at the level that they are achieving and make sure that we are making rapid gains each year. That being said I will not discount the success that RMCA has had, just as I will not discount the fact that Stetson was a School of Excellence while it was at it's greatest overcrowding. I will enthusiastically expound the successes of ALL of our schools. Not to try and shame the others into doing better, but to acknowledge success. In the end excellence at all schools, among all students is critical and I will support strengthening opportunities for all of our families and their children.

I will state that charter schools are a contingent of our growth strategy, not the whole strategy. At a minimum I believe that the charter schools in our district are required to maintain a level >50% D-49 students. At a minimum that currently equates to about a middle school's worth of capacity that the District did not bond or raise taxes for. These are institutions that the parents have selected because they meet a need that the parents value, just as you have chosen a traditional system because it contains values and opportunities that you cherish.

As to meeting with teachers and staff, I must admit that my time has presently been spent meeting with more administrators than teachers as I come up to speed on their needs and passions and my responsibilities. In the last three months I have met with several representatives from Learning Services, Construction/Planning, Safety, Finance, and Information Technology. I also met with the school representatives from each of the schools during the School Showcase back in January which was an excellent experience to see where the schools have their passions and see their strengths. Additionally I have met with a representative from Skyview to discuss issues related to overcrowding at that site and some parents and teachers associated with the Stetson Elementary PTA. I hope in the near future to be having some community meetings specifically to develop more community dialogue. Though the open forums provide a vehicle for this, I don't think that it is the best vehicle for meaningful discussion. If you would like I will add you to the list of people that I will specifically notify.

Also along these lines I am trying to update my personal website to allow more of these items to have a place to be posted. To that end I would request your permission to add this letter (with your name removed, unless you prefer otherwise) and my response to that site (http://www.kentclawson.com). I feel that this will allow others a chance to review concerns like yours and others and better understand my position on these concerns.

I have removed the contacts at the Gazette from this response. Not because I had anything that I wanted to hide, instead because I wanted to present a response to YOUR comments and concerns and not an editorial. You should have no reservations, on my behalf, about feeling free to forward or do as you wish with my response. As always please feel free to contact me with your questions, comments, or concerns (especially where we may disagree).

I look forward to other discussion.

Thanks,

Kent