Consolidation--now I wonder

When our school's consolidated  a little over  a year ago, I had big hopes.  Hopes of change that would trickle down from the top and slowly but surely, make the most of the opportunity we had been granted. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of nay sayers, especially from the Girard residents who did not want the consolidation. However, when the votes came in there were more people for than against us becoming one.  As a bigger school, and all the propoganda that was being pushed about how much better financially our rural communities would be and  the benefits of such...we all bought into it, well maybe not everyone, but I sure did.

Saying that, there have been a few things that have really been weighing on my mind lately.  Exactly what changed  and who has benefited from those said changes?  From where I sat before the consolidation...being one for it, even having a big huge sign in my front yard advocating it, getting into arguments on a forum sat up to open up discussion, going to debates or really just question and answer sessions for those interested, making phone calls because I truly believed that my children and my grandchildren...god for bid they stay here where there is nothing, but that's another subject. I pushed for it...I WANTED it .

I saw it like this...as far as finances go the Virden school district looked better on paper because there had been no referendums or bonds purchased for updating the facilities. The residents of Virden took on Girard's debt in the consolidation but that has never bothered me.  Why?  Because Girard borrowed money, though at a ridiculous interest rate and updated, expanded and structurally made improvements to their facilities whereas Virden had not.  

However, the teaching curriculum and scores coming out of Girard's school were better than ours. On top of that, our teachers were paid more money to teach than the teachers only 4 miles to the south of us.  Now how in the hell did that make sense.  The way I understand it is this....Virdens teachers were paid in the top 25% of all Illinois Schools and were in the bottom 25%  in score ratings coming out of the school.  Whereas, Girard's teachers were paid in the bottom 25% in the state and were rated in the top 25% of the standardized scores coming out of the school district.  Are you following me?

I voted YES for the Consolidation because I wanted CHANGE.  I wanted the teachers to be held accountable for the scores coming out of their classrooms.  Pay based on performance directives that would make the teacher teach, and not sit back on their loins because there is pretty much no way to get rid of a bad teacher that has tenure, it's nearly impossible.  We call the group of families that give their relatives jobs the mob.  Our school has been ran by a few families for decades and voting yes--I thought--would weed out some of the unwanted but hell no.

So what changed?  Well, not much if you ask me.  The North Campus which is in Virden now houses the High School and the South Campus houses the middle school.  The elementary schools stayed put so even though we are consolidated our children don't really get to interact with each other until 6th grade.  A few new teachers were hired because of the expanded curriculum but pretty much everyone stayed right where they were. No rehiring or negotiating though the Girard teachers did get moved up to the same pay grade as the Virden teachers were already at.  In fact, one guy got a 99% pay increase in the consolidation. Oh and lest we forget, that both school boards, knowing that a consolidation was in the works signed new contracts with their administrative positions. That meaning that even if we only had one Superintendent and the other went to teaching kindergarten, he or she would have been paid their salary by contract.  Like I said, they just jumbled people around that was already there to keep them in their positions at their salaries no matter what.

So was it worth it?  I guess time will tell.  The students seem to be getting along. There is no our side, your side between them.  The horrible fact is that the adults are having a harder time adjusting than the kids.  Pretty pathetic I know.  The Sports Boosters program has really benefited from the consolidation as it seems the parents from Girard are go getters and want to make as much money as we can to keep improving our facilities as far as the sports programs go.  Though there is some distention  in the ranks and too many chiefs and not enough indians at times, it is what it is.  Everyone has an agenda I know, and I guess I can't say I'm surprised by some of the opposition actually coming out of a few Virden people who think their quick witted.  Fortunately for me, this isn't my first rodeo with the people causing some problems and truth be told, I didn't want any part of the organization to begin with.  I only caved in and got back involved because the same people who wanted Mark in his position are the ones causing problems...but that's for another blog.

It's past my bedtime and my shoulder and arm are hating me right now.

As Always  Onreeone~ Angie