CAT Tracks for October 13, 2002 TOWN MEETING WITH BOE

On Sunday, October 6, 2002, the Cairo Board of Education was the invited guest for the second Cairo town meeting. (The Mayor and the City Council were the invited guests for the first town meeting.) What follows is a recap from The Cairo Citizen:

Cairo School board answers questions at second town meeting

Slightly more than 100 Cairo residents braved the cold October rain Oct. 6 to listen to the Cairo School Board of Education answer questions ranging in topics from school bond issues to school expenditures at the second Cairo Town Meeting.

The second meeting was held at Ward Chapel A.M.E. on 17th Street.

Rev. Larry Potts told those gathered that as friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, "we're all in this together."

Nearly 75 years ago, Cairo's population was more than 21,000. Now there is less than 3,500.

"We have to work together and together we can become the envy of the tri-state area," said Rev. Potts.

At the second town meeting, the board of education from Cairo School District #1 was invited to appear before a moderator and answer questions submitted in writing by those in attendance.

Prior to the question and answer session, the school board members in attendance were allowed the chance to introduce themselves and give an opening remark.

Marlene Schultz - treasurer of the board. "As a board member you can't voice too much you have to stay in the middle of the road. Without the children we wouldn't have a need for a school board," she said. "However, when you send students such as our band somewhere to represent Cairo and the school district, you want them to look nice, not wearing shabby uniforms. A person only has one time to make a good impression. Some things need to be addressed that aren't."

Brenda Gooden - secretary of the board. "We are trying to upgrade our school system. It is going to take a little while. We are trying to make this the best school in the area but it will take time," she said. "The state (board of education) has told us we need more community involvement."

Vernon Stubblefield – appointed to fill the unexpired term left vacant by the death of June Vaughn. "According to school policy, the superintendent is the spokesman for the school district," he said. "We have school board meetings the third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. We offer a time on our agenda for public comments and questions."

Following is a list of questions and how they were answered.

How much longer is each of your (board members) terms?
Stubblefield -- expires April 2003
Schultz - Nov. 2003
Gooden - Nov. 2005

Why don't citizens support the school district? Since the question didn't relate to the board, they didn't answer the question.

Why don't more young adult parents attend the town meetings? If you don't send the meeting note home with the children through the school, many parents don't know about a meeting.

Is the Illinois State Board of Education sending people to investigate the school system. The question was directed to Superintendent Robert Isom. "When I came here to be superintendent in July 1998, at that time I originally asked the state to come look at the entire district," he said. "It has taken that long for them to come down here. Two years I made the same request through the regional education office. Sixteen people are expected this week to look at every aspect of the Cairo School District. We are making significant progress but there is still work to be done. Rome wasn't built in a day and Cairo and the school district won't be improved overnight."

How many high school and junior high school students are enrolled? Isom reported that 214 High School students and 193 Junior High School students currently attend Cairo School District No. 1.

If you want to build a new school, why not consider a county-wide school? "That is not a bad idea," said Isom. "However such a venture requires more input than just Cairo. It would also require several things to happen such as a county wide agreement (with Egyptian School District) to consolidate districts and agreeing on a central location in the county. Other costs such as transportation would have to be addressed also."

When the vote was overwhelmingly no, what part did you not understand? "Children have the right to be educated in a facility that is safe for them," said Stubblefield. Currently these buildings don't conserve energy, plaster is falling from the ceiling and the tile floor is asbestos based. Also the plumbing is wrapped in asbestos based materials. The buildings are drafty and not conducive to a good education environment. When the state came in and looked at the buildings we are proposing to replace, they said in essence we have unhoused children because the buildings are not up to standards.

"No one has looked at what $12 million would do for the economic as well as the education of this area," said Stubblefield. "What we are trying to do by building this facility, is to contain costs. More than $250,000 is paid to Cairo Public Utility each year, that is $2.5 million over a 10 year period. Repair costs to these buildings will be passed along to the taxpayer."

"The state board of education said we had to put it on the ballot again," said Gooden. "We know what no means."

Does SCC pay rent for rooms at Cairo High School. According to Isom, SCC does not pay rent for using CHS classrooms for classes. Isom told the crowd gathered that the district realizes some savings from classes offered by SCC such as dual credit and escrow classes.

Why is the utility bill at CHS more than $10,000 per month. "The heating and air units at the high school are obsolete — they were when they were installed," said Gooden. "We have borrowed $1.2 million to purchase and install new heating and air units in the school. We will receive a grant from the state for $500,000 which will go toward the cost of these units. The manufacturing company has guaranteed these units to save money."

If the bond issue passes, how many teachers will lose jobs? "There will be reductions in all areas, including operations and maintenance and possibly some staff reductions," said Isom.

"We have cut as many teachers as possible," said Gooden.

Since school funds are low, why not organize a band boosters? "I think there is one," said Gooden.

Why not require teachers to live in the district? "The state doesn't require it," said Isom. "You can't deny a person a job based on where they live - that's against the law."

How much is the per student allocation from the state? "Currently the allocation is $4,460 per student in the district based on average daily attendance," said Isom. "The better your attendance the more state aid you receive."

Isom said that a truancy grant the district received allows the district to hire a truancy officer to go out into the district to improve attendance. Together with States Attorney Jeff Farris, we are working to bring the truancy rate down.

What requirements are needed for tenure? Four years based on satisfactory evaluations.

How many graduated last year from CHS? According to Isom, 44 students of the 45 enrolled graduated from CHS.

Following the question and answer session, Stubblefield offered a challenge to the Cairo community. "After this question and answer session, I ask what type of involvement will we have in the school district now," he pondered. "Yes, we are heavy on state aid, grant and title funds as well as tax levy money. For the past 3-4 years, we have been operating on a deficit budget because our expenditures exceed our income. I invite each and every one of you here to attend a Cairo School Board meeting to offer your opinions and suggestions to the entire board."

Roger Beck from Southern Illinois University offered words of encouragement to those in attendance. "I am excited and challenged to work with the community of Cairo on revitalization," he said. "I think good things can happen in Cairo. Studies show there is a link between education and economic development. One way to turn Cairo around is to get jobs to come into the area."