We will discuss
a time line for decision on the facilities issue at the January meeting. I speak now
because the announcement by our president
of our discussion next month
may appear to some to reflect unanimity on the board as to discussing the
issue. I want to make it clear
that is not the case.
Rather, as is our
practice, we are discussing this issue - as with many other issues -
because some of us, not all of us, wish to discuss it.
I believe the freshman campus is one of the
very best things this board has ever
done. Every comment I have heard about the freshman campus
has been positive. Parents
appear to be delighted with how the faculty
and staff have
nurtured and encouraged their children academically and otherwise. The
leadership, starting with Jan and Gene, have been very
creative and responsive. They have
assembled a highly motivated group of teachers who have
dedicated themselves to our 14
year olds. I could not be more pleased.
Since we are not
even half way into the first year of the freshman campus, I think it is hugely premature to discuss
making any change of facilities model.
But this is a
democratically elected
board. We try to model democratic
behavior, including every
one having a say.
For that reason alone I support
having the discussion in January.
When we
have that discussion, I will urge that any decision on changing
from a freshman to a voluntary
campus be made no sooner than three and
a half years from now. I am not alone in wanting to put off a
decision for several years. So
no one should take the fact that
the entire board is having a
discussion in January of a
facilities decision time line as an indication that all the board
thinks that discussion is a good
idea. Rather, it should be taken as an indication that all the board thinks
that everyone having a voice is a good idea.
Phyllis has
suggested that we vote soon on closing the freshman campus in Northfield and replacing it with a
voluntary school. I think doing so at
this time would be a huge
mistake. I know that at least Chuck and
Adair agree with me.
It is possible
that there are four board members who would vote this winter to begin
the process of closing the freshman campus and
replacing it with
a voluntary school. I
think there will be a fire storm of community protest if the board
votes 4-3 to do so.
There are a number of reasons:
the last bond
issue was based on a freshman
campus; a freshman campus would be
somewhat less expensive than
2 four year high schools; former one
schoolers have discovered that everything except the
overcrowding has been preserved of what
they most prized about one New
Trier; and most importantly, the tremendous success of the freshman campus as a school and as a
community.
We shouldn't
close the freshman campus and open
a voluntary school now.