My experiences with teaching in consolidated districts don’t include bringing more than a couple smaller districts together. There are pros and cons to both sides; expanded class choices, increased number of extra-curriculars, more competitive athletic teams, extra travel, and the list goes on.

Not only do we need to get all of our eggs into one basket, but if this would ever fly, we need one heck of a big basket. Maybe balloon boy has some ideas?

Iowa is filled with 3-4 smaller district consolidations so we could start there if you’re looking for some immediate research.

Why not get real innovative and look around the world to see how other folk educate their children. Implement that into one larger school and become the leading educators of this state and nation, whalaaa!

Or, have a centralized high school where all of your 4 year college bound students can receive the most advanced and challenging classes. Each of the rest of the community schools eliminate duplicating those attempts and concentrate on teaching and developing curricula around trade, business and industrial appplications.

Yes, today you can choose where you want to go to school with little or no restrictions other than your own travel and time expense.
If there was a school in Verdigre (example) that specialized in graphic arts, i may certainly want to attend for at least a year or two. If another was specializing in robotics in industry and manufacturing, hey, what’s to say a year or two there would be great? How about the world of plastics? Computer science? Foreign languages? Art? And the list goes on!

Rather than kill the messenger, give him a chance to speak. You may be sitting here on one of the most unique problems, with one of the most unique solutions. My first move would be to get a few dozen of those wind machines in each community so money is not such a huge problem (and not locate them all in one basket), and share the wealth.

As I drive around the country I see some real challenging problems with education as it appears in their topography, their business climates, homes, infrastructure, etc. You would not want to live there and I think for the Swedes, they should be very lucky to have what they have.

Quoting my cousin, Dr. Gerald Carlson PHD, when he reflected on his educational experiences, he said, “The best education he ever received was in his little one room school house located a half mile west of home.” (Currently the Gene Gillilan farm.)
“You were the student, and you became the teacher, all in one setting. The repetitive interactions paved the way for a learning environment that he dearly loves.”

He didn’t comment, however, on those few in his class that are still working towards their GED! Let’s all try to start thinking of the possibilities of what may be ‘blowing in the wind for you’, as Dylan would sing, “yes,the answer my friend”. “It could be Cash,” as another cousin would say!

As for economic development questions, as one comment eluded to, that’s a whole other bag of worms to deal with. If there is enough caring and passion behind your words, it can be done right here in Wausa. To turn it into a LA-population nightmare; there remain a ton of pros and cons behind that idea too. Having just spent the last two days in that city leaves one major question: Why would you want to live there?

Nuff said for tonight zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

We are headed done a tough road if we don’t start going to school board meetings and sharing our goals as a collective.

Economic Development in our communties will save everyone, get some ideas on creating jobs, keeping our small businesses and stay away from the call centers. Young people want to move back they just don’t know how to do it. Each community needs to show how people can move back and make a living, get a great education for their children and get the social interaction they want.

Wasting time on this does no good for any of the communities.

WE DON’T WANT IT, YOU WILL KILL OUR COMMUNITY!!!!