The Iola school board voted to form a special committee to further investigate a possible fine arts and literacy preschool program for USD 257.
The board delayed moving forward with the preschool project, which would be a partnership between the district, Allen Community College, The Bowlus Fine Arts Center and the Friends of the Bowlus, at its March 26 meeting.
Then, the board cited monetary concerns and too many unanswered questions. Monday, USD 257 Superintendent of Schools Brian Pekarek told board members the committee would be charged with answering driving questions needing to be addressed before any decision can be made to move forward with the project.
Among the list of questions to be addressed by the committee:
-long-term sustainability — the current plan provides for only two years of operating costs;
-the legality of charging a portion of students tuition — state statute prohibits school districts from enforcing tuition;
-will a new preschool be a detriment to existing private preschools in Iola — the board has stated it wishes only to add to or provide a service that is not currently offered in the community; and
-who pays for property insurance and building maintenance – The Friends have offered a facility but it’s not clear which contributing entity would foot the bill for insurance and other facility-related costs.
Expected to serve on the committee are Beth Toland, Early Childhood Education Coordinator for ACC, Pekarek, representing USD 257, a member of The Friends and representatives from the existing preschool programs in the community.
The board unanimously approved forming the committee — BOE member Mark Burris was absent — but not without discussion.
Even after the laundry list of questions are addressed, BOE member Buck Quincy noted that an eventual recommendation “might not mean a box of Cracker Jacks by the time it gets back here.”
“Sometimes these committees get formed thinking that whatever (they) do is law,” he said. “I just think they need to know that they will merely be making a suggestion.”
In agreement with Quincy, board members Tony Leavitt and Don Snavely emphasized the committee’s one task is to answer every single question possible the district might have.
“I think these questions need to be answered,” said Leavitt, USD 257 board president.
Before making the motion to form the committee, Snavely said the list of 25 possible questions provided to the board Monday night shed light on the magnitude of the project.
