By Emily Hoffman
    The Wauneta Breeze
    
     The Wauneta-Palisade school board voted unanimously Monday night to proceed with moving Wauneta's kindergarten through fourth grade students to Palisade.
     The next step in the process is to have the school's lawyer draft a final resolution as it will appear on the ballot. The board plans to approve the resolution at a special meeting on Friday, March 18, at 5 p.m. MT/6 CT at the Palisade Attendance Center Library.
     Following approval of the resolution, the board will publish notice of their intent to hold a vote in Wauneta. After 50 days have passed following publication of their intent, registered voters in the original Wauneta school district can cast their ballot in favor of the move or against the move.
     If voters approve of the move, all WP kindergarten through fourth grade students will attend school in Palisade starting with the 2005-2006 school year, joining the fifth and sixth grade already attending school there.
     Superintendent Charles Isom informed the board that if it becomes necessary to move the Wauneta K-4 back to Wauneta, it can be done by school board action alone.
     Isom said he'd checked with the school's lawyer and that was his understanding of the language in the WP merger agreement.
    
    Opinions concerning the move
     Attending the board meeting in Wauneta Monday night were four elementary teachers from Wauneta and three district patrons.
     Nik Sandman of rural Wauneta, a former WP board member, said that the most important thing is to educate the kids. But that priorities seem to be toward the fun and exciting parts, which come later.
     Sandman stressed that education of the youngest in the district should be given the highest priority.
     "I was appalled to read that the school is considering busing those little kids two or three hours a day," said Sandman.
     Isom informed Sandman that last week, in a meeting with the parents of next year's Wauneta kindergarten through third grade students, overwhelming approval for the move to Palisade was expressed. Isom estimated that at least 25 parents attended.
     Mick Majors of rural Wauneta expressed his support for a single structure. "It's best educationally, it's best for the taxpayer," said Majors.
     "This should not be an emotionally driven issue, but an educational and financial one," said Majors. He stated there would be a larger cost savings if the Palisade building were closed. In addition he said there would be less busing, no teacher transfers and a nurse available to all students all day.
     Majors touched on the classroom time the Wauneta fifth and sixth grade students lose on the shuttle bus, and that during busing time, the Palisade students have access to computers and teachers.
     "Is that equitable? Is that fair?" asked Majors of the board.
     He also said that the high option-out numbers in the east end of the district shows a lack of support for the school system, and cautioned that the district would have west-end students opting out if they moved the Wauneta students to Palisade. Majors doesn't think that the district would lose many more east-end children, as he believes they've already hit a high number.
     "Back in January I was already to combine classrooms and keep things the way they were," said Isom in response to Majors. "But I had enough parents come in and dance on my desk."
     People have indicated to Isom that they believe both ends of the district need each other.
     "Everyone I've talked to, except a few, are in favor of keeping that building open," Isom said in reference to the Palisade building.
     Sandman asked about the issue of combining classrooms. Isom indicated that he had no problem with it, and that his son, Andrew, was a product of combined classrooms. He said it's a viable option educationally and that his son did fine in a combined class.
     Wauneta second grade teacher Dawn Hyde said that as an educator she preferred one class over combined classrooms.
     Sandman suggested that other solutions could be looked at to keep both buildings open with the same system as is now in place.
     "Is it fiscally responsible to the taxpayer," asked Jon Anderjaska, WP board secretary, "keeping a class with two kids?"
     He said that this move hasn't been only fiscally driven. "This move has been driven by parents who don't want combined classrooms."
     In the end, the board expressed the desire to put the decision to move the Wauneta students before the voters.
     "We want to put it before the people and let them make the decision," said Anderjaska.
    
    Three resolutions
     The board discussed three possible resolutions to put before the voters.
     The first resolution allowed for Wauneta voters to approve the K-4 to move from Wauneta to Palisade.
     The second resolution, in addition to the K-4 move stated: "Both districts to vote. In year 2010-2011 the merger agreement becomes null and void and the board will make the decision to move students at that time."
     The third resolution, in addition to moving the Wauneta elementary, included wording to amend the original merger agreement to state the entire district will vote on attendance center closings.
     After discussion on the pros and cons of each resolution, the board decided that the main purpose at this time was to deal with the elementary situation, and that they should keep the resolution that will appear before voters as simple as possible.
     The board agreed on the first resolution, with the understanding that the lawyer would add in wording assuring voters that the board could bring the Wauneta students back to Wauneta when and if they feel it's best for the students.
     The board indicated that if this passed, they might consider bringing the other issues concerning changes to the original agreement to voters at a later date.
     The board also decided to have registered voters go to a polling place and cast ballots instead of contract with an accounting firm to mail out ballots.
    
    If the vote fails
     Options are limited if the vote fails to win approval.
     "If it doesn't go, it doesn't go," said Isom to those at the meeting. "Then we combine classrooms."
     Majors asked if the vote in Wauneta failed, if there would be time to put a vote before Palisade to move the Palisade students to Wauneta and close the Palisade building.
     Isom indicated that it might be another year before the board could look at that, stating it wouldn't be fair to teachers to make them wait until July or August to determine what grades they'd be teaching.
    
    Early retirement
     Four teachers at WP resigned, taking advantage of the school's early retirement package. Jim McKinney, WP industrial technology teacher, Patsy McKinney, WP physical education teacher, Sharon Travis, Palisade second grade teacher, and Ardis Wagner, Palisade fourth grade teacher, all submitted their resignations.
     "It was pretty emotional the day when they brought these in," said Isom of the long-time teachers resigning. The board approved of all the resignations.
    
    New teacher assignments
     Isom said that Troy Barger, currently the sixth grade teacher, is endorsed in PE and will be taking over Patsy McKinney's position.
     He also indicated that Denise Bales, the WP fifth grade teacher, will receive her masters in reading soon, and will take over some junior high teaching duties, including some language arts.
     To fill the industrial technology position, Isom has approached Chase County about sharing a teacher. No decisions have been made.
     It is still undecided who among the current WP teachers will fill the fifth and sixth grade positions.
     Isom indicated that no other assignments can be finalized until he knows if whether or not classes will have to be combined.
    
    School calendar approved
     The calendar for the 2005-2006 school year was approved at Monday night's meeting.
     School will open for the 2005-2006 school year on Monday Aug. 22, and will end on Friday, May 19, 2006. The first day of fall sports practice will be on Monday, Aug. 15.
     Christmas break is slated to begin on Friday, Dec. 23. School will resume on Monday, Jan. 2.
     The last day for seniors will be on Friday, May 5, with graduation on Saturday, May 6.
    
    Further board business
     In other business the board:
     • Was informed Isom will attend a meeting to discuss the No Child Left Behind mandate that requires special education teachers to be endorsed in all the areas they're teaching.
     • Was informed that Isom will meet with Dundy County and Chase County to brainstorm about alternative school issues.
     • WP Principal Rod Ready informed the board that the GPAC Academic High Schoool Quiz Bowl is set for March 23 in Wauneta.
     • Ready informed the board he's beginning revisions for the student handbook and asking for input from students, staff, and board members. He will present a rough draft to the board at the April meeting. He doesn't anticipate any major changes.
     • Ready informed the board that there will be an assembly with Tom Osborn's staff on Thursday, March 31, in Wauneta for grades 9-12. They will discuss meth use, youth entrepreneurship and character education.
    
    Continuing series on WP
     Next week, the Breeze will continue its series on Wauneta-Palisade choices past, present and future and look at previous consolidations that have occurred over the years.