Faced with reducing the budget by at least $35-$40 million over the next two years, the Jefferson County Board of Education will be considering a list of options for some of the district's 150 schools.Those proposed options include everything from closing schools to changing the grade levels at some.A 30-member Facilities Usage Committee has spent the past eight months studying how efficiently district facilities are being used and collecting input from the public, leading to a detailed list of options being presented to the Board of Education on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The public will now have a chance to weigh in on those proposed options during a series of forums throughout Jefferson County.The dates and locations of the forums are:
Wednesday | Nov. 11 | 6:00-7:30 p.m. | Alameda High School auditorium |
Saturday | Nov. 14 | 9:00-10:30 a.m. | Manning School auditorium |
Monday | Nov. 16 | 6:00-7:30 p.m. | Summit Ridge Middle School auditorium |
Wednesday | Nov. 18 | 6:00-7:30 p.m. | Pomona High School auditorium |
Because a large turnout is expected, audience members will be given 2 1/2 minutes to voice their opinions about the proposed options.The other communication methods the public can use are:
The Facilities Usage Committee is made up of community and district volunteers.The committee took a look at capacity, enrollment, future enrollment, needs of the school district, needs of unique communities, special programs, future direction, educational specifications and financial stewardship when making decisions about the proposed options.The Board of Education is expected to make a final decision in January 2010.
The list of proposed options can be found at: