South Washington County Schools could soon have a new guiding change document on long range facilities planning, pending the document’s formal approval at the March 23 school board meeting.

Reviewed at the March 2 school board workshop, the prospective guiding document is a win for district elementary schools. Acknowledging the current reality of both unmet needs and challenges, it lists the following as “unacceptable means” to fix the situation:

• We will not ignore the current economic conditions, input from community and staff, results from the community survey or the updated demographic report
• We will not bring forth a plan that closes any elementary school, and
• We will not bring multiple plans forward.

South Washington County Schools Director of Communications and Community Relations Shawn Hogendorf explained what the document does and signifies when reached for comment.

“The guiding change document serves to bring clarity to the roles of school board governance and administrator management,” he said. “It clearly defines: the current reality of where we are at, the results of where we want to be and the unacceptable means – our values and principles that will not be infringed upon during the planning process.”

As to stakeholders involved in creating the guiding change document, Hogendorf listed the Long-Range Facility Plan Leadership Team, the SoWashCo Schools Executive Cabinet and the School Board. Used for planning, community input was not sought for the guiding change document.

That doesn’t mean the community will be or has been left out, however. Holding eight listening sessions in the aftermath of the failed referendum last August, the district is holding three this spring as it looks to use the yet to be approved document in revising its long-range facilities plan, a process not yet begun.

The first opportunity for community members to give input this spring will be Tuesday, March 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Cottage Grove Middle School. Additional community meetings will be held on April 25 at Oltman Middle School and May 23 at East Ridge High School.

So what’s on the meeting agenda at Cottage Grove Middle School for March 21?

“During the first community meeting we will present the results of the Morris Leatherman Company’s Community Survey and share information from the updated demographic study,” Hogendorf said of a new study the district commissioned of 500 randomly selected homes within school district boundaries after the referendum’s failure. “We will also ask community members in attendance what they would prioritize in a new plan, based on what they’ve heard.”

With much more to do before any plan is revised or finalized, the first spring meeting to give feedback is once again on Tuesday, March 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Cottage Grove Middle School. A school board meeting for regular business will then be held Thursday, March 23 at the District Service Center, at which the guiding change document will be reviewed.