School Board Beat: Citizens celebrate career of Nancy Kress; Urge Board to Fill her position on retirement; Board Responds.

Citizens turned out in droves last night at the Evansville School Board Meeting even as it began early at 5:30PM. They rose to speak in praise of the career work of Nancy Kress and ask the school board to replace her 1/2GT and 1/2 reading specialist position. Parents cited their experience of how Mrs. Kress has positively affected their child's learning. Parents asked that this position be part of a long range mission of the school and that adjusting the curriculum and reading in particular at the early grades is critical to later success in school, and life.

The school board listened to all the parents and then joined in their praise of Mrs. Kress. Then they moved directly to the agenda item affecting the replacement of her position and voted to do so.

Supr. Heidi Carvin noted at the opening of the meeting that due to very recent changes to the budget, including the retirement of Joe Amato, it was not necessary to consider the cut of Mrs. Kress's position. Nevertheless, parents stayed and made presentations on the issue.

Art Phillips spoke up and informed the parents that the proposal to eliminate the GT-Reading Specialist had not been proposed by the board. He also spoke of the wish to fashion a different budget process next year so parents would not have to be on edge each meeting and feeling that they had to constantly monitor the notice boards for a sudden meeting that might make changes without even their opportunity to speak to the issues presented.

( Ed. note. I hope to have audioblogger of some of the parents later.)