Reorganization Letter Response

At the May regular Board of Education meeting of the Tekamah-Herman Schools, the Board discussed and decided to send a letter of invitation to the boards at Oakland-Craig and Lyons-Decatur Northeast to reconvene a meeting of reorganization committees.  This decision was reached based on the recommendation of Jerry McCall with Educational Consulting Services.  The Board employed Mr. McCall to fully analyze current and projected data concerning our school district and communities, and make a recommendation as considerations are continuing with our current facilities.

The districts of Oakland-Craig and Lyons-Decatur Northeast each responded to the letters of invitation.  The Board at Oakland-Craig is willing to reconvene the committees and listen to Jerry McCall’s findings.  They are also willing participants in dialogue between the representatives of the school districts.  Their commitment to participate is not a commitment to reorganization, but a willingness to listen to options available.  The Board at Lyons-Decatur Northeast respectfully declined the invitation to meet with the other districts.  They currently have a cooperative activity relationship with Bancroft-Rosalie and did not want to turn their backs on that configuration.  Since Bancroft-Rosalie was not invited to an informational meeting, Lyons-Decatur Northeast did not feel it in their best interest to come back to the meeting table.

With those two responses, representatives of the districts of Tekamah-Herman and Oakland-Craig will reconvene their reorganization committees with Jerry McCall leading discussion.  The first meeting, hopefully to take place before the end of June, will involve information and conversation, but not a commitment to reorganization or a stand-alone district.  Your Board of Education wants and hopes to do what is in the long-term best interest of the students in the district, and based on the recommendation of the trusted consultant, feels this is the first avenue that should be explored.  As things evolve or change, I will continue with updates in this article to clear questions as they arise.  If there continues to be unclear pieces, please don’t hesitate to contact your Board representatives or myself at the school.