Riverside School Board Forming Advisory Panels District Takes Steps Toward Resolving Teacher, Education Issues

When Riverside teachers, administrators, staff and community members gathered about three months ago to discuss the district, the loud-and-clear message was that things need to change.

Last week, Riverside School District board members took a step toward change by forming three advisory committees - budget, curriculum and a steering committee - charged with investigating the hot issues of the education summit.

“I think it’s years too late,” said school board member Patrick Payne. “It’s been a long, hard battle to get them in place. Schools need to go back to the people. Some people just don’t see that.”

Most of Riverside’s 125 teachers were joined by more than 200 community members during a one-day work stoppage June 8 in which they called for the resignation of Superintendent Jerry Wilson. Teachers worked without a contract the entire year, and though negotiations continue, inaction pushed frustrations over the edge.

Teachers say the unresolved contract, though, is just part of the problem. As the results of the summit pointed out, people see a need for adequate teaching materials, financial accountability and better communication between schools and community.

Said Wilson: “I just signed a three-year contract with the board. That’s the only objective thing I can say.”

School board members are now in the process of appointing people to the advisory committees. Each committee will contain one community member from each of the five geographic areas within the school district, plus certified and classified staff members and probably an administrator. Board members will work with all committees.

Payne said committee members will set their own agendas.

“They’ll analyze their area to see what shape it’s in,” he explained. “We want the committees to operate as freely as possible.”

“We look forward to a lot of input from people,” said Wilson. “My hopes are there will be consensus on these areas as to priorities for the district in the next few years.”

Taking the communication issue into their own hands, some Riverside parents are starting a new school organization.

“We’re beginning to let people know we’re starting this group,” said parent Ted Swenson. “It’s for information, to let everyone know what’s going on in the district.”

The organization will likely be named “CORE,” for Community Organized for Riverside Education. They plan to meet monthly to disseminate information collected from school board meetings, research and various review committees.

The advisory committees are scheduled to make an initial report at the next school board meeting July 18.

“We have lots of good direction and lots of good people,” Payne said. “The next step is to convince everyone that what comes out of these committees is worth their time.”

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For more information about CORE, send an e-mail to riversidecore@egroups.com.