On Sat., July 3, visitors doubled the attendance at last year’s third annual Falcon Festival, sponsored this year by the Falcon Professional Development League. The increased number of visitors to the festival is in line with Falcon’s growth and the school district’s plea to the public for a yes vote this fall regarding another mill levy override.District growth is at 12 percent per year and not expected to slow. Projected September 2004 enrollment figures for D 49 schools are 9,750, compared to a current school building capacity of 7,890. Student-to-teacher ratios range from 21 (Kindergarten through first) students to 26 (middle school) students to one teacher. Ron Wynn, the new interim superintendent, said the modulars currently used by D 49 are temporary. “We don’t want to spend any more money on portables,” Wynn said. “At some point, we need to sell them. They are typically in place short term. They are an eyesore, and they make the district look substandard. In D 11, we called them white elephants.” Wynn said large classroom sizes hinder the students’ ability to achieve and make it difficult for teachers to intercept individual problems and issues.In answer to the continued growth, in early May, the D 49 2004 Citizens’ Facility Study Committee recommended to the school board a 6.7 mill levy override for November’s ballot.The recommendations included the conversion of Falcon High School to a 900-student-capacity middle school with a new sixth grade pod and building a new school in the Meridian Ranch area – capacity of 1,600 students. Additional recommendations: complete Evans Elementary School two classrooms; complete Meridian Ranch Elementary to a 600-student capacity; complete Springs Ranch Elementary to a 600-student capacity; build two new elementary schools to a 450-each student capacity; convert Falcon Middle School to an alternative high school; and build an additional middle school in the Indigo Ranch development – capacity 900 students.The approximate dollar amounts for each project: Falcon High School – $5.4 million; new high school at Meridian Ranch – $32.6 million; Evans Elementary completion – $1.5 million; Meridian Ranch Elementary – $3.3 million; Springs Ranch Elementary – $1.6 million; new elementary schools – $12.9 million; Falcon Middle School – $500,000; Indigo Ranch – $18.6. The board of education must determine prior to September whether to put the ballot question to the voters.The likelihood the board will say yes to the recommendations is good. Bringing the business community on board in support of the ballot issue is imperative, Wynn said. That business community, which is also growing rapidly in Falcon, is paramount to the school district’s success, and vice-versa. A substandard school district does not draw the people, and, if the people are not moving to the area, the business community suffers. “It’s all connected,” Wynn said. “When we build community and schools, the businesses flourish.”Don Root is the branch manager of Farmers State Bank in Falcon and a member of the School District 49 Business Alliance, and he said this year the school district will have to build a case for the need. “It’s no different than doing a business plan,” Root said. “Most people like easily accessible sound bytes and the dollars broken down. The people want to know the efficiencies and the mileage from the tax dollars. They are not simply going to write a blank check.”Wynn said there will be no communication gaps under his reign as superintendent. “We need to saturate the people with facts, and telling people how we will spend their dollars builds credibility and trust,” Wynn said. “The more you inform, the more apt they are to support something.”Wynn said the time is now to inform and gather support. Root agrees. “If we have a poor school system, the people will quit moving in, and there goes my customer base,” Root said. “Three major issues to building a community involve public safety concerns, like police and fire; the school district and community participation.”The business community is fast becoming a voice in the area and many area residents and business leaders are addressing issues like public safety – there is even talk of incorporation among a few business leaders and residents. However, first things first.Gene Logas is the assistant superintendent, and he said there are concrete ways that businesses can help inform the community and support the school district. Logas said businesses could donate money to assist the fall campaign through the commitment for kids committee. Storefront businesses could place a sign in their windows or elsewhere reminding people to vote. “We didn’t do a good job of getting people out to vote,” Logas said. “After the mill levy override was defeated last year, many people said they should have voted, so anything businesses can do to encourage people to exercise their constitutional right to vote is good.”Root said the partnership and alliance between business and education is vital to the community’s success. Wynn agreed: “It’s all connected, and the partnership is a win for win for all of us.”
