Have you noticed the silo is gone? Good farming silos are built to protect contents from the outside, even to the point of excluding air. Military silos are located underground as housing for guided missiles, the goal being to hide the contents from the outside. “Silo Mentality” is a contemporary phrase used to describe an individualistic mind-set focused on keeping information to one’s self, department or company. It has been identified as a factor in inefficient and failing companies and organizations.
Late senator and farming advocate Paul Wellstone once said, “We all do better when we all do better.”
Former President Ronald Reagan stated, “By working together, pooling our resources and building on our strengths, we can accomplish great things.”
For me, the removal of the silo and these quotes serve as an important reminder of how important collaboration is.
Working together takes time. It takes energy and it takes good faith. The results of collaboration can be powerful. Efforts between the Human Development Center, Great Expectations and School District166 have resulted in better services for our youth.
Individuals, foundations, local organizations and businesses have all helped provide opportunities that would have otherwise not been available. Working with the Minnesota Department of Education, the Cook County Education Association and community members, the district has developed a plan to support teacher collaboration, in turn creating a stronger learning environment. Certainly, these are examples of silos crumbling around us creating a better future for our students, our community and ourselves.
Sometimes, collaboration is hard. I’m not sure there would be a better example than the 1 percent sales tax projects. Working together to determine how to appropriately allocate funds in a landlarge, sparsely populated, diverse county is daunting. However, if you have been in the renovated library or are watching the development of the Birch Grove recreation project, it’s hard to ignore the benefits of working together.
As superintendent of I.S.D. 166, a big part of my job includes looking out for the financial well-being of the district. Considering what we ask from our taxpayers is a critical aspect of our financial stability. Our students are fortunate to live in a community with a history of supporting education and youth. The operating levy passed by voters in 2010 was vital in keeping our district moving forward and we truly appreciate the support of the community. The school board and administration continue to strive to find ways to make dollars stretch in an effort to enhance educational opportunities while staying within a very tight budget.
The school board is carefully weighing the risks and benefits of attaching the Cook County Family YMCA to I.S.D. 166. The financial impact on taxpayers and the ability of the district to provide educational opportunities are key factors in the decision making process.
If the district opts to keep the west wing, the needed repairs, a very modest expansion of our industrial arts program and continued appropriate maintenance of the rest of our facility would result in a capital deficit of just under $900,000 over the next three years. The district will have no choice but to delay/ eliminate necessary programming and repairs or request additional funding from taxpayers.
If the district agrees to attach the Cook County Family YMCA to I.S.D. 166, the $900,000 capital deficit would drop to just under $200,000 (an amount the district could potentially absorb by going into the General Fund reserve, fund through philanthropic donations or other fund raising measures). Additionally, this plan would provide a more complete, yet still conservative, expansion of Industrial Arts space suited to better serve both students and community members.
The Cook County commissioners and Grand Marais city council have worked out an agreement regarding financial matters related to the Cook County Family YMCA—another silo down.
Just hours after this article is submitted, there will be a negotiation session between representatives from the county commissioners and I.S.D. 166 regarding the sale of the west wing to the county. Within the next 10 business days, the school board will need to meet to discuss all of the information and hold a vote granting permission to attach the Cook County Family YMCA to the I.S.D. 166 facility.
As you look to the west of the school and notice the absence of the silo, take time to reflect on the words of Wellstone and Reagan. Better yet, combine the quotes into one, “We all do better when we all do better working together, pooling our resources and building on our strengths.”
Each month a representative of our local schools will offer thoughts in Issues in Education. This month’s contributor is Beth Schwarz, superintendent of School District 166.
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