Another Letter to School Board

Letter from Benjamin Hilyard to the ORCSD School Board:

Dear Oyster River Cooperative School District Neighbors

Let's just call it what it is.....a community in crisis.  Not just a crisis of the hear-and-now or through the individual actions of any particular board, board member, community member or administration, rather a slow build up of tensions and animosity.  Like the difference between depression and dysthymia, the later is a constant and nagging negativity that is often more dangerous because it is left unaddressed. With no disrespect intended to Mr. Colter, I would respectfully submit, our district has been in a crisis of dysthymia since the death of our previous superintendent and flamed by an economy in decline.  Whatever the reason, the constant and nagging negativity or our district's culture is a crisis and this latest event is a symptom. I would argue that this crisis will trickle down to affect our children in many ways if we do not change the direction of the coming debate.  It is this crossroads that has prompted me to act.

There is a predictable and well worn course that could be prevented.

Unfortunately, having been a member of a school board and close to the complex world of a district administration, I have seen this predictable decline in several different communities.  Call me a pessimist but if we do not act with a single focus on the best interest of our children and their learning, the following will soon be upon us:

1) The "camps" will move on to the next issue with a different cause, leading to continued and intractable tension.

2) Our teachers will grow increasingly apprehensive of the public and their administration thus feeling unsupported and unwanted constraint in their professional ingenuity and job satisfaction. 

3) The best applicants will pass on the opportunity to submit applications for employment at ORCSD.

4) Our district will decline from its position of prominence leading to a secondary crisis of recovery.

5) The search for a new superintendent will divide our community to greater depths. 

The mutually respectful relationship between a superintendent and the school board is crucial for a strong district.  When board oversight is seen as positive and there is an open flow of ideas, superintendents have the room to dream big and provide the complex structure necessary to educate students for the future.  There is an absolute need for the respect of diligent financial oversight yet a corresponding respect of an administrator's professionalism and void of micromanagement. 

Yes, I can be accused of riding the fence, but I will not second guess anyone without all the information.  Maybe more people need to join me on this fence of civility and productive dialog.  Please understand, I have seen principles cry because of their boards.  I have discussed frustrated early retirement with superintendents.  Worst of all I have seen countless children failed by their district.  I have even received angry calls because I voted to remove soda from a cafeteria.  We are actually looking at an opportunity.  The opportunity is to follow our children's example to peacefully allow our concerns to be heard as a united community.  The world is watching and our kid's future is at stake.

My 10 year old daughter just said, "You start with respect then you come from a respectful approach and then your end product is an important act."  Out of the mouth of babes. 

Ben   (an un-camped psychotherapist/educational consultant - highly concerned parent of two ORCSD students)