Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Bill Brown posed questions at Thursday's Rockwood School District Board of Education meeting: When do we put aside our differences and work for a greater good? When is the damage being done equal to the mistakes that brought on such anger and distrust?
"After 12 months of attacks on the Internet by foxydrummer, mama bear and others—some who actually use names—after witnessing decent people being hurt day after day, after watching a community I love, and have always been proud of, splintered into a bickering distrustful mess: When does it stop??" Rockwood School District Board of Education director Bill Brown, who just was elected president of the group at Thursday's board meeting, took a few minutes to deliver a heart-felt plea to the community the same night. The rest of his words verbatim follow. When do we put aside our differences and work for a greater good? When do we say enough is enough, when is the damage being done equal to the mistakes that brought on such anger and distrust…
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Beginning Monday, April 8, applications can be secured for those who wish to be considered as the seventh Rockwood School District Board of Education director. Before the month's end, someone is expected to replace a slot vacated due to a resignation.
Rockwood Board of Education directors are seeking applicants to fill the director’s position vacated by Steve Smith, who resigned from the board on March 4. Prior to that, he had resigned the presidency of the board in December. The new, appointed member will serve until the April 2014 election. Beginning April 8, applications for the replacement role may be obtained from Kathy Chitwood, Rockwood BOE secretary, at the Rockwood Administrative Center, 111 East North Street in Eureka, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Candidates must be: Completed applications must be returned to Chitwood no later than 4 p.m., April 19. Applicants will be interviewed by existing board members in a public session on April 25, starting at 6 p.m. Current …
Rockwood School District's chief financial and legislative affairs officer presented a "where we head now" update at Thursday's Board of Education meeting. Some of the district's HVAC units are older, high-risk units.
With the failure of the $38.4 million no-tax rate increase Proposition S on April 2, many Rockwood School District taxpayers and parents were wondering what to envision for the district's financial future. Rockwood's chief financial and legislative affairs officer Tim Rooney presented a financial overview to the Board of Education directors at Thursday evening's board meeting at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville. Rooney said the budget target, as originally presented Dec. 6, 2012, was $10.9 million. The projected deficit was to be $5.1 million. He said an additional $1 million was needed for maintenance, increasing the capital budget to $2 million. The budget for technology had been $2.5 million, particularly given the estimated needs …
Sunday, April 7, 2013
VIDEO: A Ballwin resident and Rockwood School District parent says putting bond issue on ballot was right choice. She also told Board of Education directors and attendees Thursday night she feels community mistreated Superintendent Bruce Borchers.
Proposition S not passing on April 2 is "not a win for any group; this was a big loss for our district," said Rhonda Costa, Yes for Proposition S committee chair and Rockwood School District parent from Ballwin, when she addressed the district's Board of Education directors and attendees Thursday evening's board meeting at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville. She said she was speaking Thursday night to thank Rockwood directors for putting the bond issue on the ballot. "I believe it was the right choice for our children and our district." Costa said she was proud to be the leader of the Prop S committee, citing that the group's members were great volunteers with which to work. "Everyone knew how much we needed this to pass," said Costa…
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
VIDEOS: Rockwood voters on Tuesday decided the fate of Proposition S, a $38.4 million no-tax rate increase bond issue, after several months of many public debates about its timing, focus and amount.
A four-sevenths, or 57.14 percent, majority was necessary for passage of Proposition S on April 2 among voters in the Rockwood School District. Prop S was offered as a $38.4 million no-tax rate increase bond initiative that focused on safety, technology and school improvements. The proposition was not passed by voters in Tuesday's election, by a 52.98 percent (9,256 votes) against or NO versus 47.02 percent (8,214 votes) for or YES. That's a difference of 1,042 votes. Rhonda Costa, chair of the "Yes on Prop S" committee, said committee members were most surprised at the degree of negativity that kept boomeranging back. "Every time we tried to move forward, the conversations and focus seemed to drag us back. How can we focus on what our …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Rockwood School District Superintendent Bruce Borchers is extended a new job offer in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, starting this June.
Rockwood School District Superintendent Bruce Borchers was offered a contract to become the superintendent of the Oak Ridge School District in Tennessee Monday evening, just minutes ago. Oak Ridge school board's five members voted unanimously to offer Borchers the lead role of their district, Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Bob Fowler tells Patch. For background, read previous breaking news alerts: Rockwood Superintendent Bruce Borchers Meets Oak Ridge, TN, Residents Rockwood's Superintendent Borchers Looks South for Potential New Job Oak Ridge school officials want Borchers to report to duty earlier than the original date of June 15, which is when the contract with interim superintendent Bob Smallridge expires. The Oak Ridge …
As the top candidate among three prospective finalists to become the new superintendent for Oak Ridge School District, Rockwood School District's Bruce Borchers participated in a formal meet-and-greet event Monday morning.
Rockwood School District Superintendent Bruce Borchers just met some of the good people of the Oak Ridge School District in Tennessee, at mid-day Monday during an official community event. Per the news that Patch broke in the St. Louis area, Rockwood's Superintendent Borchers Looks South for Potential New Job, Borchers may take a pay cut and move to a smaller district. The Oak Ridge Board of Education directors are slated to vote on Borchers regarding the new job yet tonight. Borchers and his family reportedly were touring the town as well today, which has an estimated population of 27,000. Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Bob Fowler reported to Patch that 30 to 40 residents attended Borchers' introductory event. Fowler said Oak Ridge …
Sunday, March 31, 2013
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: "As Rockwood School District parents and residents, we recognize the vast needs of our schools," says a Rockwood parent, who heads a group that is supporting the $38.4M no-tax increase bond issue on the April 2 ballot.
Rockwood School District Voters: For more than 10 years, my family has been part of the Rockwood School District, and I have been involved in many of the district's efforts. Most recently, I was asked to head up the 2013 Prop S Bond Issue Committee, and of course, I said yes, to further show my support of the district and this initiative. I know how important this bond issue is to district families. Our community needs to pass a bond issue to make improvements to the schools. While funding remains a concern for many school districts, this bond issue will assist in providing safety, technology and facility improvements, which will continue to assist Rockwood School District in being a premiere school district. We, as members of the Prop S …
Saturday, March 30, 2013
The following is an introduction to a six-part blog series for which this Rockwood School District parent hopes other readers will join in with reactions, questions and comments. "My instinct tells me; yes, RSD is under attack."
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Saturday, March 30
“I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education.” - Marshall Fritz, former president of the Alliance for the “Separation of School and State “It would be nice to dismiss this absurd reasoning as the misguided rage of extremists, but the people involved are powerful, well-funded, and have the ear of key political and corporate leaders. They are doggedly committed to controlling the national dialogue on education to discredit K-12 schools.” - Tom Seibold, A Brief Framework for Understanding the Anti-Public School Movement There have been media reports of “attacks” against public education across the country for almost three decades now. These attacks, or public school opposition movements, are manifested in a …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Bruce Borchers, the superintendent of Rockwood schools, comments on his candidacy for a superintendent job in Tennessee.
- SCHOOLS
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Thursday, March 28
Eureka-Wildwood Patch broke news yesterday about the candidacy of Bruce Borchers, superintendent of the Rockwood School District, for a superintendent position in Tennessee. You can read the earlier story about Borchers candidacy here and see statements below by Borchers and Rockwood school board president Janet Strate. From Bruce Borchers: Some of you may have read or heard about my interviewing with the Oak Ridge School District in Tennessee. My professional career has been devoted to continuous improvement. I have always been open to opportunities to work with school districts and Boards who share that vision. That is what led me to Rockwood—and what is now leading me to explore an opportunity with Oak Ridge. This is an opportunity for …
Michael Rhodes
3:30 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013
For my kids sake I hope you are right. Trust seemed to be the rally cry for the no voters this time around. I like what Mr. Brown has said along with some of the others. A few that have even stated their positions here. Rockwood is a great district and with a little hard work and lots of cooperation it will stay that way. more ›