School Board Tables Schedule Decision, Forms Ad Hoc Committee

The controversy surrounding the revised continued Tuesday night with a 5-4 vote to table the issue for further analysis. An ad hoc committee comprised of school directors, administrators, representatives from each school and parents will be formed to brainstorm ideas and try to come up with a solution agreeable to all.

School board president Dr. Andrew Pollock tasked the new committee to present alternatives at the June 4 operations committee meeting, then, if approved, at the June 12 school board meeting.

Several school board members and parents in the audience were skeptical that a new committee could form, meet and produce a solution within the 14-day deadline.

"Keep in mind that we have Memorial Day weekend coming up, and another weekend after that," said community member Barbara Loftus. "In reality, you want this committee to accomplish something in nine days that couldn't be done in three years."

Region 3 director Jane Schrader Lynch felt that forming the committee would string along the unhappy parents even more, after a month and-a-half of attending meetings and corresponding with the school board and administration.

If the motion to table the issue had been voted down, the board would have been forced to vote on the plan approved Monday night by the finance committee. Centennial superintendent Dr. Jenny Cressman said that if the proposal did not pass, she would form a similar committee herself and attempt to develop a new plan.

Director Mark Miller, who will chair the ad hoc committee, stated that the amount of e-mails and phone calls from parents made it clear that nobody wants school to end at 3:45 p.m. and that should be the primary guideline.

"That's the wall we keep hitting," said Miller. "The closer we get to that wall, the more people get upset."