News

Bottineau’s School Board moves forward with school project

By Scott Wagar

04/07/2015

The Bottineau School Board is nearing the completion of the first phase in the members third try to improve the learning environment for Bottineau’s school children by either constructing a new school building or doing a major renovation project. However, what decision will take place this time around will primarily not be up to the board, but to the community. 

“After the second vote went down last August, the board decided to take a break from the school project until the end of December and start up again in January,” said Paul Olson, Bottineau School Board member. “In January, I made the decision to start focus groups, because to the school board the biggest thing was to get the community input. 

“We realized after the end of the last vote that we were seeing the same faces at the public forums,” Olson said. “So, in January, I looked into the focus groups as a way to get more people from the community involved.

“The board members suggested that we get groups of smaller people and that we need to get a diverse group of people from across the community,” Olson added. “For the school board, the focus groups were a way to get community members to talk to the school board in a discussion format, without having to discuss the issues in front of us.”

The focus groups were set up in a variety ways. First, the school board came up with 195 names from a diverse group of ages, gender, employment and family members within their households. 

The board also placed an ad in the Bottineau Courant looking for group members, which they received a number of calls from residents who were interested in being part of the focus groups.

The school board members also asked the staff of over 100 employees within the school district to take part in their own focus groups within the schools or to take a monkey survey to assist the board in making their next decision on the school project.

As staff was being asked to participate in the groups or survey, some local students also asked the board if they could participate, which the board agreed to.

“We wanted to make sure that our certified and non-certified staff members had the opportunity to do this,” Olson said. “We had sign up sheets for all our staff and we had six to eight groups.”
In the end, there were 18 focus groups all together, which were made up of eight to 10 people per group.

The school board also chose eight neutral facilitators who would oversee the focus groups, along with a secretary to take notes. Each focus group forum was also digitally taped to assist the facilitator and secretary in checking their notes before they presented the groups’ discussions to the board.

“During the focus group meetings there were no administrators or school board members present at the meetings, which we felt allowed them to talk more freely,” Olson said. “A few administrators and board members came to the meetings and gave a history and introduction to the groups, but once that was finished they put on their jackets and left.

“Once, the meetings were done, the facilitator and secretary went over the groups’ notes and made sure all their facts were correct,” Olson said. “No names were placed on the notes so the school board members do not know who said what at the meetings and the digitally recordings were deleted the very next morning so no administrators or school board members could listen to the tapes.” 

As the groups were being formed, the school board started formatting the questions they wanted to ask the group. They first came up with 30 questions, but decided on eight questions which the group members were asked to discuss. The questions included: 

● Tell us a little bit about yourself, what HS you graduated from, and what your most positive or fondest memory from that school was.
● The next question has two parts. Think about what you’ve seen at other schools.
Part 1: What appealed or impressed you the most?
Part 2: What did you like least or dislike the most?
● Is there anything you feel is missing from Bottineau Public Schools such as classes, programs, activities, facilities or anything else.
● When planning for construction of a new building, what should be the most important items to consider?
● If discussion stalls, ask focus group members to consider the following elements to get discussion moving along.
The board is very interested in these items:
Location
Grade Configuration
Cost
Safety
Handicap Accessibility
Modern Classrooms/Size/Technology/Layout/Current Teaching Methods
● What are the current strengths of Bottineau Public School?
● Conversely what are the greatest challenges?
● What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone asks you, “What do you think about the new Bottineau Public School building project?”
● What are some strategies Bottineau Public Schools could use to make sure voters are properly informed on issues related to a new building project?

With the forums completed with the exception of the school’s administrators, secretaries and student groups, the notes from each meeting will be compiled and then handed over to the school board by the end of April so board members can make what they feel is the best plan through the groups’ discussions.

By the end of June, the school board will have its decision of what the project should be and will begin public forums to inform the district’s residents what the plan is and its cost. The vote for the project will take place in the fall. 

Olson stated that he is pleased with the direction of the focus groups.

“Based on the feed back from facilitators, board members who have spoken with participants and group members who have talked with me, they have told us that they became engaged in the discussions and that is exactly what we wanted,” Olson said. 
“They have said that this was a really cool process and that they were really glad they were able to be part of that. So, with what I know, I think that is really good feed back.”

Individuals, who are interested in attending the public information meeting this summer, the Bottineau Courant will be announcing  its date and times when they become available from the school district.