Is "second shift" the solution to overcrowding?

A couple of years back, the Racine area school district commissioned a long-term facilities study. While not much has been written about the Paullin study, I would like to talk about one aspect of it briefly today.

In this study, it was pointed out that the big 3 high schools (Case, Horlick and Park) were originally designed for 1200-1400 students, yet we have 2000-2200 students in these schools. They were overcrowded way back when I started high school, and the problem definitely escalated the year I was a senior - this the year 9th graders were moved to our high schools.

Why move an additional 500-600 students into already crowded schools? It has been explained to me that the most accurate data model the district had in 1983 had projected the district was going to lose 7000 students within a very short amount of time. The district was going to go from 22,000 to 15,000 students , so the move made sense at the time.

Of course nearly 25 years later, we have seen that this did NOT happen. The district may have lost some students, but there are still over 21,000 students being serviced by RUSD - and our high schools are still dangerously overcrowded.

Other communites, like West Bend, are coming up with some creative ways to address overcrowding. Ironically, one of the ideas suggested for West Bend has been proposed by a former RUSD board member in the past - having the high schools operate on a split-shift schedule.

Is this a viable solution to help solve the over-crowding at our high schools?

Of course, the easiest solution would be to remove the 9th graders from the high schools, but in order for that to happen the district's 6th graders need to return to the elementary builidings. Because of the recently expanded 4 and 5 year old kindergarten programming, there is no longer room in these buildings for the 6th graders. So now, new buildings need to be built somewhere in the community.

I believe RUSD must soon address the over-crowding in our high schools. They have been overcrowded for decades, and some kind of decision is long overdue.

If you were in charge, how would you meet this challenge? Build more buildings, create a split-shift schedule, or some other solution?

All eyes look to West Bend

All eyes will be on West Bend tomorrow, as voters will turn out to vote in what will be the state's largest school referendum to date. I imagine there will be some here in our neck of the woods who will be VERY interested in the results.

"Why would that be?" you might ask. Well, let me tell you. With over $70 MILLION dollars in BASIC repairs for the 34 buildings in RUSD, and a complete overhaul of all buildings at an estimated $375 MILLION, RUSD may soon be asking voters to ante-up for its aging infrastructure.

Nothing against West Bend, but I cannot fathom that their buildings are as in bad of shape as many of the schools in the Racine area. If you do not believe me, please make an appointment to take a tour of Walden, Red Apple, Janes or any other RUSD school built in the 19th century.

If some of these schools were rental properties, I seriously believe they would be condemned and the landlord thrown in jail.

So tomorrow, ALL of us (both the anti-tax crowd and the educational establishment) in Racine will be watching and taking notes, so when our time comes around, we will know how to answer.