What I will say to the school board: (read all three recent posts)

#1 I expect the District to use my tax dollars at the district level more efficiently. I expect a fine tooth comb to be raked over district level spending, and cutting the things that don't better my child's education. Does the size of district leadership and administration match the new smaller size of the district? Are we a top heavy district like some outside the district claim? Let's figure that out and cut where needed.
#2 I expect every citizen of the district boundaries to pay for quality education for our students. This will require a tax increase, and I encourage you to make the difficult and politically incorrect decision to raise taxes the maximum that has been proposed. Which will cost the average home owner of a $200,000 home an added $10 per month on your tax bill. Doing this first will minimize the amount that will be necessary to cut from subsequent areas.
#3 I expect every citizen within the boundaries of the new Jordan School District to get involved and get the State Representatives and Senators out of office that caused our district to be in such a bad position in the first place. They caused the problem that we are now facing, why do we keep voting them in?
#4 I expect you to keep class sizes minimally impacted. We cannot expect 1 teacher to teach 5 or 6 more kids and be effective. Class sizes in our district are already to large. Don't make the mistake of increasing them just because you don't want to make the difficult decision to raise taxes. Class size increase should be last on your list of changes to help the budget.
#5 I expect that funding for paraprofessionals that work one-on-one with kids in the classroom will remain intact. We need aides and technicians in the classroom helping kids who fall behind or have special needs. Teachers already do more with less. If classroom helpers are cut, teachers will be able to do even less with less. If you get more from the taxpayers, you will be able to cut less in this area.
#6 I expect the teachers and leaders in our district to be well trained and to have continuous improvement in their fields. This requires staff development and training. How do we expect our teachers and principals to implement the latest and greatest in educational models without staff development funds. I expect our teachers and leaders to be the BEST! Let's make this possible by giving them the tools to become the best. This requires staff development days, and not furloughs for these days. If furloughs are a decision that you make, please make them across the board, not just for teachers. Janitors, custodians, special ed departments, district leaders, everyone should be furloughed if anyone is. This would require fewer days.
#7 I expect Jordan School District to be a place where great teachers, wonderful principals and administrators, and positive people want to work. If you impose on these great teachers and leaders an environment where they are unable to shine, where they have no resources, where they are just keeping their heads above water, we will lose them. Don't let Jordan develop a reputation where people leave. People and businesses will stay away from an area that does not have a good school system. Raising taxes will hurt now, but must be done for the sake of our students and our future. The tax increase will minimize the impact to our students and help to maintain a positive environment for teachers and students.