Monday’s Banfield parent teacher council meeting kicked off with an address from Nell Surdy and Mike Vandertie of KIDS (Keep Improving District Schools) imploring the parents there to vote for the levy referendum in November.

Wednesday, October 13, 1999

Monday’s Banfield parent teacher council meeting kicked off with an address from Nell Surdy and Mike Vandertie of KIDS (Keep Improving District Schools) imploring the parents there to vote for the levy referendum in November. On Tuesday, school board member Dick Lees and former Southgate principal Don Fox did the same to the Southgate PTC.

"If we don’t pass the levy, our students will pay the price," Surdy said. She pointed to 1994’s school year, when the last levy referendum failed to pass (it passed in 1995). That year Ellis Middle School school days were shortened and programs like reading and music were eliminated. There was also a reduction in support staff and increase in class sizes.

At Southgate, parents wanted to know how the board was going to make sure deficit spending didn’t happen again.

"We have a new sheriff in town," Lees said. "We have new people running some of the administrative departments. We have more experienced people and we have better communication between the business, personnel and superintendent’s office.

"When you have a budget of more than $30 million, even a little mistake can add up … You also need to remember that the money didn’t disappear, it was all spent on the children, for extra teachers and extra classroom aides," Lees said.

Lees, a former science teacher himself, pointed out how well Austin compares in class size to other districts. His daughter teaches fourth grade in Prior Lake; she has 35 students in her class and her two co-teachers each have 40. Austin’s elementary class sizes average between 20 and 25.

Nearly every candidate – 15 of the 17 school board candidates made it to each PTC meeting – mentioned the levy in their four-minute address to the packed house in Banfield’s cafeteria, some as a reminder to vote for it, others as a reminder of mistakes in the board’s past.

"Don’t vote for a change in leadership and then tie the hands of those you elect," Bruce Loveland said.

"Not voting for the referendum is not the way to send a message to the school board, it is a way to hurt our kids," said Kathy Green.

On every seat in the Southgate cafeteria, a KIDS flyer explained what would happen if the $1.66 million referendum fails:

According to the flyer, a NO vote means:

– Larger class sizes;

– Fewer course offerings at the middle school and high school levels;

– Reduced co-curricular activities;

– Possible reduction in the K-12 art, music and physical education programs;

– Staff reductions in all areas;

– Reduced supply budgets.

"Some of you might be thinking about waiting until next year to pass the referendum," Southgate PTC president and KIDS committee member Gail Dennison said. "But if we don’t pass the referendum this year, some of the cuts will come immediately. Vote yes in November."