“Houston, We DON’T Have a Problem” with Rockwood, Says a Parent

“Houston, we DON’T have a problem”:  There has been an ongoing campaign by a small, perpetually dissatisfied group (Rockwood Stakeholders for Real Solutions or “RS for RS”), who have seized upon the recent Rockwood School District (RSD) state audit report to further their self-important agenda, manipulating facts and fabricating issues while attacking our School Board, seeking removal of our current Superintendent, and campaigning to defeat Prop S.

RSD is fiscally responsible:  The recent state audit identified possible over-payments totaling $1.2 million for construction projects spanning the last 10 years, and RSD is pursuing this finding. Not to trivialize this (I am a RSD taxpayer), but for perspective, these potential overpayments, averaging $120,000 per year, represent less than 0.05 percent of the RSD’s $250-plus million annual budget, comparable to other large-institution audits. As for Superintendent Bruce Borchers, his primary mission is to focus on the educational needs of our students, and it is the role of the school district's professional staff to perform the day-to-day financial tasks. This is why we do not hire a CPA as a superintendent, but instead choose a well-regarded Ph.D. educator.

RSD is a large and complex institution:  Our four high schools, six middle schools, and 20 grade schools represent facility space approaching that of Mizzou. Our district employs 3,823 full-time persons to educate 22,000 children, with special programs available for special-needs, gifted, college-bound, and non-college bound students, as well as supporting a dizzying array of sport, art, and club activities to round-out our children, establish important peer-bonds, and provide alternative routes for achievement.

Quoting Mr. Tom Schweich, the auditor:  “We did not find any resistance to our work at Rockwood." “I’m optimistic the matters we’ve identified in our audit report will be fixed," “…they agreed to implement 90 to 95 percent of the recommendations”, and “some, they already have been working on."  It should be noted that using the new rating system, only two out of six districts have scored in the rating category above RSD’s.

RSD and School Board voting has been transparent:  RSD was the only district in Missouri that earned an A+ rating for public transparency by the Sunshine Review, a nonprofit that rates state and local government accountability. Different decisions appeal to different constituents, but RSD has a legacy of open discussion, public explanation, and seeking input. More than 500 people participated in public discussions and 400 phone-surveys were made before Prop S was drafted.

RSD provides an excellent educational value (or “good schools support our property values”):  RSD ranks FIRST among the state’s 524 public school districts in terms of number of schools listed on the Top 10 Highest Performing Schools (via MAP scores). We have high schools that deliver SAT and ACT scores that compare favorably with prestigious East Coast private schools. Our students perform at a high national level for the number of AP courses taken and subsequent scores on national AP tests. Our schools are envied.

Don’t let this small, angry group control your public schools:  Go to the polls and vote to pass Prop S and support current members of our School Board.

Sincerely,

Artie Romero
Chesterfield