Speaking to a crowd of about 400 parents, Park Plank, facilitating team member, attempts to calm the excited crowd down. These people, gathering from all over the district, have come to witness the first of many Picture Rockwood Meetings.

After months of complaints and press issues, Rockwood finally got it straight. Picture Rockwood is an effort by the district to make the Rockwood decision process more open. In the upcoming months, Rockwood will hold several of these meetings to get feedback from parents on what to do with the district.

This is a good move on Rockwood’s part. It’s no secret they’re coming off some bad press. Superintendent Bruce Borchers certainly wasn’t without controversy. This process will make the district’s decisions more legitimate.

Plus, it will help with diffusion of information. It was a surprise to many (including myself) when students opened up their orientation material to find that these Late-Start Mondays would begin right at the beginning of the year. There was little parent involvement in this decisions process.

And let’s not forget last year’s failed Bond Issue. Released in haste, the Bond Issue failed the vote by a very close margin. Rockwood pushed for it as a necessity. That being said, I can’t blame parents for voting it down. No one really knew what was in it or how it would benefit them. Picture Rockwood will serve as a nice bridge between the district and members.

At Picture Rockwood’s first meeting, facilitating team members gave a speech called “the state of the district.” They explained how no plans had been made yet with what to do with the district in the future. Plans would be made based on parent feedback. I appreciate how the district doesn’t have an agenda (or one they have revealed) that they are merely pushing down our throats by hiding behind a meaningless incorporation process. Picture Rockwood will certainly serve as a useful median to gain information.