By MIKE NORRIS

Staff writer

The hot topic for discussion lately has been the possibility of Marion Elementary School sixth grade students moving to the middle school building.

A discussion between Marion/Florence USD 408 board members and concerned parents took place Monday at the monthly meeting.

Six parents appeared at the meeting to hear more details concerning the possible move.

Doug Lind, who came with his wife, Ginny, spoke first.

Doug, whose son John is a fifth grader at MES, said what he and other parents are hearing is seventh grade students are having trouble adjusting.

“What are they struggling with?” he asked.

Marion Middle School Principal Tod Gordon said the first semester recently has been difficult for seventh grade students.

“It takes a while to get them adjusted,” Gordon said. “Forty percent of the kids (this year) had a D or F in the first semester.”

Gordon said the trend, which continued this year, is that students’ grades go up in the second semester when they adjust to middle school life.

Administrators and teachers at the middle school have said it is possible that sports and other activities are contributing to the difficult adjustment period.

The district has made it clear if sixth graders were to move they would not be involved in sports and other activities.

The Linds, and other parents in attendance, Kurt Spachek, Nancy Fruechting, Mark Meyer, and Lisa Wildin, said they had heard activities were playing a major role in the decline, but felt that could not be the only issue.

“Are you throwing darts at a board and guessing if this will work?” Spachek asked.

Board president Chris Sprowls said that was not the case. He said they would take input from anyone into consideration. He also reiterated the possible move is nothing more than a discussion.

“A decision won’t be made at this meeting, or probably the next,” Sprowls said.

USD 408 Superintendent Lee Leiker agreed and said the board is looking at this as just one possible piece of the puzzle to help with the middle school adjustment.

“We are looking at various options, and this was a big enough change that we wanted input,” Leiker said. “We are always looking at ways.”

After Doug Lind spoke, USD 408 board member Kathy Meierhoff told parents in attendance she received a phone call from a concerned parent before the meeting.

Meierhoff said the parent believed the move was part of a “hidden agenda” from the middle school to help offset rising costs.

“That is not the case at all,” Meierhoff said. “There is no hidden agenda.”

Leiker thanked the parents after the discussion and said their input was appreciated.

In other business:

• Phoebe Janzen resigned as high school cheer sponsor, and Shari Padgham resigned as title I teacher.
• Funding for Parents as Teachers for $12,182 was approved for the 2009-10 school year. It was a $1,010 increase from the current year.
• Wildin expressed her concern of the district’s substance abuse policy. She said the wording gives teachers and administrators “no leeway” when making decisions. Sprowls said no changes would be made during a school year but the board will review all policies at the end of the year.