Flood letter supports referendum, school candidates

Outgoing Richfield school board member Tom Flood sent a letter to 55423.info and the Richfield Sun-Current on Monday supporting the upcoming school referendum and expressing optimism about the slate of 15 candidates who have filed to run for this fall's school board election.

The letter stops short of endorsing any one candidate, but Flood listed the qualities he's looking for in the Nov. 8 election:
"I will gladly endorse welcoming, competitive, uplifting, respectful, high-energy individuals who will embrace change while looking at the best interest of our local community and will care enough to get all our kids to a higher level. That is what I am looking for. The possibilities look good with the incumbents as well as many new talented people wishing to make a contribution to the city of Richfield and its students."

Here's the complete text of the letter:

Greetings,

Over my past four enjoyable years as a school board member with RPS, I found that many of the decisions the board makes tend to be framed as to what would result in the greatest good sometimes in a very broad sense. However, every one of my votes has always been made from a local perspective.

In 1986, my wife and I looked at three houses, one each in Richfield, St. Louis Park, and St. Anthony. We selected Richfield and have always believed we made a great decision. Sincere, dedicated, and generous people built this community into a wonderful place to live, raise a family, and be committed to.

Consequently, with Richfield being a perfectly located community in a large cosmopolitan area in the state of Minnesota, the very pluses that attract people often becoming challenges to Richfield's school system due to having many public and private school options available in close proximity.

In electing school board members this fall, I hope to vote for candidates who will balance all the options and challenges but will always support the Richfield community with its residents coming out on top. We should not concede anything to our friendly rival schools but instead continue with great energy to develop and raise our expectations. Passing the referendum this fall while setting high goals for our schools and achieving them will keep RPS and the community of Richfield strong. Demanding and maintaining a high level of pride in ourselves is essential.

I will gladly endorse welcoming, competitive, uplifting, respectful, high-energy individuals who will embrace change while looking at the best interest of our local community and will care enough to get all our kids to a higher level. That is what I am looking for. The possibilities look good with the incumbents as well as many new talented people wishing to make a contribution to the city of Richfield and its students. I believe this interest and enthusiasm is a great sign of good things to come.

With every good wish

Tom Flood

Classroom Sizes

Average class sizes for Richfield Public Schools 2011-2012
K-2 > 26-27
3-5 > 28.5-29.5
6-8 > 30.5-31.5 (core classes)
9-12 > mid-upper 30s (core classes)
Source: School Board meeting, July 11, 2011

School Hours

SENIOR HIGH
8:10 a.m. to 2:40 p,m.
Optional 1st period class held from 7:05 a.m. to 8 a.m.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
8:10 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.
STEM K-5 & DUAL LANGUAGE K-3
7:45 a.m. to 2:10 p.m.
CENTENNIAL & SHERIDAN HILLS K-5
K - All Day 8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
K - 1/2 Day 8:40 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
1-5 8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
ECSE 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
ECSE 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

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