With the citizens of Rising City set to voice their opinion on the merger options that have been presented, it is clear to me that the future for the families of the community, the school facilities, and the vitality of the community is brighter if RCPS were to merge with Shelby. Shelby clearly has need of additional classroom and activity space, and this is reflected in their interest in developing a Middle School in Rising City. Counter to the trend in smaller communities across rural Nebraska, the Shelby school is currently experiencing increasing enrollment.
If one goal is to continue to utilize the facilities in Rising City and bring parents and students into the community for activities, then Shelby is really the only viable choice. With 35 students from Rising City currently attending Shelby, these families are already connected with the Shelby community and support for students in both communities is strong.
It has been stated that Rising City should merge with David City simply because they both reside in Butler County and that tax revenues would leave the county should they merge with Shelby. This argument is not only disingenuous, but fails the credibility test. If a facility were maintained in Rising City, those funds would continue to be invested in Rising City for the education of local students. School districts are typically blind to county lines, and the Shelby district extends into Butler County in a number of areas, as do 6 other non Butler County districts. A long history of cooperation, whether with the United Farmers COOP or with previous cooperative education and sports programs, would greatly facilitate this merger and create a district that residents of Rising City and Shelby would be proud of.
Bart Ruth