JOHN DAY An initial brainstorming session has spawned a subgroup that will hone a half-dozen ideas to help Grant Countys local school districts work together in the face of financial change.

The goal of the group is to maintain an exceptional education for kids, while trying new alliances and methods.

The committee was formed at the end of a meeting that drew about 40 school officials and residents from across the county to The Outpost Restaurant on Monday, April 16.

Grant Resource Enhancement Action Team (GREAT) Corp. scheduled the meeting in response to concerns about the funding woes of the local schools. It also followed a recent challenge from Grant County Judge Mark Webb, who said he would support sharing county money for schools if the districts could show they were serious about trying new ways to operate in the future.

The meeting was described as the first step in a longer-term effort to think outside the box about the countys five school districts.

Jack Southworth, facilitator of the session, asked each of the participants to voice their fears and hopes, eliciting themes that framed the discussion.

Several participants were fearful of losing schools to consolidation, seeing that as a threat to the viability of their communities.

Others, however, characterized consolidation was just one end of a spectrum of ideas that could focus the districts on new ways to survive in a challenging economy, with reduced state funding expected to continue for another year or more.

Mike Cosgrove, retired District 3 counselor, said he worries that the districts will be so fearful of consolidation that they will avoid discussions that lead to other opportunities for cooperation and collaboration.

Collaboration and living within our means were recurring topics in the meeting, with participants looking to the Internet, technology and other innovations to share everything from business services to calculus tutoring. The group also seemed intrigued by the idea of creating trade school or voc-ed opportunities to create a new niche for the countys schools.

David Kerr, Prairie City schools superintendent, pointed out that the schools have been trying to share resources. He produced a list of shared services busing, staff development, athletic co-ops, assemblies and even shared teachers already in place or in discussion between districts.

Others saw room to expand on that cooperation and explore new ways to share educators, administrators and facilities.

Obstacles to that exist in the way the districts have developed, with their own contracted schedules, days off, training and more.

Sally Bartlett, the countys economic development coordinator, said the participants emerged from last weeks meeting encouraged, hopeful, and challenged but willing to keep working.

The subcommittee including Bartlett, King Williams, Steve Parsons, and Dick Field will try to narrow down some possible actions soon and then get back to the superintendents and the community at large.

They arent looking for a quick fix, however.

Like any other project, this is long-term for the communities, Bartlett said.