April 28, 2016

Pleasant View

Community

Presentation

2

Foreword

The following presentation is the result of a collaborative effort of Pleasant View

parents and community members from varied backgrounds including:

administrative, business, education, and finance. It is important to note that this

group had little to no resources to assimilate this presentation; however, we have

put forth our best effort in the allotted time period of four weeks.

A tremendous amount of time, energy, and research has been put into this

presentation. We ask that you give our efforts thoughtful consideration as you

deliberate on the future of Pleasant View Elementary School. We have made

every attempt to include accurate data to the best of our limited ability. Source

information is included throughout this report.

We are friends and neighbors of the entire county of Amherst. We believe we are

fighting to save all of our schools. This is not an attempt to save a school with a

current enrollment of 56. This is an attempt to demonstrate the importance of

Pleasant View Elementary School not only to the community, but the potential

impact of closure on Amherst County as a whole. Our intent is to illustrate how

Pleasant View Elementary School is an asset to the entire county.

3

INTRODUCTION:

The enclosed information is not in any preferential order. For ease of review, it is

divided into the following sections, as noted in the index on the next page.

School Overview

This section presents basic information regarding our school. It includes

descriptions of community events, partners, and the characteristics that make

Pleasant View unique.

Comparison Information

Through charts, graphs, and descriptive analysis, Pleasant View is compared to

other county elementary schools. Information for this section comes from direct

administrative sources as well as the Virginia Department of Education.

Viability

This segment is the most lengthy. We were tasked with brainstorming ideas for

other options for instructional use and/or increase enrollment of Pleasant View.

With input from parents and community members, we compiled this list. In total,

sixteen ideas were generated. Given the time constraints and lack of expertise on

the part of collaborators, each viability idea is presented as a fact sheet; with

goals, further questions for exploration, and resources available for study should

you choose.

Closure Impact

We are concerned that the long term impact of closure has not been fully

researched. This portion of our study addresses closure effects that may arise

and research efforts in those areas.

4

Making the Decision

This process is extremely difficult for all involved. This section discusses the

integrity aspect of closure and recommendations for how to best handle school

closure.

Conclusion

We express appreciation of your time and consideration. Whatever the decision

is, we ask that long term goals, commitments, and timelines are made.

5

INDEX

School Overview

• Cornerstone of the Community

• Recent Accolades

Comparison

• Accreditation

• Capacity

• Cost

• Growth

• Location

Viability

• Alternative Education

• Bridge

• Bus to Childcare Facility

• Historic Preservation

• Increase Building Use

• Learning Lab

• Magnet School

• Multi-Age Curriculum

6

• On-Site Childcare

• Open Enrollment

• Pocket Redistricting

• Preschool

• Public Charter School

• Redistricting

• Summer Use of Building

• Sustainability Initiative

Impact of Closure

• Abandoned Building

• Bus Rides

• Closing Costs

• Decreased ACPS Enrollment

• Growth Potential

• Gym Debt

• Increased Class Size

• Increased Homeschooling

• Property Values

• Reduced Community Services

• Reduced Parental Involvement

• Savings

7

• Voice of the People

Making the Decision

• Integrity

• When to Make the Decision

• When to Close

• Closing Process

Conclusion

8

School

Overview

9

Cornerstone of the Community

Schools in rural communities perform a variety of roles, including meeting basic

educational needs, as well as serving as social and cultural centers. They imbibe a

sense of community, and “the capacity to maintain a school is an indicator of a

community’s well-being.” (Lyson, 2002) Pleasant View is no exception. As the

following information exhibits, Pleasant View has a number of supporting civic

groups and businesses in the surrounding area, and offers the greater community

a variety of gathering opportunities and services.

As reported in a previous study by Peshkin in 1978 and noted in the referenced

article, “viable villages generally contain schools; dying and dead ones either lack

them or do not have them for long.” (Lyson 2002)

Lyson, Thomas A. “What Does a School Mean to a Community? Assessing the Social and

Economic Benefits of Schools to Rural Villages in New York.” Journal of Research in Rural

Education. Vol. 17. No. 3 (2002): 131-7

10

Supporting Community Groups

There are many supporting community groups to Pleasant View Elementary

School. PVES has a dedicated PTO that has provided numerous equipment

including iPads and playground structures. The PTO sponsors numerous

community events and provides funds for learning opportunities/activities for

students. Other supporting community groups include…

Friends of the Pedlar Ruritan Club

Delaila Kersey Fund New Prospect Baptist Church

New Prospect Food Bank Midway Baptist Church

Cornerstone Community Church Woodruff’s Pie Shop

Country Corner Market Campbell’s Grocery

Ogden’s Grocery Sardis Grocery

Jay King’s Karate

11

Community Events

Listed below are a sampling of events offered at PVES over the years. They are

open to the community and attended not only by students and families, but the

larger community as well.

Fall Festival

The annual PVES Fall Festival is generally held in September or October, and

welcomes students and families to celebrate the start of a new school year. This

is a large fundraiser sponsored by the PVES PTO, but serves as a community event

as well. The festival includes children’s games with prizes, concessions, raffle or

donated silent auction items and Bingo.

Foot Stompin’ Family Fun

This event features live bluegrass music from local artists who generously donate

their time and talent to share music with the larger community. Concession items

sponsored by the PTO are available.

Breakfast with Santa

Several weeks before Christmas, local children and families have the opportunity

to visit and take pictures with Santa. They are also able to enjoy a delicious

breakfast of pancakes and sausage, and shop local vendor tables for Christmas.

Each class creates a themed basket (ex. Game/family fun, crafting, etc.) for raffle

at this popular event.

12

PVES Social

The PVES social is held after school in the spring for the children to celebrate a

successful year. It is sponsored by the PTO and students can dance to a DJ and

enjoy snacks and socialization with classmates.

Backyard Picnic

Often held in the spring of the year to celebrate the end of a productive year at

PVES, the picnic features barbeque concessions, silent auction and music for the

entire community.

Family Game Night

Family Game Night is sponsored by the Title 1 Reading program, and brings

parents and children together to play educational board games and enter

drawings to take donated games home. The PTO provides a pizza dinner.

Kris Kringle shop

The Kris Kringle shop is a unique opportunity for PVES students to give back to

their community. A few weeks before Christmas, students can shop for friends

and family before school at the Kris Kringle shop located in a classroom or the

library. All items are purchased by the PTO and sold to students wrapped and

labeled as per student direction. All proceeds from the shop go to help local

families in need during the holidays. The PTO has also incorporated a new or

gently used coat drive during this time to donate to local families.

13

After School Clubs

Each March, the PVES PTO sponsors after school clubs from 3:45-5 every

Wednesday. Students enjoy a snack from 3:45-4:00, and then proceed to the club

of their choice led by volunteers from the area on specific topics. Some of the

club offerings have included: sports, karate, cake decorating, cooking, Junior

Police Academy, Nature, Gardening and Mapping, Dance, and Outdoor

Recreation. We have 95-98 percent participation among the student population.

Cooking Class

The Cooking Class is a community service class led by the 4-H extension office.

This seven week class is open to the students, their families, and the larger

community. It teaches adults and children how to prepare simple and healthy

meals for their families.

14

Read Across America Day

PVES students wear their favorite PJ’s and slippers and enjoy a day full of reading

fun with guest readers and related classroom activities. The PTO provides cookies

and hot chocolate.

PVES Archery Tournament

In conjunction with the Pedlar Ruritan Club, PVES has hosted 2 Archery

tournaments (2015 and 2016). Both tournaments drew hundreds of archers and

spectators to PVES. The PVES PTO sponsored concessions.

15

Recent Accolades Awards

A partial list of the Pleasant View Elementary School awards… Title I Distinguished School 2006/07, 2007/08, 2009/10 2007, 2009 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence 2009, 2010 Board of Education Competence to Excellence Award 2007 VA Naturally School

Archery

The National Archery in the Schools Program NASP started in Amherst County in

2006. Pleasant View was represented by individuals in the State Tournament in

Doswell, VA in school years 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2015-2016. Pleasant

View was represented in the National Tournament in 2012-2013 and has qualified

for the National Tournament to be held in May 2015.

36% of the student population participated in the PVES Archery Team in school

year 2015-2016.

16

Guided Reading Library

With donations from the Lyons Club, Pedlar Ruritan Club, and the PTO over 700

titles of leveled books were purchased for the teacher resource room’s guided

reading library. Parent volunteers digitally entered, labeled, organized and

shelved over 5,000 individual books making the PVES guided reading library one

of the most extensive libraries in the county.

Forest Study Site

Friends of the Pedlar continue to support the Forest Study Site located on the

Pleasant View Elementary School property. This site provides hands on

educational experience.

The Friends of the Pedlar River is a watershed education program that began at

Pleasant View Elementary School in 1997 by Judy Strang. The purpose of the

program is to harness children’s innate affinity for nature in order to promote

learning in general, and ecological literacy in particular. The program introduces

children to the charismatic critters that make their homes in our streams and

rivers. The watershed concept is the perfect theme because it illuminates the

connections between what happens on land and the health of our streams.

17

As a small rural school, PVES is the perfect home base for the program. The

Pleasant View community has a strong “sense of place”, meaning people feel

connected to the natural and cultural resources that make the area special. The

Pedlar River and its tributaries are a particularly lovely and healthy watershed.

The kids are special, too. Of the thousands of children throughout the region that

have participated in outdoor learning activities with Mrs. Strang, the PVES

students stand out. They tend to be more comfortable outdoors and more willing

to engage with and learn from nature.

Friends of the Pedlar River

Here’s a brief history of the Friends of the Pedlar River program at PVES:

Between 1997 and 2000, Judy collaborated with PVES’s 5th grade teacher, Mrs.

Massie, to bring her students on 3 or 4 seasonal field trips to the same local

stream site. The fifth graders worked in groups and did several different activities

on each trip. Judy recruited education students from Randolph Macon Women’s

College and Lynchburg College to lead the small groups of students and direct the

activities. Natural resource professionals from the US Forest Service, the Robert

E. Lee Soil and Water Conservation District and the VA Department of Game and

Inland Fisheries also helped out. And we always had volunteers who just loved

being involved with a program that brought kids outside to learn cool stuff. We

found that the critters (aquatic macro-invertebrates) that we caught in the nets

that students pulled out of the creeks were the best teachers of all, never failing

to engage everyone. These trips became the template for subsequent field trips

that Judy did with students from other schools around the region. The trips

always have a very high adult to student ratio, and the kids’ engagement with the

setting and their tasks is palpable. Another hallmark of these field trips is that

because of the mix of adults and children, and volunteers and professionals,

everyone is actively learning something.

18

We established the Forest Study Site at PVES in March of

2000. This was in response to a couple of changes. First,

the state had implemented the SOLs. And second, the

trend in our national culture was towards more time

inside staring at a screen and less time outside exploring

nature. There is a growing body of research that children

need outdoor experiences for their intellectual

development and emotional well-being. Studies also

show that a majority of them are not getting these

experiences outside of school. The Forest Study Site serves as an outdoor

classroom and an invitation to the other teachers at PVES to bring their students

outside to learn. Judy started bringing each of the PVES classes to the Forest

Study Site each season for SOL correlated lessons. Students adopted a tree in

Kindergarten and then revisited it every year, doing different activities. Creating

the Forest Study Site led to PVES being recognized as a Virginia Naturally Wild

School Site.

2004 marked another milestone for the collaboration between the Pleasant View

community, the Friends of the Pedlar River and PVES. In January volunteers from

the Pedlar Ruritan Club helped us create the Pedlar Riparian Trail on riverside

property owned by St. Luke’s Episcopal church in Pedlar Mills. In May we took

PVES first graders on a field trip to the river to explore the rich riparian habitat

there, look for stream critters, and frolic in the water. This trip became an annual

event. And once I started teaching second grade at PVES, it was an opportunity

for me to get a substitute teacher for a half day in order to go along and connect

with the students that I would be teaching in the fall.

Beginning in 2007, the Friends of the Pedlar started other habitat improvement

plantings at PVES. Second graders and fourth graders planted wildlife friendly

plants donated by grandparents. We called this project “Grandma’s Story Plants”.

The students would not only bring in a bulb, crown or cutting from one of

19

Grandma’s favorite perennial plants, but would also interview their ancestor to

harvest a story to go along with that plant. Some of these plants went into a

butterfly garden of native plants adjacent to the Forest Study Site. We also

expanded the FSS when state forester Bill Perry helped us plant short-leaf pine

trees donated by the Virginia Dept. of Forestry. And we started a school garden.

The most recent Friends of the Pedlar collaboration at PVES is Trout Unlimited’s

Trout in the Classroom program. In the fall of 2010, we set up a fifty-gallon tank

in the cafeteria and welcomed 200+ Brooke Trout eggs to PVES. Students are

responsible for collecting data on the tank and keeping a daily log. In the spring

when the temperature warms we take 2 or 3 classes out to the old Bradley place

on the upper Pedlar River to release the fish, collect macro-invertebrates, watch a

fly-tying demonstration, learn how to cast a fly rod, hear stories, sing songs and

experience the magic of children learning from nature beside (and sometimes in)

one of the loveliest streams in Virginia.

Judy started the Friends of the Pedlar project as a response to a couple of

questions:

Where is the next generation of land stewards going to come from? And how do

children learn best? The programs explore ways to facilitate developmentally

appropriate learning in a natural setting with kids’ bodies and senses fully

engaged. They also forge a connection between generations through respect and

love for the Pedlar River. PVES is ideally situated to provide the foundational

experiences to engage kids with nature, and not just any kids, but those who live

in Amherst County’s rural mountains. In Judy’s own words, "If we expect to teach

the next generation to be good stewards of the natural world, we need to take

them into nature to play, to touch with their own fingers the miracle of

biodiversity in the web of life."

Submitted by Scott Strang, former PVES 2nd grade teacher

20

ACPS

Elementary

School

Comparisons

21

Accreditation and Testing

Pleasant View Elementary School is fully accredited. The chart below shows all

ACPS elementary school’s Math and English scores for the 2014-15 school year.

The three largest elementary schools in the county are not fully accredited.

SCHOOLS SOL Testing English Math Accreditation

Pleasant View Elementary 2014-2015 85 89 Fully

Temperance Elementary 2014-2015 96 93 Fully

Elon Elementary 2014-2015 89 93 Fully

Amherst Elementary 2014-2015 88 85 Fully

Central Elementary 2014-2015 65 71 Not Fully

Amelon Elementary 2014-2015 71 79 Not Fully

Madison Heights Elem 2014-2015 69 73 Not Fully

Source: www.vdoe.virginia.gov Accessed 4/19/16

22

Capacity

Enrollment vs. Capacity current comparison to other ACPS elementary schools

Based on enrollment numbers issued in February 2016, Pleasant View Elementary

School is currently operating at 42% of its capacity. Amherst Elementary School is

operating at 58% capacity and Temperance Elementary is operating at 61%

capacity. Pleasant View Elementary School would need an increase in enrollment

by only 23 students to surpass the percentage of capacity of Amherst Elementary

School.

Source: Information on building numbers provided by PVES administrator in March 2016.

Percentage calculations determined by task force members for above percentages and the bar

graph.

23

Costs

Cost comparison to other ACPS elementary schools

The per student cost at Pleasant View Elementary School is higher than the

average, however, it is not out of line with the per student costs in other ACPS

elementary schools as shown in the following chart.

Growth Comparison

Pleasant View Elementary School has seen a decline in enrollment in the last

several years. Elon Elementary School and Temperance Elementary Schools (the

two schools in which Pleasant View Elementary School students would transfer)

have seen an increase in enrollment in the last 3 years indicating potential growth

in those areas. Elon Elementary School has experienced a 6% growth and

Temperance Elementary School has experienced a 5% growth in the last 3 years.

24

Weldon & Cooper Projections

5 Year Projected Change according to Weldon Cooper

Amelon Amherst Central Elon MadHgts PVES TES

Capacity 527 510 527 374 544 136 136

Projected Change -36 -50 7 28 -59 -14 0

Percentage of Increase -6.8% -9.8% 1.3% 7.5% -10.8% -10.3% 0.0%

*chart calculations based on information provided on ACPS website.

Also note that these calculations do not include the closure and/or consolidation

of PV with students added to Elon and TES.

Location

Pleasant View Elementary School is located 9.5 miles from Elon Elementary, 15.6

miles from Temperance Elementary, 15.8 miles from Amelon Elementary and 18.8

miles from Amherst Elementary School.

25

Viability

26

Alternative Education

(Horizon Behavior Health)

Overview:

House the current Horizon Behavior Health students at an unused

classroom at Pleasant View Elementary School.

Goals:

Provide solution to location problem of program in 2016/2017 +

Increase capacity of program

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Provide better learning environment for students in Horizon’s program

Horizon’s Therapeutic Day Treatment Program was developed to provide children

with behavioral support, case management and therapy. The services provided

build on the student’s strengths and abilities while reducing their risk factors.

The program is one of the largest Therapeutic Day Treatment Programs in the

Commonwealth of Virginia and serves Amherst, Appomattox, Campbell County

and Lynchburg Public Schools.

Currently, Amherst County Students are bused from their homes to Lynchburg for

services. The bus transports them to 3410 Old Forest Road, Lynchburg, VA

27

Benefits of housing the Horizon program in Amherst County

• More parents may be willing to utilize the service if it were in Amherst • No additional bus is needed for transport • Benefit of a full-day program vs. current 1:00 p.m. end time • Help increase enrollment numbers at Pleasant View • Keep students on ACPS calendar schedule as opposed to current LCS

schedule • Decreased liability exposure by keeping the students in the county • Available classroom space at PVES • Program potentially cost neutral • Aid in Student transition back to home classroom • Program has its own staff to service the students. • No additional responsibility on PV staff as program is self-contained • Students would have access to site services such as library, cafeteria, and

playground

Further Questions:

What are the plans for this program if/when Lynchburg space is

unavailable?

Is there a cost to moving this program to Amherst?

Resources:

Above notes are result of a meeting on March 14th 2016 between two

school board members and Pleasant View parent representatives.

Additional meeting notes available by request.

28

Bridge

Overview:

Target poorly performing students at other elementary schools who would

benefit from a smaller class size and placid environment. Enroll these

students at Pleasant View Elementary School.

Goals:

Increase student performance

Increase enrollment at Pleasant View Elementary School

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Resources:

Kathleen Cotton’s research into a small class setting supports the notion of

a “Bridge” program at Pleasant View. She notes that a smaller classroom

setting can have a positive effect on student attitude toward school and

promote positive student behavior. She goes on to discuss that academic

achievement is often superior in a small group setting where teachers are

more able to implement instructional strategies that are conducive to

success (ie. cooperative learning, integrated learning and team teaching).

Cotton, Kathleen. “School Size, Climate, and Student Performance.” Rural School and

Community Trust. 1996. Web. April. 2016. www.ruraledu.org

29

Bus to Childcare Facility

(Caterpillar Clubhouse) Overview:

Provide a bus to and from Pleasant View Elementary School and a childcare

facility such as Caterpillar Clubhouse in Madison Heights. ACPS provides

bus services to/from other elementary schools and childcare facilities.

Goals:

• Increase enrollment at Pleasant View Elementary School

• Meet childcare needs of the community

• Caterpillar Clubhouse could also be a central location for bus transfers

to/from Pleasant View in conjunction with other new programs

Further Questions:

• Why does ACPS provide transportation services to/from childcare facilities

for students attending some but not all elementary schools in the county?

• What would the cost for this service be?

30

Below is a copy of a document issued by ACPS regarding transportation

options to/from childcare facilities.

31

Listed below are samplings of comments from the Save Pleasant View Elementary

Facebook Page. They are in reference to a question posed to parents currently

attending out of zone for childcare reasons. The question was "If childcare were

available, either on-site at PVES or transportation to Caterpillar, would you

consider enrolling your child at PVES?"

"My child was able to attend PVES her kindergarten year but due to the fact of no before and after

school care and that no buses would take her to caterpillar clubhouse or Amelon Early Learning Center I

had to move her out of zone to Elon so I could work a full day. I love pves and staff it's a wonderful

School!"

"I would. I have a kindergartener and one starting in 2 years."

"I would have in a heartbeat but this is my kids last year in elementary."

“Yes, I would love for my two children to go to PVES!”

"If the bus would come to Caterpillar Club House I would move my child to PVES."

32

Historic Preservation Overview:

Establish Pleasant View Elementary School as a historical site.

History:

The first Pleasant View School was a one-room log building located about 1

mile down a private road which adjoins the southern side of the present

baseball field. This building remained in use until 1904. A new three-room

building was built near the New Prospect Baptist Church. Around 1917,

that building was replaced with a two-story structure that housed

elementary thru high school. In the latter part of the 1940’s, many of the

“one-room” schools were closed, and Pleasant View became an elementary

school only. In 1946, Mrs. Anne B. Hill became the school’s principal and

teacher. In 1952, work began on its current 10-acre site, and in January of

1953, the new school opened with an enrollment of 120 students and 9

teachers. With the integration of schools in 1969, the enrollment increased

to 200.

In 1973, three new classrooms, a library, an office complex, and an

expanded kitchen were added to the school. The enrollment at that time

was approximately 225 students in grades K-7. In 1995, the enrollment was

approximately 120 students in grades K-5.

Goals:

Bring recognition to Amherst County

Preserve history

33

Further Questions:

Would there be cost associated with the establishment of Pleasant View as

a historical site?

Are there grants available to assist with cost?

Resources:

The National Trust for Historic Places id dedicated to the protection of America's

historical places. See website below for additional information.

https://savingplaces.org\

34

Increase Building Use

Overview:

Increase building use and possibly bringing in additional funding by renting

to paying organizations. Possibilities include:

• Renting out commercial kitchen “Farm to Table”

• Renting out Gym to Volleyball or Basketball leagues

• Renting out ‘Business Center’ to businesses (internet, copy/fax

machines etc.)

• Summer learning

• Renting out unused classrooms for other community services

Goals:

Provide additional services to county residents

Bring in additional funding

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Meet community needs

Further Questions:

What is the current condition of Pleasant View Elementary School?

What is the best use of the building of Pleasant View Elementary School?

35

“Joint use is a way to increase opportunities for children and adults to be mentally and physically active. It refers to two or more entities sharing indoor and outdoor spaces like classrooms, gymnasiums, athletic fields and playgrounds. The concept is simple: share resources to keep costs down and communities healthy. Joint use is happening in cities across the nation. In fact, the concept of joint use is not new. Schools have shared their land and facilities for community use for over 200 years. Most states, including Pennsylvania, have policies to encourage schools to make facilities open to the public.” “Joint Use of Community – Centered in Pennsylvania.” Preservation Pennsylvania. National Trust for Historic Preservation. April 2016. http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/saving-a-place/historic-schools/resources-for-advocates-and-policy-makers/Joint-Use-of-Community-Centered-Schools-in-Pennsylvania.pdf

Additional Resource:

Victoria Hanson, Executive Director of Amherst County Economic

Development Authority, Victoria.aeda@gmail.com 434-946-5200

36

Learning Lab Overview:

Establish a learning lab within the building of Pleasant View Elementary

School. Allow the entire community including ACPS students and

homeschoolers to use school resources.

Goals:

Improve/increase community services

Bring in additional funding (GED, adult education, homeschool

organizations)

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Attract homeschool students to a public school setting

Support the “Flipped Classroom” movement

Further Questions:

Is there a need for additional learning facilities?

How many teachers in Amherst County are using the “Flipped Classroom”

(watching lectures via the internet for homework and homework activities

are done in the classroom) structure? And is this a growing trend?

Is there a need for internet access for students to complete school work at

home?

Resources:

“Things You Should Know About Flipped Classrooms.” Educause. February

2012. Web. April 2016.

37

Magnet School A public school that offers a particular area of study, such as performing arts or

science and technology, but also offers regular school subjects (as defined by the

Virginia Department of Education).

Overview:

Tap into corporate sponsorships, grants, and other available resources to

offer a Magnet program open to interested county elementary students at

Pleasant View Elementary School.

Goals:

Offer an innovative program not currently available in ACPS

Provide additional student services to interested county elementary

students

Increase school/county appeal

Further Questions:

How would ACPS gauge student/family interest in Magnet program?

What theme could be incorporated (ie. STEM, Arts/Language, vocational,

Agriculture, “Traditional or Classical” approach)?

What factors for attendance would be incorporated (ie. Achievement test

scores, total choice, lottery, first-come/first-served)?

What grants/special funding are available?

What would transportation look like?

With the influx of new students, how would before and after school child

care be handled?

38

Case Studies:

Please see examples of elementary Magnet Schools currently operational across

the state. These are just a sampling of many.

Arlington Traditional School, Arlington, Va.

www.apsvs.us

R.S. Payne “Go Center”, T. C. Miller School for Innovation, Dearington School for

Innovation (elementary innovation programs within Lynchburg City Public

Schools)

www.lcs.edu

Kemps Landing/ Old Donation Center, Virginia Beach, Va

www.kempslanding.vbschools.com

Benefits of a Magnet School

According to Blazer (2012), Magnet schools are “the oldest and most widely used

form of school choice in public education.” Initially, the focus of many magnet

programs was to increase diversity (ethnic and/or socioeconomic), particularly in

urban areas. There is a new push for accelerated learning and strenuous

academics, and school districts are responding to that call (Fleming 2014).

Researchers agree that the educational landscape is changing and the need for

ethnic diversity in magnet schools is being replaced by the desire for school

choice and academic rigor. Blazer’s research finds that students attending

magnet schools are more likely to “exhibit positive academic attitudes…have

higher educational aspirations…and can benefit from unique course offerings and

innovative instructional practices.”(Blazer 2012)

Sources:

Betts, Julian., Kitmitto, Sam, et.al., “What Happens When Schools Become

Magnet Schools: A Longitudinal Study of Diversity and Acheivement.” American

Institutes for Research. May 2015. Web. Eric Database. April 2016.

39

Blazer, Christie. “A Review of the Research on Magnet Schools.”Information

Capsule Research Services. V1105. January 2012.Web. Eric database. April 2016

Chisesi, Lawrence J. “Competition for Schools in Local School District.” Journal of

School Choice. V9n2 pp 197-218. 2015. Web. Eric database. April 2016

Fleming, Nora. “Magnets Adjust to New Climate of School Change.” Education

Week Magazine. 2012. Web. Eric database. April 2016

40

Multi-Age Curriculum Overview:

Consolidate grades that lend themselves to curricular similarities. This

option would include restructuring grades, subjects, and/or teachers.

Goals:

Reduce staffing cost at Pleasant View Elementary School

Provide for a transitional period prior to a placement of a long term plan for

future viability.

Further Questions:

Which teacher positions could be eliminated and still provide a quality

education to the current PVES students?

Which grades/subjects could be consolidated?

How long would this reconfiguration be set into place before a long term

plan is established?

Resources:

Yancey Elementary in Albemarle County is currently implementing a multi-

age curriculum. Students are grouped into multi-age classrooms.

Kindergarten, first, and second graders are in primary classrooms with

third, fourth and fifth in intermediate classrooms. Two teachers share time

in each class room.

The students engage in projects and real-world learning. Each student in

the building has a device, with Primary students working with iPads, and

Intermediate students with laptops. The school focuses on involving the

41

community and providing a great level of support to students and families

in this rural community.

Yancey Elementary was in danger of closing and now is thriving with this

innovative program. They received more than 100 applications from

teachers wanting to try teaching in multi-age classrooms.

Also, in 2015-16 they were awarded a Virginia Department of Education

21st Century Community Learning Center Grant of $ 140,000. The grant

supports an after-school enrichment program. They participate in the

Global Cardboard Challenge, a Maker Engineering international event. The

Challenge provides students with opportunities to design create and revise

building projects using cardboard. The school has partnered with

Monticello High School.

Links with more information on this project:

https://www2.k12albemarle.org/school/YES/about/Pages/fact-sheet.aspx

http://www.nbc29.com/story/29837182/yancey-elementary-starts-school-

year-with-new-approach

https://www.smore.com/76013

42

On-Site Childcare Overview:

Initiate an on-site childcare facility (YMCA or other private organization) at

Pleasant View Elementary School.

Goals:

• Increase enrollment at Pleasant View Elementary School

• Meet childcare needs of the community

Further Questions:

• Why does the YMCA select only a portion of the ACPS elementary schools

to service?

• What is the current required enrollment for the YMCA to have an on-site

program?

• Are there other private organizations that would be interested in providing

an on-site childcare program?

On-site childcare data: (information provided verbally by the YMCA director,

Lorrie Brown):

• Madison Heights Elementary-15-20 students before/after

• Amelon Elementary-38 students before school & 28 students after school

• Elon Elementary- 24 students before school & 10 students after school

• Central Elementary/Amherst Elementary 25-30 students before/after

• Pleasant View – location not serviced

• Temperance – location not serviced

43

Open Enrollment

Overview:

Target students and families interested in a smaller class setting available at

Pleasant View Elementary School. Offer parents transportation options for

open enrollment to be successful.

Goals:

Increase enrollment at Pleasant View Elementary School

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Reduce class size at other Elementary Schools

Increase student performance

Further Questions:

Could transportation be provided at central stops in Amherst and Madison

Heights?

Could transportation be coordinated with a stop at Caterpillar Clubhouse?

How would interest be gauged?

How would ACPS promote/advertise Pleasant View Elementary School to

other ACPS students?

44

Pocket Redistricting

Overview:

Target highly populated neighborhoods in other school zones where

transportation could make one centralized stop and transport those

students directly to Pleasant View Elementary School.

Goals:

Increase enrollment at Pleasant View Elementary School

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Reduce overall class size in ACPS, while increasing class size at PVES

Disrupt the smallest number of families

Further Questions:

Are there areas in which pocket redistricting can be beneficial to the county

as a whole?

Has this been done successfully in other school districts?

45

Preschool Overview:

Set up a preschool program in unused space at PVES.

Goals:

• Provide additional services to county students

• Bring in additional funding

• Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

• Meet need for additional preschool enrollment

• Increase student performance

Further Questions:

• Is there a privately operated preschool/daycare facility that would rent

unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School for a satellite center?

• Is there additional state or federal funding to establish a preschool

classroom at Pleasant View Elementary School?

• What is the decline of preschool enrollment for Amherst County and how

does this affect student performance?

46

Public Charter School As defined by the Code of Virginia (22.1-212.5)

Public Charter Schools in Virginia are nonsectarian, nonreligious, or non-homebased alternative

schools located within a public school division. They may be created as a new public school or

conversion of an existing public school.

Overview:

Tap into corporate sponsorships, grants, and other available resources to

offer a Public Charter School in the existing Pleasant View Elementary

School building.

Goals:

• to offer innovative programming and curriculum not currently available in

ACPS

• provide additional services to interested elementary students

• increase school/county appeal

Further Questions:

• What is the application process for a charter school?

• What start-up funding costs would be incurred? How would these be

financed?

• How could a charter school be self-sustaining?

• What are the transportation logistics?

• What factors for attendance would be considered?

47

• What special programs or curriculum could be offered?

• Would before and after school child care programming need to be

considered?

Case Studies:

Below are two examples of successful charter elementary schools, one in Virginia

and one in Kansas. These are just a sampling of operational charter schools.

Middleburg Community Charter School, Middleburg, VA

www.loudoun.k12.va.us/middleburg

Walton Rural Life Center, Walton, KS

w-usd373-ks.schoolloop.com/cms/page_view

48

Redistricting

Overview:

Redistrict the lines between Elon/Pleasant View/Temperance. Even 12

children from other zones would increase Pleasant View’s enrollment by

20%.

Goals:

Increase enrollment at Pleasant View Elementary School

Utilize unused space at Pleasant View Elementary School

Reduce class sizes at other ACPS elementary schools, while increasing class

size at PVES

Further Questions:

What data was compiled during the Efficiency Study in 2014 where

redistricting was recommended?

When has redistricting previously taken place in Amherst County?

If redistricting has occurred, what type of concerns or issues were present?

Resources:

ACPS Efficiency study released in August 2014

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/school_finance/efficiency_reviews/amherst.pdf

49

Summer Use of the Building

Overview:

Pleasant View Elementary School is predominately unused during the

summer months. Use of facilities during the summer months could

potentially provide additional income. Consider agricultural grant initiatives

through corporate or university partnership.

Goals:

Better utilize the school building

Provide use of the building when transportation may not be as difficult

since the buses may be available during the summer

Further Questions:

Are grants available for agricultural initiatives?

Are their programs that could be utilized during the summer months at

Pleasant View Elementary School?

Could the building be rented out to a paying organization?

Resources:

Farm ecology camp

www.agclassroom.org

www.cultivatingcommunity.org

www.farmschool.com

50

Sustainability Initiative

Overview:

With the pending investment in roof maintenance by the county, a

consideration into a green alternative could be explored.

Goals:

Provide innovated new technology example

Improve sustainability

Further Questions:

Cost of implementation of environmentally sustainable program?

Are grants/collaborative partnerships available?

Resources:

Fickes, Michael. “School Roofs Aren’t What They Used to Be.” School

Planning and Management. 1105 Media, Inc., March 2014. Web. April 2016.

“other school districts, large and small, are moving toward sustainable

roofs.”

https://webspm.com/Articles/2014/03/01/School-Roofs.aspx

District of Columbia Public School’s “Smart Roof” Program http://www.sustainabledc.org/in-dc/projects-and-initiatives/

51

Impact of

Closure

52

The impact of closing/consolidating a school building can be far reaching. The

impact on the Pleasant View community and the county as a whole is a major

concern to the citizens of Amherst County. What are the long and short term

impacts of a decision to close? We are certain that a definitive answer cannot be

given at this time; however we ask that careful study be made.

The following sections are broad topics that we feel would need to be addressed

before a decision is made.

Some items have not been covered due to lack of data availability and the group’s

resources. Some items were reported in a data request of 2015 regarding the

possible closure of PVES. An example of these items include...

Cost to upgrade Temperance Elementary School’s network infrastructure to

Pleasant View Elementary School’s level.

Cost to upgrade Temperance Elementary School’s building to facilitate

handicapped access.

Temperance Elementary School’s building age and size in comparison to

PVES.

53

Abandoned Building Overview:

With the closure of Pleasant View Elementary School, a currently maintained

building will likely become an abandoned building. This is a great concern for not

only for the Pleasant View community, but to many Amherst County citizens.

Further Questions:

• What expenses will the county incur for the maintenance of a building not

in use?

• What impact will an abandoned building have on the Pleasant View

community?

• Will an abandoned building increase crime rates?

• How does local law enforcement monitor an abandoned building?

• How will an abandoned building affect insurance and other liability

concerns?

Resources:

“Vacant properties are an expense that local governments simply cannot afford – and that the expense grows with every year a property remains vacant or abandoned. Such properties produce no or little property tax income, but they require plenty of time, attention, and money” http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/documents/true-costs.pdf

“Some of the concerns involving vacant and abandoned property include: wasted

resources, safety concerns, health concerns, premise liability, garbage dumps, and

simple nuisance. They are magnets of crime. ”

http://cpsi.spcollege.edu/assets/PartII-TheEffectsofVacantandAbandonedProperty_APublicNuisance.pdf

54

The former ACPS Phelps Road School in Madison Heights was abandoned in the

1980’s as a result of construction of new elementary schools nearby. A major

concern of the citizens of Amherst is how the Pleasant View Elementary School

building will be maintained after closure.

http://www.abandonedabandoned.com/the-abandoned-and-desolate-phelps-

road-school-of-madison-heights/ accessed 4/22/16

55

Bus Rides and

Afternoon Home Arrival Times Overview:

There are several unanswered questions regarding bus rides if a

closure/consolidation of Pleasant View Elementary School should occur. The

current busing situation at Pleasant View and Temperance has been a previous

concern in regards to the time a student spends between dismissal and boarding

the bus. Most parents calculate a child’s transportation time beginning at school

dismissal. What are the defining time factors with transportation?

Although unclear, we are assuming that the students would be transferred to Elon

and TES based on the established middle school zone lines. Currently Pleasant

View Elementary School is the only elementary school in which a 5th grader will

graduate to either Monelison Middle School or Amherst Middle School based on

where he lives, not his elementary school. Therefore, the below information is

based on using the existing middle school zone lines.

The transportation department was unable to provide updated information

during our allotted time of data preparation; however the following information

was released on February 4, 2015 in response to a data request regarding PVES

and TES and posted on the ACPS website…

56

Estimated Time for Revised Bus Routes

1 Bus Route to Elon saves 8 minutes a day – Total bus route = 1 hour 27 minutes

a.m., and 1 hour 27 minutes p.m. (current bus route 1 hour 31 minutes each way)

1 Bus Route to Elon increases 38 minutes a day – Total bus route = 1 hour 14

minutes a.m. and 1 hour 14 minutes p.m. (current bus route 55 minutes each way)

1 Bus Route to Temperance increases 24 minutes a day – Total bus route = 1 hour

36 minutes a.m. and 1 hour 36 minutes p.m. (current bus route 1 hour 24 minutes

each way)

Using mapquest.com, we have calculated the following examples…

Current PVES student example #1:

Student currently lives 2.4 miles from Pleasant View Elementary School,

19.7 miles from Temperance Elementary School and 21.2 miles from

Amherst Elementary School.

If/When Pleasant View Closes he would be traveling 17.3 additional miles If/When Temperance Closes, he would be traveling 18.8 additional miles

Current PVES student example #2:

Student currently lives 2.2 miles from Pleasant View Elementary School,

15.5 miles from Temperance Elementary School, and 17 miles from

Amherst Elementary School.

If/When Pleasant View Closes he would be traveling 13.3 additional miles

If/When Temperance Closes, he would be traveling 14.8 additional miles

57

Further Questions:

How is the current bus ride length calculated?

Are the current bus ride lengths taking into consideration time spent

waiting at school for the bus to arrive?

What is the wait time for bus arrival/loading between dismissal and bus

boarding?

What will be the bus ride lengths for the Pleasant View Elementary School

students to their new elementary school?

Does the new bus ride lengths conflict with the ACPS’s goals regarding bus

ride lengths?

Is the County prepared to bus children in some instances more than 20

miles from their homes to their elementary school with the consolidation of

the smaller schools?

Will additional buses be added to the ACPS fleet?

Resources:

Jimerson, Lorna. “Slow Motion: Traveling by School Bus in Consolidated Districts

in West Virginia.” The Rural School and Community Trust. 2007. Web. April 2016.

www.ruraledu.org

Bard, Joe., Gardener, Clark., and Wieland, Regi. “Rural School Consolidation

Report.” http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED497049.pdf

58

Closing Costs: Closing a school is not without monetary costs. Please consider closing concerns below.

What does it cost to…

• Make improvements to Elon to accommodate extra 25+ children

• Make improvements to Temperance to accommodate extra 20+ children

• Pack up and move library books (over 3000 titles)

• Pay someone to inventory library books at new locations

• Pack up bookroom (over 700 titles)

• Pay someone to inventory book room at new locations

• Pack and relocate computers

• Pay someone to inventory computers at new locations

• Pack iPods, iPads, and laptops

• Pay someone at new location to inventory iPods, iPads and laptops

• Remove security camera and alarms

• Pack and relocate textbooks, office supplies, classroom supplies

• Move over 100 desks to other schools or store

• Dig up and move playground equipment

• Dig up and remove caution signs

• Costs for moving furniture, equipment, and supplies

• Cost to inform parents, students, and community of transition plans

59

• Cost of integrating students into their new schools

• Last year celebration costs

• Administration costs to reroute buses, classroom changes to accommodate

the new students in TES and Elon.

What does it cost to reduce contract bids for:

• Lifetouch (Pictures)

• Balfour (Yearbooks)

• Agendas

What is involved in moving and preserving the memorials on the property?

• Christopher Saunders

• JJ Buchanan

Resources: McMilin, Edward. “Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach.” National

Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. National Institute of Building Sciences.

September 2010. Web. April 2016 www.ncef.org

“The Fiscal Impacts of School Consolidation: Research Based Conclusions.” Report

Prepared for Rural School and Community Trust. The Rural School and Community

Trust. June 2003. Web. April 2016. www.ruraledu.org

60

Decreased ACPS Enrollment Overview:

Because of community discontent, longer bus rides, and various other

factors, it is possible that some students will exit Amherst County Public

Schools. These students will likely enroll in surrounding public or private

school districts.

Upon verbal survey, we are anticipating that 4-6 current Pleasant View

students will enroll in another school outside of ACPS if the school is closed.

Three students will exit out of the school system completely to be

homeschooled.

Further Questions:

How much money will the Amherst County school system lose with each

student that exits the public school setting?

Does the reduction of student enrollment align with ACPS future goals?

Resources:

“Closing a school is one of the most difficult and emotionally charged experiences

for school district personnel and school communities. Because the school is seen as

an important asset in a neighborhood, the closing of that asset is seen as a

devaluation of the community. In many cases, rancor persists well after the closing,

and many times the residents leave the district because they feel that the district has

abandoned them.”

McMilin, Edward. “Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach by National

Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.” National Clearinghouse for Educational

Facilities. National Institute of Building Sciences. September 2010. Web. April

2016 www.ncef.org

61

Growth Potential Overview:

The impact of the closing and consolidation of Pleasant View Elementary School

affects the entire county. Pleasant View Elementary School has the largest zoned

geographical area according to this map located on the Amherst County Public

School’s website.

http://www.amherst.k12.va.us/web/News/zone-elem.php

Elon Area:

As indicated by the Weldon Cooper 5 year projections, Elon Elementary is

expected to have the largest increase of 7.5% without the closure of PVES. With

the closure of PVES, our calculations indicate a 12% increase in population .

62

Further Questions:

Can we be certain that the potential growth of the county will not affect

future school building needs?

What is the potential growth in the Elon district in regards to the new

housing developments?

What data is being use to project future growth and elementary

enrollment?

Are population increase/decrease reports taking into consideration the

closing of Central Virginia Training Center and the residents moving out of

the county?

What specific research has been done on the growth of Amherst County

and/or the community of Pleasant View?

Has an independent analysis of the growth potential of our resident

population been made?

Is the best indicator of future behavior, past behavior?

Are we making plans with optimism?

63

Gym Debt There is much concern from the community regarding closure of a building in

which a debt for its construction has not been paid in full.

Amherst County Public Schools are currently carrying a debt on the Gym addition

at Pleasant View Elementary Schools which was built in 2006. The debt is

reported as $668,569.97.

Further Questions:

Is it fiscally responsible to close a building with a pending debt?

Would this debt return to the county along with the property?

Who pays for maintenance and upkeep if building is closed?

64

Increased Class Size

Projected Teacher/Student Ratio for Temperance and Elon

With limited resources and available data from ACPS, the following projections

were made by our group with the assumption that current staffing at Elon/TES

will remain the same. With proposed closure of Pleasant View and redistribution

of students to Temperance and Elon, TES and Elon are projected to have the

highest average class sizes in the county.

65

Further Questions:

Has the backlash from the TES and Elon community been considered? They

will now have the largest class size averages in the county.

What are the space considerations in both buildings with additional

students?

Will mobile units be used at Elon? If so, at what cost?

Will a larger class size lower student performance?

Will a larger class size increase the need for specialized instruction (which

can cost upward three times more per student in educational cost)

Elon has experienced a 6% growth over the last 3 years. What are the

potential impacts of growth as related to influx of PVES students and

residential growth in this area?

How will out of zone requests be handled between TES and Elon with

parent’s desire of Elon over TES?

Natural pull/travel towards Lynchburg side of the county

Childcare options

Desired attendance to school not slated for closure

Resources:

Hallenback, Amy. “The Last Thing We Have Left.” Doctoral Dissertation(abstract

only). Clemson. 2012. Proquest LLC. Web. April 2016

Jimerson, Lorna. “The Hobbit Effect: Why Small Works in Public Schools.” Report

Prepared for Rural School and Community Trust. The Rural School and Community

Trust. August 2006. Web. April 2016 www.ruraledu.org

Sullivan, Brian T. “A Changing Landscape.” Info brief. Educational Leadership. 20.

February 2000. Web. April 2016 www.ascd.org

Tinkham, Jennifer. “We’re Small Enough to Close, But Big Enough to Divide.”

Alberta Journal of Educational Research. 60.4 (n.d): 726-40. ERIC digest. Web.

April 2016

66

Increased Homeschooling Overview:

The closure of Pleasant View Elementary could result in an increased number of

homeschooled children in the area.

https://coopercenterdemographics

Since homeschooling was added to the Code of Virginia in 1984, a number of policy changes have been made to make homeschooling easier. Statewide, 2.5 percent of all K-12 students in 2012 were educated at home. Rural

school divisions, where the bus ride to school might be particularly long, often

have much higher rates of homeschooling than the statewide rate.

https://coopercenterdemographics.com

67

Further Questions:

Will the increased bus ride time result in additional homeschool students in the Pleasant View area?

What effect will loss of enrollment have on state and local funds for ACPS?

https://coopercenterdemographics.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/education-in-virginia-doing-it-at-home/

68

Property Values

Property Tax Revenue Overview:

Property value and proximity to quality public schools are connected.

“Location, Location, Location” is the key to property value and its

marketability. Questions that are usually asked from potential homebuyers

relate to the local school.

Further Questions:

• Will the closure of Pleasant View Elementary School reduce the value of the

surrounding property in the Pleasant View community?

• Will the closure of Temperance Elementary School reduce the value of the

surrounding property in the Temperance community?

• Will the increase in overall class size throughout the county affect the

overall quality of education in all ACPS and therefor, devalue all of Amherst

County’s property?

• How will the devalued property affect the overall tax revenue of the

county?

• How will the county reassess the property value of the affected

communities?

• How will the budget of Amherst County be affected with a decrease in tax

revenue?

69

Resources:

“Of all the local neighborhood amenities that can influence a buyer's decision to

purchase a home, proximity to good quality schools is one of the most influential.

According to the 2014 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and

Sellers, 29% of home buyers listed school quality and 22% listed proximity to schools as

deciding factors in their home purchase.”

http://www.realtor.org/field-guides/field-guide-to-schools-and-the-home-buying-

decision

A study by Beta Biostatistics, Inc. (2007) shows that there is a significant relationship

between residential property’s proximity to public schools and the property’s value as

predicted by sale prices. The further a property is away from the schools, the less value

a property might have.

Beta Biostatistics, Inc. “The Relationship Between Residential Property Sale Price and

Distance from Public Schools in the Oshkosh Region”.2007.

Kwame, Espey & Huiyan (2007) argue that the impact of school proximity appears to be

as significant in terms of property values as school quality is, with close proximity

generally making a positive contribution to property values while greater than average

distance from schools correlates with significantly lower property values.

Kwame O-E, Espey M & L Huiyan. “Does close county? School proximity, school quality

and residential property values”, Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 39

(1).2007.

Duncombe and Yinger (2010) argue that for the neighborhood that has lost its school,

property values tend to drop substantially as residents perceive disinvestment in their

community.

William Duncombe & John Yinger. “What Recent Research Reveals About Expected

Financial Savings When small Districts Merge”, The School Administration. v67n5.May

2010.

Additional sources:

http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/how-schools-can-impact-home-prices/

http://media.heightsobserver.org/media/docs_1334240826.pdf

70

Reduced Community Services Overview:

As a remote area, Pleasant View is not in close proximity to many county

services. There are several variables in response times for EMS or Fire

services. An average response time is between 20-25 minutes according to

Gary Roakes the Director of Public Safety / Fire Marshal (source: e-mail

April 2016).

The Pleasant View community does not have access to county water,

sewer, or trash services. Affordable high speed cable and internet services

are not readily available.

With the closure of Pleasant View Elementary School, the community is

fearful that any opportunity for additional services will not be explored by

either public or private organizations.

Current Community Resources Provided by the PVES building:

• PVES is a designated emergency shelter for the western portion of the

county

• Playground use by community after hours

• PVES is a designated voting location

• Parent Resource Center

Further Questions:

• If PVES closes, what county services will taxpayers receive?

71

• What happens with the emergency shelter? Will residents have to travel

further in the event of a natural disaster to receive benefits of an

emergency shelter?

• How will Pleasant View voters be distributed to other voting locations?

• Does the Pleasant View community pay a disproportion of taxes in regards

to the services receive?

72

Reduced Parental Involvement Overview:

There is a direct correlation between close proximity to a school and

parental involvement. The further a family is from a school, it is less likely

that the student will participate in after school activities. Parents are also

less likely to travel distances to volunteer, attend meetings, and participate

in school functions due to transportation and time considerations

(Sheridan, Witt 2011).

There is often animosity between parents, community, and the school

system when the community feels as if something has been taken away

from them.

Further Questions:

• What will be the effects of decreased parental involvement in ACPS?

• Families that must travel farther to a school will most likely be less engaged

in school events and perhaps feel animosity towards the school community.

How could these attitudes effect school climate?

• What can be done to welcome new students and families in the event of

closure?

Resources:

Hylden, Jordan. “What’s so Big About Small Schools? The Case for Small

Schools: Nationwide and in North Dakota.” Prepared for Program on

Educational Policy and Governance, Harvard University. 2005. ERIC Digest.

April 2016

73

Sheridan, Susan M., Witte, Amanda L., “Family Engagement in Rural

Schools.” National Center for Research on Rural Education. University of

Nebraska-Lincoln. 2011. Web. April 2016 www.r2ed.unl.edu

Williams, Doris T., “The Rural Solution: How Community Schools Can Rural

Education.” Rural School and Community Trust. September 2010. Web.

April 2016. www.americanprogress.org

Lawrence and others demonstrate the necessity of small schools in rural

areas where the population is sparse and drawn from a wide geographic

area. They mention that a school is “too big” if it puts students at risk

because it discourages parent involvement, inhibits student participation,

requires lengthy bus rides or interferes with each student being known on a

personal basis (Lawrence, et. al 2002).

Lawrence, Barbara Kent, et. al. “Dollars & Sense: The Cost Effectiveness of Small Schools. “

courtesy of KnowledgeWorks Foundation and accessed on The Rural School and Community

Trust. 2002. Web. April 2016. www.ruraledu.org

74

Savings The savings to close Pleasant View Elementary School may not be as much as

expected. Following is a critique of the potential savings assessment. This is in no

way an actual assessment of cost savings. Data regarding financial expenditures is

out of the realm of this planning group.

FTE's for

PVES PVES

Expenditures

County's Assessment of

Potential Savings if

Closed

Task Force Assessment of

Potential Savings if Closed

County Notes

Task Force Notes

Assignment

Principal 0.5 $ 48,112.00 0 0 1 1

4th Grade 1 $ 53,131.00 $ 52,781.00 0 7,8 15

3rd Grade 1 $ 57,449.00 $ 52,781.00 0 7,8 15

5th Grade 1 $ 64,663.00 $ 52,781.00 0 7,8 15

1st Grade 1 $ 55,421.00 $ 52,781.00 0 7,8 15

Kindergarten 1 $ 64,829.00 $ 52,781.00 0 7,8 15

2nd Grade 1 $ 61,156.00 $ 52,781.00 0 7,8 15

Music-EES/TES 0.2 $ 8,625.00 0 0 2 2

Art-EES/TES 0.2 $ 8,625.00 0 0 2 2

PE-2 0.2 $ 9,621.00 0 0 2 2

Title 1 Reading 0.5 $ 26,820.00 0 0 3 3

SE-LD 1 $ 73,166.00 $ 73,166.00 0 4 11

Library Media 0.25 $ 10,438.00 0 0 2 2

Counselor 0.2 $ 10,935.00 0 0 2 2

PVES-General 1 $ 25,627.00 $ 25,627.00 $ 25,627.00 9 9, 13

Custodian 1 $ 26,466.00 $ 26,466.00 $ 26,466.00

PT Custodian 0.25 $ 5,517.00 0 0 2 2, 12

Health Assist. 0.2 $ - 0 0 10 14

Secretary 1 $ 43,633.00 $ 43,633.00 $ 43,633.00

TOTAL $ 654,234.00 $ 485,578.00 $ 95,726.00

Power/Electric $ 34,021.00 $ 25,855.00 25,855.00 5 5

Heating/Gas $ 12,870.00 $ 9,781.00 $ 9,781.00 5 5

Telephones $ 3,342.00 $ 3,018.00 $ 3,018.00 5 5

Allied Security $ 408.00 $ $ 6 6

Water Testing $ 1,000.00 $ $

Copy Machine $ 1,294.00 $ 1,294.00 $ 1,294.00 16

TOTAL $ 52,935.00 $ 39,948.00 $ 39,948.00

75

TOTAL $ 707,169.00 $ 525,526.00 $ 135,674.00

Loss of Revenue- K-3 State Fund $ (16,782.00) $ (16,782.00)

Loss of Revenue-Technology Fund $ (26,000.00) $ (26,000.00)

TOTAL LOSS $ (42,782.00) $ (42,782.00)

GRAND TOTAL SAVINGS OF CLOSING $ 483,068.08 $ 92,892.00

County Notes

1- If one school closes, the Principal continues at the other location. 2- Positions shared with other schools will return to base school pending needs. 3-Title 1 teacher would be utilized in another location based on Title 1 grant and school needs. 4- Special education teacher would be utilized in another location based on student needs. 5-There will be a need to continue utilities at a reduction. 6-Vacant bld-security expenses continue. 7-Teachers will be reassigned based on attrition and/or the RIF Policy. Projected savings are based on replacing a teacher with no experience. 8-Projected savings shown may not be true dollar amount. 9-Based on size of classroom, there may be a need to utilize the instruction assistant; otherwise recommended elimination of general assistant position. 10-A full-time health assistant was added to be split between PVES & TES after 2015-16 school year The Board needs to discuss if the health assistant at TES will become full time at TES or stay part-time. Task Force Notes 11-Special education/LD teacher is retiring from PVES. There is a job opening on the website for Special Education Teacher K-5. Salary dependent on experience. 12-Why a part time custodian would be needed, if there is already one custodian? 13-Based on increased class sizes at Elon and TES, not sure how this position would be eliminated. 14- What would the salary be for the health assistant if this added to TES (full or part-time)? 15-It is unclear at this time if there will be any savings. If class sizes are increased due to the closure a teacher may have to be added to Elon or TES. All teachers have been told that they will have a position at other schools in the county. 16-Has the cost increases to the copy machines at TES/Elon been considered

76

Current Teacher Openings within ACPS (as of 4/4/16):

(1) English Teacher at High School

(1) Business Education Teacher at High School

(1) Drafting Teacher at High School

(1) Art Teacher at Middle School

(1) Special Education Teacher k-5

(1) Special Education Teacher 6-12

Further Questions:

Will the current teachers at PVES have a job opportunity within ACPS?

Will the current teachers at PVES replace positions opened by retirement?

If the current teachers will replace the positions opened by retirement, has

the retired savings already been calculated in the 2016/2017 budget?

77

Voice of the People Please consider the following comments made via social media on the WSET

News Facebook page in a response to an article on Pleasant View. All comments

have been included regardless of position...

“Rushing to close this school in June of 2016 is a rash decision. It creates the

appearance that the board is not willing to consider other viable options that

could be great additions to Amherst Counties education system as a whole. This

decision should not be made on emotion at all. But education and information of

the challenge at hand and a expedited decision is just not right. I don't presume to

have even a fraction of the information the board does however; don't the people

of Amherst County and the community of PV parents and educators deserve to

have their voices heard. Having the privilege to gain access to the information that

is used to make this life and community changing decision is only right.”

“This is so sad. The environment of a small school truly helps children, they are not

as likely to fall through the cracks. This is a wonderful school, I hate to see this

happen.”

“And Dr. Nichols is NOT recommending "what is good for the whole county." There

will still be bills to be paid on improvements that have been made to PVES & debt

that will still be serviced WITHOUT any schooling going on in the SCHOOL. And,

aren't the students & their parents, the teachers & cafeteria workers part of the

county? It certainly won't be "what's best" for them. Although they typically

receive the short end of the county services stick, here a few individuals for no

explicit economic reason are championing taking one of the few county services,

perhaps the most important one, away from this part of the county”

“My nephew lives closer to pleasant view elementary and due to "zoning" is sent

all the way to temperance. I would totally vote for a new zoning.”

“Keeping this school open is not about the current enrollment. It is about much

more. It’s about the community, it’s about the fact that a community without a

78

nearby school will be less attractive to familes buying homes in this area, it’s

about less traffic on the roads traveling to this school that will impact small family

owned businesses, it’s about the empty building that will quickly become an eye

sore in the community as it becomes run down. Please gather facts before making

a decision...If Amherst County can save Sweet Briar (thankfully!), certainly we can

save a community elementary school.”

“It's really a great school. Those kids get great experiences there. I got to see my

niece at a Christmas play and I was so happy she was there.”

“The "funds" will be used to send these kids to already crowded schools I'm afraid.

It will likely cost as much money to close and relocate as it will to keep it open. So

sad to hear”

“Isn't the Superintendent an elected position? See about getting a new

superintendent and save the school. You are the voters and tax payers, use your

power.”

“Smaller classes means more one on

one with students which in return

means better grades an better

attitudes about learning. U stick these

kids in big classrooms where they get

no attention an help the grades will

drop drastically”

“If my grandfather who was

Maintenance Director for God knows

how long Earl R Simonin was still alive

he would not allow this at all.......”

“Soooo....call me uneducated but if you

close a rural school and use lengthy bus

79

rides as an excuse, won't those bus rides just get longer to get to one of the few

remaining schools spread across the county?”

“My first teaching job 18 years ago was at Pleasant View. Such a sweet place!”

“Close it give funds to oter schools...”

“56 children is just as important as much more....that is lame excuse and

inconsiderate.”

“Not to mention the loss of employment for some EXCELLENT teachers and staff!”

“The kids should be at home spending time with family and doing other activities

instead of spending close to an hour on a bus.”

“My children went to this school after I filed for a change of zone. I drove them

twenty minutes each way, each day, rather than sending them to the school they

were zoned for, which was rather crowded. Why? They were given the attention

and education I felt they deserved. The attention and education each child

deserves. It wasn't given simply because of small class sizes, it was because

teachers cared. So, before making snap judgements on closing schools, perhaps

we should try putting human faces on those dollar bill signs...”

Petition Results:

We have collected over 1100 signatures of individuals that support the continued

operation of Pleasant View Elementary School.

80

Making the

Decision

81

Integrity Making the decision to close a school should be made with the greatest attempt in integrity in regards to your data and the process in which a decision is made. Is the data supporting the decision consistent and free from error? It is important that the decision is made with the upmost transparency, accountability, fiscal responsibility and ethical leadership. During the Efficiency Study review in 2014, the Prismatic consulting team did not

see clearly obvious and conclusive reasons to close Pleasant View Elementary

School. What has changed in 2 years? Many have stressed a concern that the

administration and school board has not put forth a well-researched solid plan.

How do you know that your process has integrity? In a 2005 study completed by Hayes Large Architects for the Milwaukee Public Schools, integrity was defined by addressing three questions:

• Is the data accurate? Does it measure what it says it measures? If so, it has validity.

• Is the process reliable? Can the process be used in other settings with similar data and get the same results? If the proposed process has been successful in other school districts, it will most likely be successful again.

• Is the process defendable? If there is positive response to the first two questions, then it can be defended in response to those who question it. (McMilan, 2010)

Source information:

McMilin, Edward. “Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach by National

Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.” National Clearinghouse for Educational

Facilities. National Institute of Building Sciences. September 2010. Web. April

2016 www.ncef.org

82

When to make the Decision The decision to close a school must be based upon hard, empirical evidence that

leads to a broadly supported, incontrovertible conclusion. The process of

gathering the facts must be as credible, transparent and non-political as possible.

In a December 2009 article in School Planning & Management magazine, Paul Bramson, President of Stanton Leggett and Associates recounted his experiences from the school closing which occurred after the baby boom era where many buildings were sold. When enrollments increased years later, they were no longer available to be reused. He cautioned that “It is a very shortsighted district that closes and disposes of any of its schools or property without serious consideration both of present alternatives and future needs.”

Additional sources:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/sf/schoolclose.asp

83

When to Close According to McMilin (2010), the decision to close a building should be made as early in the year as possible. He cites the following reasons:

• “It will permit parents and students adequate time to choose a new school or get a new assignment if the district has a defined student assignment process.

• It will provide adequate time to plan and execute the actual closing of the building (the second of the four processes).

• It will permit the financial impacts to be included in the annual school district budget. There will be both additional costs and savings that need to be identified for that school.”

McMilin, Edward. “Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach by National

Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.” National Clearinghouse for Educational

Facilities. National Institute of Building Sciences. September 2010. Web. April

2016 www.ncef.org

84

Closing Process:

Please see the following excerpt for recommendations regarding the transition for school closure. “The staff and students in a school that is closing may be experiencing low morale, loss of respect, and other emotions. As such, it is imperative that their final year in the building be made as special and meaningful as possible. For staff, they need to know that they are appreciated. Activities to accomplish this include:

• Continue to provide as many extracurricular supervising opportunities as they have had in the past. • Classroom activities must remain constant and with high expectations. Some activities for students include:

• Special field trips and activities to reward good behavior and academics.

• Fun Fridays or other weekly activities to allow for a break in schedule that are unique to students in the last class.

• Arrange field trips for students to visit other schools with their parents.

• Celebrate every accomplishment.

• Staff and students should create activities to celebrate the school

such as designing t-shirts and memorabilia to share with families and the community

• Have a “final celebration” at the end of the school year involving students, staff, parents and school community.

85

McMilin, Edward. “Closing a School Building: A Systematic Approach by National

Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.” National Clearinghouse for Educational

Facilities. National Institute of Building Sciences. September 2010. Web. April

2016 www.ncef.org

Additional sources:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/sf/schoolclose.asp

86

Conclusion

87

Thank you for reading our concerns and giving value to our opinions. We hope

this presentation will be helpful as you work through the decision making process.

We have made every attempt to provide you with the most accurate information

with our limited available resources.

We are well aware there is no “quick fix” to declining enrollment, but in all

honesty, it should have been addressed long ago. We hope the administration

and School Board can work together to address underlying issues that have been

ignored for far too long. To make us pay the price for those in authority who

chose in years past to ignore it, pass the buck, or pretend it didn’t exist is simply

unfair. We have been put in a horrible position that we were in no way prepared

for or qualified to tackle. But, we gave it our best.

Some of the aforementioned ideas may be easy to dismiss as “unworkable”. It

could take a combination of one or two to make enrollment increase viable. It

may also require small change short term that is cost neutral while a longer term,

more sustainable solution is investigated and implemented.

Whatever happens, we ask that a firm decision be made with long term goals and

timelines. We respectfully ask that this issue not be passed along to another

board, nor do we wish to revisit this again next year or pass it along to another

group of community members. Look at the data, hear the voices of constituents,

and make a decision. Irreparable damage has already been done to our

community and school. It is likely that this decision will be the defining point of

your term and your legacy of service.

We are in a unique position to be a beacon of light amongst small school closures

all over the state and nation. Wouldn’t it be great to be the one success story? It

would take vision, creativity, and a massive amount of manpower, but maybe,

just maybe, it could happen? This great nation was built on the backs of those

that went out on a limb, fought for what they believed in, and ultimately, made it

work. Each day, we ask our kids to do what sometimes seems impossible to

accomplish. Shouldn’t we be willing to work as hard for them?

88