demographic advisory committee thomas barryrebecca kalagher leann beaulieubonnie mazzoli maureen...
TRANSCRIPT
Demographic Advisory Committee
Thomas Barry Rebecca Kalagher LeAnn Beaulieu Bonnie Mazzoli
Maureen Brennan Timothy Neville
Daniel Coogan Jennifer Rancourt
Chad Ellis Matthew Sylvester
Glenn Hart Robert Tkacz
Demographic Advisory Committee
Committee Charge Busing High School Option Middle School Option Elementary School Options Summary
Demographic Advisory Committee
Original Charge– To investigate the configuration and utilization of
school buildings to see if educational benefits and/or cost savings can be realized. Cost savings should not be realized by sacrificing the education of the students.
Modified Charge– BOE via Finance Committee– To investigate if cost savings can be realized from
efficiencies through redistricting or transportation reductions to meet the 2009-2010 budget, including redistricting using fewer elementary schools.
Demographic Advisory Committee
Modified charge criteria– Needed to be implemented by September.– Needed to supply cost savings for projected multi-
million dollar budget shortfall, while minimally impacting education.
– Needed to have flexibility for magnet school or parochial school changes.
– Needed to be implemented with minimal expense.
Busing
41 Buses in use. Each bus costs the district $40,000 + fuel Number of buses per tier currently:
– High School – 36– Middle School – 27– Elementary School – 30– Parochial – 11– Suffield Vo-Ag/Cheney Tech – 4
* Parochial buses run concurrently with Elementary School.
Busing Conclusions
Nearly impossible to examine busing scenarios based on current “by hand” methodology.
Recommend purchasing bus routing software.– Software will pay for itself with the reduction of one
bus.– Software costs approximately $30,000 + yearly
maintenance fees (~ $4,000).– The timeline for implementation is approximately 90
days To eliminate a bus, a route must be cut from
the elementary or parochial runs.
Busing Conclusions
Explore Busing Waiver– High school students who use alternate
transportation could waive bus use.– 3-day notice to return to bus transportation.– Would eliminate stops which saves time and money
(fuel).– Possible elimination of some bus routes.– More efficient use of bus space.
High School Option
Consolidate High Schools• 2,087 students projected for 2009-2010 in high
school• Requires 84 classrooms for homerooms at 25
students each• Insufficient space in either building to accommodate
current enrollment and curriculum
Middle School Option
Create 6th-8th Middle School• 1390 projected enrollment for 2009-2010• Grades 7 & 8 remain team-based • Grade 6 continues with elementary curriculum for
2009-2010• In future years, Grade 6 curriculum will need to be revised
to follow Middle School format.
• Likely to have insufficient space to accommodate current enrollment and curriculum
• Requires extensive investigation and planning• Cannot be accomplished by September 2009
Criteria• Strive for class size
• K to 3 -- 20 students• 4 to 6 -- 24 students
• Classrooms are reserved for Art & Music• Out-of-district students are returned to
“neighborhood” school• Flexibility to accommodate new enrollments from
parochial schools
Elementary School Options
Redistricting all nine schools Closing one school and moving some 6th
Grade to JFK Closing one school and redistricting with
remaining eight
Elementary School Options
Elementary School Options: Redistricting
Redistricting 9 Elementary Schools • 2008-2009 K-3 class size
• 18.5 students average• 12-24 class size range• 2.74 standard deviation
• 2008-2009 4-6 class size• 20.6 students average• 15-25 class size range• 2.34 standard deviation
Elementary Schools Options: Redistricting
Average Class Size by School
0
5
10
15
20
25
Alcorn Barnard Crandall ESS Hale Memorial Parkman Stowe Whitney
School
Ave
rag
e C
lass
Siz
e
K-3
4-6
Elementary School Options: Redistricting
Redistricting 9 Elementary Schools• Improves class size balance (smaller variation)• Contiguous boundaries may save bus routes.
• Without busing software difficult to quantify
• Savings not realized without increasing class size• Entire district affected
Elementary School Options
Additional Criteria Vacated building must be used for educational purposes
to avoid payback to state Suggested uses for vacated building
– House all Pre-K Classes, including students on Head Start waiting list
Economic Stimulus package? An administrator, secretary, and nurse would be needed.
– Relocate Transitional Learning Academy from leased space– House district Elementary Librarian
Elementary School Options
Assumptions on closing a school Smaller schools (Alcorn, Enfield Street, Hale,
Stowe)– Better efficiencies and flexibility with larger schools
Elementary School Options
Alcorn– Pros
More evenly distributes the minority population More evenly distributes socio-economic diversity
– Cons Family Resource Center would have to move out of area of
greatest need Eliminates full-day K for Alcorn students Adds mid-day door-to-door K runs Adds 4 bus runs Removes programs from students who need it most
– Breakfast program– ERFC
Elementary School Options
Stowe– Pros
Borders other large elementary schools with available classrooms ( Parkman and Eli Whitney)
If 6th graders go to JFK majority of students would be walkers
Same or possibly fewer buses
– Cons Self-contained SPED rooms need to be relocated
Elementary School Options
Enfield Street and Hale– Pros
Similar to Stowe, but need more investigation
– Cons Hale is geographically isolated
Elementary School Options: Close an elementary school and movesome 6th grade to JFK
• Transfer all K-5 students to in-take school(s)• Transfer 6th graders from affected schools to
JFK• Isolate from 7th & 8th graders
• Assumes all out-of-district students in affected schools are returned to their neighborhood school
Elementary School Options: Close an elementary school and movesome 6th grade to JFK
Close an elementary school and move
some 6th grade to JFK– Only affects 2-3 schools– Class sizes approximately 18-23 students– Some K-6, some K-5 schools– Has been done in Enfield during remodeling of
Alcorn from 1992-1996
Elementary School Options: Close an elementary school and movesome 6th grade to JFK
Estimated Cost SavingsSavings Qty Value
Principal 1 $100,000
Secretaries 1.5 $30,000
Nurse 1 $43,000
Counselor 1 $64,000
Library Aide 1 $16,000
Teachers 1-3 $100,000
Reading Teacher 1 $50,000
Math Teacher 1 $50,000
Total $453,000
Elementary School Options:Close an elementary school and redistrict with 8
Redraw all district boundaries with 8 elementary schools
All out-of-district students are returned to their neighborhood school prior to new boundaries being set (for planning purposes)
Busing software must be purchased to effectively plan bus routes in a timely manner.
Elementary School Options:Close an elementary school and redistrict with 8
• Affects all schools• Boundaries can be set such that
• Districts are contiguous• Class sizes are better balanced
• Class size still meets “strive to” number• Possible to accomplish by September 2009
Elementary School Options:Close an elementary school and redistrict with 8
Estimated Cost SavingsSavings Qty Value
Principal 1 $100,000
Secretaries 1.5 $30,000
Nurse 1 $43,000
Counselor 1 $64,000
Library Aide 1 $16,000
Teachers 14 $700,000
Reading Teacher 1 $50,000
Math Teacher 1 $50,000
Total $1,053,000
Summary
All options will be disruptive to students, parents and staff
Busing software MUST be purchased to realize efficiencies
These scenarios do not consider long-term planning for education such as: full-day K, universal pre-school, or grade reconfiguration
Implementing any option by September 2009, requires an immediate decision
Thank You
Questions?