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2008-03-13: 2 1/2 school configuration for 2008-2009 school year What follows is a series of questions and answers regarding the School Committee’s decision to move to 2 ˝ schools, the process, and the final decision to make Loker a Kindergarten school and Happy Hollow a grade 1-5 school. Why are we moving to 2 1/2 schools next year? For several years, the Committee has discussed declining enrollments across the elementary schools and the possibility of moving to a 2 or 2 1/2 school model. Given the seven year decline and enrollment projections, consolidation is now feasible. The Committee as recently as last November believed that the move to a 2 1/2 school model would likely occur in September 2009. When the Committee learned that the Finance Committee’s budget guidelines would not support level school services and that the savings from the 2 1/2 school model would be greater than originally anticipated, the Committee felt it necessary to reconsider the 2 1/2 school model for September 2008. With the 2 1/2 school model, the district retains teachers and maintains the average current class sizes and existing programs across the district. Therefore, the Committee concluded that it was both educationally and fiscally prudent to move to a 2 1/2 school model for September 2008, thereby reducing the school budget and the override amount. What has happened over the last two months? On January 15th, the Committee voted to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation that, in the event of a reconfiguration of the elementary schools, Loker would house Kindergarten and Claypit Hill and Happy Hollow would each house grades 1–5. Following two hours of public comment on January 22nd, the Committee agreed to take further public comment and information under consideration. On January 28th, following a public forum and deliberation, the Committee voted unanimously to move to a 2 1/2 school model for the fall of 2008. During this time, the Committee received significant input from residents, electing to hear more public comment on February 4th and at a public forum on February 11th. On February 25th, the School Committee reviewed additional information, took more public comment, and deliberated. After lengthy discussion, the majority of the Committee supported the Superintendent’s recommendation that Loker would house Kindergarten and Happy Hollow would house grades 1–5. What information was used in reaching this decision? The Committee reviewed information provided by the administration, public safety officials, an ad hoc committee made up of parents and administrators who looked at both schools, and by individual parents and residents. This information includes among other things, the Superintendent’s recommendation, enrollment data, floor plans, square footage analysis, traffic and safety opinions, building condition reports, preliminary transportation estimates, and utility costs. What factors did the Committee consider? The Committee reviewed and considered all the information received. The Committee grouped attributes of the two buildings into four categories and weighed the pros and cons of each school: safety, education, logistics and finance. This was not an easy decision. While individual members reached different conclusions with respect to specific points of comparison, on balance, in the four areas the majority of the Committee slightly favored Happy Hollow as the grade 1-5 school and Loker as the Kindergarten school. Why did the Committee make this conclusion? Based on all the information reviewed, the Committee believes that both schools would continue to provide a safe, high quality educational program to our students. Furthermore, the majority of the Committee felt that the fiscally prudent decision was to take advantage of the potential financial savings by housing grades 1-5 at Happy Hollow. What is next? The Administration is moving forward with this transition. Teachers and principals have had age-appropriate conversations with the students and parents have been notified of the reconfiguration. The principals from Claypit Hill and Happy Hollow have met with the student body of Loker to share information about their schools. The Administrators are in the process of developing a detailed timeline with specific action steps which the Committee expects to have for residents at its next meeting, if not before. The Parent Teacher Organizations have begun discussions to support this transition. With the passage of the requested override, the Committee believes that in the face of declining enrollment the 2 1/2 elementary school model provides a fiscally responsible way to maintain the high quality educational program the Wayland community expects. We understand how difficult this time has been on families and how disappointed many are in knowing that they will change schools next year. We hope that the Loker community will be embraced by the Happy Hollow and Claypit Hill schools and their families so that the communities affected by this transition can begin to heal and that we can all work together to keep Wayland public schools strong. The Committee welcomes any ideas or suggestions regarding this transition. Thank you for your attention, Wayland School Committee www.waylandschoolcommittee.org and attendance at public meetings and forums (schedule). This newsletter is archived online at www.waylandschoolcommittee.org/newsletter.htm |