Demographic Advisory Committee Thomas BarryRebecca Kalagher LeAnn BeaulieuBonnie Mazzoli Maureen...

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


Committee Charge Busing High School Option Middle School Option Elementary School Options Summary


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.


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: 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


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


Assumptions on closing a school Smaller schools (Alcorn, Enfield Street, Hale,

Stowe)– Better efficiencies and flexibility with larger schools


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


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


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


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


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.


• 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


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?

Demographic Advisory Committee Thomas BarryRebecca Kalagher LeAnn BeaulieuBonnie Mazzoli Maureen...

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