Summary Report/Consolidated Comments February 27, 2001 Questions 1 - What Should We Do? A. RESTRUCTURE SCHOOL FACILITIES Immediate: Close small buildings/consolidate students to the 2 full programmed hubs Two hubs K-3 - 1 supervising principal (McKusick - K-1 & Primary - 2-3) Fourth grade to PCMS Improved quality Transition should be smooth/gradual/minimum impact on students Long Range: K-5/6 @ PCMS K-8 @ PCMS 6-12 @ PCHS B. FINANCIAL Reduce Costs/Increase Efficiency in the area Negotiated Contracts Tighten spending/bulk bid purchasing Reduce Personnel: cuts, retirements to increase teacher/student ratios Athletics on a pay to play basis Increase Revenues Increase taxes Fundraising/benefactors Seek grants through professional grant writers Pre-K / Headstart / foreign students Increase spending to state average C. REGIONALIZE Regionalize High School with Dexter Combine districts/superintendent finances, payroll processing, special ed. director Attract Greenville/Monson students to SAD #4 D. OTHER Distance learning Status quo Prorate taxes Seek economic development Educate communities of need to restructure to keep quality up Do best for kids Tuition Wellington to Harmony Question #2 - What are Our Concerns about current and future? A. UNCERTAINTIES OF CHANGE Higher local taxes - what's reasonable to our economic Technology as a catalyst for improved instruction Continued loss of home school population ~ 70 Number of and length of school vacations How status quo will negatively effect students What can be eliminated or improved B. LOSS OF Town identity tied to local "town school" Quality education Seasoned teachers/personnel/ jobs Students to home school option Risk of accreditation loss due to declining enrollment C. IMPACT OF Class ratios/sizes Relocation / reassignment of staff Curriculum may suffer as enrollment drops (foreign language/fine arts/PE) Improvement due to focus on developmentally focused school setting D. PROTECTECTION OF Teacher positions / programs Extracurricular and quality of education Small class sizes / less than 25:1 Voc opportunities E. TRANSPORTATION Make effort to minimize bus trend time for young children F. FACILITIES Available for future use / moth balled or transfer to towns? Use of old buildings - can towns benefit Keep 4th grade and PCMS schedules separate QUESTIONS #3 - WHAT SHOULD BOARD KEEP IN MIND? Maintain open/timely communication Informative with public involvement and staff stakeholders Sell change as a positive opportunity to improve Take risks be change agents; be pro-active Improve - School-Community / Economic Partnership Market our quality - school programs Job Descriptions should be followed Selling program improvement - not dollar issue (will always be $$$) Focus on gaining credibility with public Time-frame - don't wait till fall - plan it and carry it out Enrollment trends/busing costs and time on buses Taxes/keep @ a minimum - elderly on fixed income Scrutinize - expenditures on personnel & services Cost savings to closing - heating / maintenance savings Cost of keeping empty schools heated Specialty areas would be more efficient Programs improve w/o increase in costs RIF may result / keep support staff for ratio reason Morale impact Maintain quality not minimums Lobby legislature for more money Voucher system to area school districts/allow local elementary choice Grants are drying up Keep kids first - what is best for kids?