NORTH KINGSTOWN SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Worksession Regarding Reconfiguration of Schools

Wednesday, May 15, 2002  7:00 PM

Central Administration Building                                                                                            100 Fairway Drive, North Kingstown

“Challenging Student Excellence”

Minutes

           I.          Pledge of Allegiance

 

           I.          Call To Order                      The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM.

 

Roll Call Present:  Chairperson Lynne Haft, Vice Chairperson Karin L. Forbes, Dr. Denise Coppa, Dr. Janice DeFrances (present at 8:08 pm), Carol H. Hueston, Michael R. Northup and Patricia E. Watkins

                                                Absent:  Cathy Kaiser, Jamestown School Committee

 

                                                Administration Present:  James M. Halley, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Daniel J. McGregor, Ph.D., Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Barbara A. Fitzsimmons, Ed.D., Curriculum Director, William J. Daly, Director of Human Resources, Maureen Buck, Controller, and Karin Pierson, Supervisor of Transportation

                                                      Absent:  Joseph F. Quinn, Jr., Director of Administrative Services

         II.          Open Forum

The following comments and concerns were voiced during the open forum portion of the meeting.

·         Karen Flynn, Forest Park PTO Vice President read the following letter from The Forest Park Community to the School Committee on the subject of school reconfiguration.

 

                        For weeks the Forest Park Community has attended school committee meetings and focus groups, has listened to the community, as well as gathered information and data to understand all the proposals that have been brought forth by Dr. Halley.  We may not have been vocal at these meetings, but we were in attendance so that we could listen and try to understand how these changes will affect our children, faculty, and families, not to mention our neighboring school districts throughout our town.

                        On Thursday, May 9, 2002, Forest Park Elementary School held their monthly PTO meeting.  Good News: Attendance was above normal.  Obviously the possibility of reconfiguring (i.e. pairing or redistricting) for next year took center stage.  Of the many items affected by reconfiguration, the requirements for maintaining Forest Park as a SMART school was at the top of the list.  As a SmART school, space is key and we cannot afford to relinquish space for the overcrowding that will occur from the many proposals on the table.  Our art, dance, and music rooms are vital for the SmART program.  We are not willing to strip our programs to the way it was 5-10 years ago.  Space is critical and we have earned the space!

                        We have reviewed our floor plan and enrollment data…and, believe it or not, we are at capacity at this time…we do not have room for any additional students from our current school district – meaning, we are at the maximum class sizes for our grades and an additional classroom would be needed if new students enrolled at Forest Park in the Current Grade 1-5 scenario.  However, one way to alleviate our situation and possibly assist Davisville’s overcrowding issue is to remove one of the two Special-Needs classes (three elementary classes in North Kingstown) to another school that has additional space, and allow Forest Park to accommodate additional Davisville students along with Half-day Kindergarten.  And, under the current situation, we cannot accommodate Full-day Kindergarten (no space, no resources, etc.).

                        Our realization is this: we need MORE time to review, analyze and recommend/propose a solution.  Nonetheless, we did discover that we had enough intuitive feeling and understanding to know that, as a group, we CANNOT support the current proposal to pair schools or permit Full-Day Kindergarten.  While the concept seems, at first, simple and expedient, later consideration raises more questions and concerns than are met with satisfying answers or researched data.  Spot redistricting may have to occur to get us over a hurdle, but we cannot afford a short-term solution that will render long-term consequences.  Time is needed.  And, our children’s welfare is at stake.  This is not a situation to take lightly.  All avenues must be reviewed and analyzed before a final recommendation is put forth to the community. 

                        Changes, such as these, to gain more space and institute all day Kindergarten, require, if nothing else, the support of a well-informed community.  Items such as funding, busing, and capacity have to be understood before any changes are imposed upon us.  Proper effort must be made to keep everyone informed and involved in decisions that may be necessary, though difficult.  Not many people can object to changes if they are presented with researched facts that support their necessity.

Thank you.

 

·         Remark that no preschool program is identified in these plans except for the last sheet.  Where is preschool?

·         There were questions for the committee that were directed to Mike Northup.

·         Comment regarding the numerous school location changes for a second grader at Davisville Elementary School during the first four years of school under Plan 13.

·         Comment regarding Wickford Elementary School’s sense of community and successful school model.

·         Need a fair and equitable solution to Davisville Elementary School’s (DES) problems for Sepember/2002.

·         Comment about what the plans don’t tell us:  Long bus rides, children in different schools and parent involvement, closed to open classrooms, SALT reports and the DES situation.

·         You cannot close Fishing Cove School without realigning the school district.  Need financial, educational and capacity information.  It is your plan, school committee, not Dr. Halley’s.

·         Reasons for the turmoil in town: fiscal accountability, educational imperative and the need for a precise cost breakdown.

 

       III.          Correspondence

·         The committee received plenty of correspondence regarding reconfiguration.

·         Karin Forbes asked that DES and FPES facility improvements be added to the June worksession agenda. 

·         Pat Watkins thanked all the people who have taken the time to look at the plans, pointed out pros and cons, and asked questions.

 

       IV.          Reconfiguration of Schools

 

Either school committee members, the superintendent, or community members have developed the various plans.  Plans 13, 14, 5, 7, 11, 12, and 10 were discussed in terms of the criteria that the school committee decided to use for evaluation purposes.

 

Plan 13 (attached to the minutes):       Half Day Kindergartens to local schools, DES K-2 to Fishing Cove with full day Kindergarten.  Cc  4110

 

Discussion:  Quidnessett and Fishing Cove Elementary School are possible locations for self-contained classrooms.  Administrative costs would be the same as operating seven elementary schools.  Would need two additional buses.  Pre-school would stay at Fishing Cove School.  With Fishing Cove School at 53% poverty and Davisville Elementary School at 34%, Title One services would be kept.  There is one classroom left at Stony Lane.  This is a temporary solution for the district.  Children would be moving together with their friends.  There is room at Quidnessett for self-contained classes.  District wide self-contained classes are for resource students who spend greater than half their time outside the regular classroom.  This scenario would need an assistant principal position at Fishing Cove.  A savings would be realized in terms of the cost of a Special Educator.  It would cost $45,000 to retrofit Fishing Cove School for larger kids.  Discussion later in the meeting (clock counter 24830):  What would happen to the COZ program?  To move the only walking school we have is bothersome.  What are advantages and disadvantages of moving the entire school as a short-term solution while we pilot full day kindergarten and start the long-term process?  It would cost 2-3 buses.  Regarding growth in the southern end of town, if DES goes to FCS, we won’t have a southern location for them.

 

Plan 14 (attached to the minutes):  Fishing Cove Remains a Kindergarten, Spot Redistrict DES.  Clock counter (cc) 11747

 

Discussion:  This could be a stopgap plan.  It does not address the issue of kindergarten children and operation of the kindergarten program.  It moves a group of people moved two years ago and an area moved five years ago from Stony Lane to Davisville Elementary.  The plan does not meet many criteria.  It would take a minimum of two years to procure bond money to renovate Davisville Elementary.  It is likely that there would be a need to redistrict again next year.  Discussion later in the meeting (clock counter 31400):  This plan wins the fewest number of students moved.  It attempts to address reducing the number of classrooms at DES, keeps the budget, and keeps half-day kindergarten.  Is it possible to pilot full day kindergarten program at DES with this plan?  With three fourth grades and two fifth grades, this only leaves one room.  These will be problem areas next year.  Even second and third grades are high.  The problem with Fishing Cove is not addressed.  Did not want us to deal with DES problem in isolation.  This deals with DES in isolation and sets us up for spot redistricting.  If a school has a problem, then let’s deal with that school.  Dr. Halley:  There are systemic problems.  We have a problem with articulation of the kindergarten, maintaining leadership at the kindergarten and the community wants kindergarten back in their schools.  We had a problem with districting/redistricting. Some people bear this brunt over and over again.  Systemic problems are not DES’s problems.  Need to address and look at North Kingstown as our town and not each school as our town.  We need to address Fishing Cove School right now.  This is a systemic problem.

 

Plan 5 (attached to the minutes):  Half Time Kindergarten with Davisville Elementary School Fourth and Fifth Grade in QES, WES to FCES.  Cc  13100

 

Discussion:  There is room for the preschool at Fishing Cove Elementary School.  Treats one school differently from the others- DES is K-3, the others are K-5.  Quidnessett has four fourth grades and four fifth grades.  Wickford does not have a school at all.  There is no plan for full day kindergarten.  Fishing Cove School has a small multi-purpose room used for a gym.  After retrofitting Fishing Cove, it may still be too small and then there are possible scheduling problems.  In this plan, kindergarten is half time and they’re not there for lunch.  There would be 331 full time students.  Would need three lunches and room for gym.  Title I funding would be kept.  Transportation costs would not increase.  There is a $268,000 savings with a six-school plan.  The committee does not wish to consider this plan.

 

Plan 7 (attached to the minute):   Mixed Time Kindergarten with DES and FPES Fourth and Fifth Grade in QES, QES K-3 to FPES, and WES to FCES

 

Discussion:  There is room for the preschool at Fishing Cove Elementary School.  Same concerns for Fishing Cove School as Plan 5 with 373 students.  Preschool will be at Wickford Point Elementary and this will be tight.  Will there be additional art and music  added to the kindergarten program?  Transportation is within budget.  For full day kindergarten, a savings of 1/3 x $190,000 equals approximately $60,000 would occur since no midday bus run would be needed.  Special education could be moved from Forest Park to Quidnessett depending on the ages of the children.  Students at risk benefit greatly from full day kindergarten.  Increasing teachers and grades through pairing yields a greater pool of talent.  This would have a good educational impact on the Davisville Community.  It means more busing and there may be a need to bus children back to Davisville to participate in special services.  The community does not want pairing- this plan moves 709 kids.  Does the committee as a whole support pairing if it moves 1,000 kids?  Dr. Coppa would like to see measurable criteria.  Likes piloting and supports full day kindergarten.  Asked administration to rework piloting with Wickford Elementary out of the mix; do not retrofit Fishing Cove; keep everything at Wickford Elementary.  Not ready to close Wickford.  Dr. Halley:  If we keep Wickford, 122 students will be moved.  Dr. Coppa:  We need to keep the variables down or we won’t know if full day kindergarten is working. 

 

Plan 11 (attached to the minutes):  :  Seven School with Full Time Kindergarten

Discussion:  This plan requires 100 teachers.

 

Plan 12 (attached to the minutes):  Seven Schools with Half Time Kindergarten.

Discussion:  This plan loses Title I funding eligibility.

 

Plans 7, 11, and 12 are out for discussion purposes but are still on the table.

 

Plan 10 (attached to the minutes):   Pairing with full day kindergarten (DE/FP, HE/SL and WE/QE) East FP to QES, Old Baptist/Davisville to QES, Annaquatucket to QES/WES   cc  23700

 

Discussion:  Title I funding needs 35% poverty; DES is at 38%.  Again, you would save $268,000 with six schools.  This plan gives the “biggest bang for the buck.”  It costs $25,000 to retrofit an elementary school for grades K-2.  Does not want full district pairing without a pilot program.  Not ready for a long-term solution right now, but it does save a lot of money.  Concerned with pairing for full town and still have not discussed the philosophy of pairing.  The town needs to be prepared.  Pairing puts a strain on families, puts a strain on children.  This is changing too many pieces.  This plan is out but not off the table.  This is a long-term option.

 

The committee has narrowed down the viable plans to Plans 13, 14, and 7 without moving WES to FCS.  This version of Plan 7 and scheduling information were requested for the next meeting.  Also, if Wickford Elementary does not move out, what will happen to the preschool? 

 

         V.          Comments  cc  34337

·         A parent asked that the committee create the best situation possible.

·         At Monday’s open forum, additional information will be presented at the beginning of the meeting.  On May 22, there will be a limited open forum before the vote.

 

       VI.          A Motion to recess the worksession on reconfiguration to Monday, May 20, 2002 at 7:00 PM was made by Pat Watkins/Carol Hueston (7/0) at 11:18 PM, clock counter 3:56:49.

 

                                                                                                Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                                                                _______________________________________

                                                                                                Donna F. Keough

                                                                                                School Committee Secretary