Update: Superintendent Maria Delapoer announced that Takena Elementary is no longer on the proposed chopping block. The Democrat Herald reported Saturday that Delapoer is now also against moving fifth-graders to North Albany Middle School.
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The Greater Albany School District is facing a $7 million shortfall next school year. And an $8 million shortfall for the 2012-13 school year.
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The Greater Albany School District is facing a $7 million shortfall next school year. And an $8 million shortfall for the 2012-13 school year.
Though Executive Assistant Jim Haggart says the superintendent is considering a number of options for the coming school year, the most talked about in the community is the closure of three Albany elementary schools. This was a main focus at the series of public meetings the board held in February.
Superintendent Maria Delapoer is recommending the closure of the three elementary schools and moving fifth-graders to North Albany Middle School, which currently houses sixth through eighth grade, for the 2011-12 school year. Additionally, for the 2012-13 school year, she is recommending a 4-day work/school week and cutting all athletics and activities.
Delapoer said they have to make some difficult decisions because of the budget shortfall. This is the third time in her career she's been through difficult financial times in a school district, and she wants to make sure that the measures they take now will not negatively affect the district when this crisis is over.
She was realistic about the difficult situation. She said real things like "Teachers will continue to see heavier workloads with fewer resources."
When Jane Evans, the principal of NAMS, finished her bit at the parent/public forum at the Feb. 10 meeting, she got a round of applause. Evans framed the closure of Fir Grove Elementary as a positive: "We want you to know how excited we are about having your students with us."
She talked about pairing the incoming fifth-graders with NAMS' sixth-graders and how they would be "cocooned" but not completely separated from the older kids.
Evans said that she understands parents' concerns about grouping younger children with middle-schoolers, but cited Timber Ridge as a successful example of this integration. Timber Ridge currently has children from third to seventh grade.
In a separate conversation, board member Sandi Evans said "The school (Timber Ridge) was built with that in mind; it has separate floors. NAMS is not divided that way. Models we've looked at are the model we already have: Timber Ridge, which is built for grades 3-8. The administrators from N. Albany have gone there, watched kids move in and out of class, noting how they’re segregated. That building, however, was designed that way, these other schools are not. That's a challenge."
Haggart said the superintendent and board are not considering the 4-day school week for the 2011-12 school year because they want more time to study 4-day plans and consult with other districts. Considering the limited research that went into exploring the impact of a middle-school environment on fifth-graders, it seems a 4-day week for next year should still be an option.
Parents are concerned about integrating their fifth-graders into NAMS. The GAPS Funding Ideas blog serves as an open forum for discussing school budget options. It is apparent though that the moderators are strong proponents of starting the 4-day plan in the 2011-12 school year rather than closing schools.
The site is managed by community members and parents, Gwen Christensen, and Dawn and Brent Davis. They have recent research on 4-day school weeks posted on their site. There is also research that introducing younger children to a middle-school environment can be detrimental to a child's success in school.
Participants are encouraged to join the discussion by posting on the site. Beyond being a space to voice opinion, the site lists contact information for state and local representatives.
What happens next depends on the state budget, which won't be released until May or June. “I think what the superintendent wants to say is that no decision has been made about closing the schools,” said Haggart, Delapoer's assistant.
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