Could be worse

Former Mark's Meadow Elementary School.  Returned to UMass

With the elementary schools once again facing a budget deficit of just over $200,000 and the white elephant modular classrooms at the former Mark's Meadow Elementary School safely refinanced and swept back under the rug, I thought it perhaps timely to look back on the most contentious issue of the past decade:  Closing Mark's Meadow Elementary School.

Three years ago, then interim Superintendent Maria Geryk told the School Committee:  "At this moment in time, given the information we have, given the time-frame we have, I would not personally go down that road."

According to the  3/4/09 Gazette (one of the last articles penned by Mary Carey.  Emphasis added):

Some of 60 or more parents who attended the meeting clapped after hearing that view, and some School Committee members agreed the district should beware of doing anything so decisive prematurely. "I'm delighted we're being so cautious and careful," School Committee member Elaine Brighty said.

Recently, in response to my public info request, Kathy Mazur, ARPS Director of Human Resources, wrote:

"Regarding the closure of MM, we had initial, conservative estimates of about 500K to close the school.  At the time, I was closely involved with the planning, and I was confident the amount would be higher than the 500K.  When we actually closed in preparation for the 10-11 year, the amount of realized savings was a bit over 800K.  However, that year we had just 63 classrooms in the 3 remaining schools.  This year, we have 69 classrooms."

She continues:

"It is difficult now, to make a solid determination of what is being annually saved.  Since we have more classrooms now than we did that first year, you might conclude that those additional 6 classrooms cannot be counted toward annual closure savings.  If you agree with this, then you would have to subtract about 360K from the original savings just for the classrooms.  With the additional classrooms also comes additional support (FTE) in the areas of aesthetics, SE, etc.  What we can state for sure is that we annually save the cost of a building principal, 2 secretaries, a librarian, a nurse, a guidance counselor, custodial staff, and probably some paras.  Roughly, the real $ savings at this point is under $300K."

But here are the figures the administration presented to the School Committee three years ago:

Reduction in district classrooms from 67 (FY10) to 64 (FY11) $162,000
Reduction of principal and 2 secretaries $170,000
2.5 custodians $55,000
1.0 ELL teacher $54,000
1.0 Special Education teacher $54,000
1.0 Intervention teacher $54,000
1.13 paraprofessionals $15,000
1.0 LPN $35,000
1.0 librarian $54,000
1.0 IA paraprofessional $20,000
 

Total Reductions $673,000

Hmm...Just the reduction of the principal, 2 secretaries and 2.5 custodians ($225,000)--when you add in employee benefits--would easily hit $300,000. 

But even if the lower figure is accurate, the huge $200,000 hole the schools are currently in would be a $500,000 canyon.  And that's exactly where we would now find ourselves if not for former School Committee member Catherine Sanderson becoming a Joan of Arc to lead the charge in a unpopular crusade. 

Of course, like her patron saint, Ms Sanderson was roasted at the stake.