The district conference room was quite full, there may have been slightly more than 40 people present including central administrators, at least five Board of Education Members, teachers, and building administrators. The meeting was led my Terry Damon, a consultant to the Newburgh School District who manages the District's construction projects. Also present was Mr. Armlin of Armlin Damon & Associates.
The meeting was scheduled to start at 6:30pm, I arrived at 6:40. Damon was presenting several options: one was to stay as is (k-6 at the elementaries); another option was to go to 6-8 at the middle schools; another option was to go to k-8 at GAMS.
The option presented as the favored one was for Heritage and South to go 6-8 for the 2011-12 school year. South will be undersubscribed next year, so will be doing extensive renovations--about 50% of windows will be replaced.
Q: Why is there a need to change Gidney to k-8?
Board of Education Member Poppiti answered that we don't have to. If there are about 900 students per year, then there are around 2700 in grades 6-8. Temple and Meadow have about 100 each per grade, so that accounts for 600. The remaining 2100 will fill Heritage and South a little more than we want. In addition "it was promised" for there to be a k-8 in the City. So the thought was by adding three grades to Gidney and taking 300 out of the total, 1800 could more easily be allocated (900 apiece) to Heritage and South.
Principal Raiti of Heritage Junior High said that at enrollment of 1000, class sizes can exceed 30. Since optimally we want 20 per class we are some way from that.
Q: Is a bond required to fund?
Damon: Minor Gidney renovations to make it k-8 would not require bond. $2m could be spent from prior bond approved funding.
Energy Education Specialist Ramjug: The economic life of district facilities is around 35 years. Is there a way to spend the $2m to generate energy savings for the district?
Damon: Energy performance contracts would not require voter aproval. Savings would pay for improvements.
Q: Can Chestnut be a middle school with an addition.
Damon: That would be a more expensive option.
Q: What about leased buildings, pre-k, St. Francis, est.
Damon: That's further ahead [a topic for the future].
Q: Do we go with GAMS converting to k-8?
Damon: The Superintendent and Board are looking for some feedback about that.
Raiti: We would look to architects to adjust student traffic flow.
Damon summarized the grade changes the district is considering:
2010-2011: West Street would add a grade (k-5); Heritage and South (7-8); NFA Main and NFA North (9-12).
2011-2012: All k-6 elementaries would become k-5. Heritage and South would become 6-8.
2012-2013: GAMS would go back to k-6, and add an additional grade the two following school years, to become k-8.
Q: Are there content area certification requirements that need to be considered?
Superintendent Saturnelli: There are models out there. We will work to provide a model that takes into account 6th graders.
NTA President Van Duser: It will be challenging for teachers moving from 7-9 too 9-12. There is also a big difference between grades 5 and 6 in terms of content.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools Pizzo: A previously held idea was that the educational program would drive the facilities. [Suggesting that the cart was being put before the horse.]
Raiti: As far back as the 70s there was thought, study, and decision to go 9-12 at the High School level.
A "consensus" was taken. All supporting the k-5 6-8 grade reconfiguration except one Nay, and one individual claiming uncertainty as to whether he had a vote [!].
The next meeting of this group was scheduled to be March 8 6:30-8:00pm.