School principals from grades K-8 lectured the Board of Education about why a proposal to undo Staley Upper Elementary School’s 5th and 6th grade alignment should not be pursued for next September.
Among feedback presented Wednesday night, principals cited Staley’s academic success, the prospect of "regressive" educational changes, and overall incapability of district buildings to accommodate the change short-term.
Based on their presentations, board President Patricia Riedel said today that "to me personally it does not look very promising...to change the grade configuration."
Riedel emphasized, though, that the board has made no decisions on long-range plans for building usage and now wants to hear input from Staley parents.
A school board public hearing on the matter is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Staley school, 620 E. Bloomfield St. The board is especially interested in hearing from parents whose students now attend the school or have done so since the current alignment took effect in fall 2005, Riedel said.
In addition, prior to that meeting the board has scheduled a work session Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Rome Free Academy library to further review the matter. The session also will address related issues including the anticipated closing of Fort Stanwix Elementary School, and the effect on other schools, Riedel said. The board intends to close the school based on state recommendations involving its physical condition, but has not determined when it will occur. Superintendent Jeffrey P. Simons told the board that it would be "not possible next year" to both reconfigure Staley and close Fort Stanwix.
No board votes on building usage are expected at the work session, Riedel said. She said she hopes for board decisions by the end of this month.
During Wednesday’s meeting, principals and other administrators offered their opinions plus those of staff, including teachers, in response to a Sept. 24 citizens’ advisory committee report on the Staley proposal. Simons had requested their feedback on the report, which observed that undoing Staley’s alignment would face substantial problems finding enough space. The study was prompted by some board members’ proposal to place Staley’s 5th graders among the current K-4 elementary schools, and move 6th graders to Strough Middle School.
The reaction of K-4 sites plus Strough was summarized by Strough Principal Riccardo Ripa; the board also received written reports from each school.
Among Ripa’s points:
• The district is "no longer physically set up" to accommodate a shift to alignments for grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 schools without significant costs and disruptions. The change conceivably could be part of a longer-range plan, but "cannot be done for the next school year."
• Costs and disruptions from an addition at Strough to handle 6th graders must be weighed in light of extensive renovations needed in the existing building. Ripa said he "cannot imagine" building up to 15 classrooms for a school that already needs up to about $20 million in work. Instead, if 6th graders are to be added, he suggested building a new school.
• Modular classrooms, a potential short-term step to handle additional students especially at Strough, have raised several concerns among parents including their feasibility during winter.
• Shifting music and art programs to portable "cart" arrangements to create space would be "instructionally regressive," and many curriculum options "would be compromised."
Also addressing the board was Staley Principal James Haugli, who said the school has "improved dramatically over the last three years." The 3-year-old alignment was prompted by major cost savings needed in a 2005-06 budget crunch, but Haugli said the move has "created a strong and consistent learning environment." He cited significant improvements in Staley students’ scores on state English and math tests since 2006, as "proof positive of the strengths of Staley."
Haugli further commented that a recent survey of Staley’s staff found that "most...have a favorable view" of the school. He concluded that "a sense of optimism and community has developed here."
The academic advantages of Staley’s consolidated grade alignment for coordinating teaching programs were further noted by district Director of Curriculum Katrina Bratge.
