Hello,
I am the parent of a 4th grader at Oak Grove elementary. I would like to convey my thoughts on the proposed closing of the GAPS schools and I have several questions I would like clarification and/or additional information about.
The proposed closing of the three schools is obviously of great concern to me. Based upon data from the 2010/2011 budget closing three schools will impact, at a minimum, 440+ students. That number doesn't account for the possible relocation of approximately 120+ fifth graders from Oak Grove and NAES to NAMS. If you add the students from Oak Grove and North Albany elementary that will be affected by crowded campuses along with the numbers at NAMS that will be affected, you add another approximate 1,000 students. I don't have any data to support the effects of Takena on the other elementary school populations so they haven't been included in the estimates. I also haven’t included the future years of 5th graders that will be displaced from an elementary school and be bused to NAMS, if that is the direction the school board takes. So now a minimum of 1,600 students have been impacted for approximately a savings of $400,000. That doesn't make any sense. There is no bang for the buck. How were the schools chosen? By comparing square footage per student (which should equate to building costs per student) the schools with the most square footage per student are, Central at 235 sq ft/student and Clover Ridge and Timber Ridge combined at 246 sq ft/per student. Fairmount may fall in that higher square footage/student but is difficult to tell because it appears the data for number of students at Fairmount may be inaccurate. Then there is a huge variance. The next highest schools are Takena and Waverly at 166 sq ft/student. Fir Grove comes right in the middle at 136 sq ft/student. Definitely, Fir Grove is not one of the most expensive schools per child to operate. Why wasn’t Central chosen as one of the schools to close? Why is Albany Options staying open next year yet three elementary schools are being closed almost immediately? I can’t see where closing schools and forcing 5th graders to a middle school setting follows the criteria the school board proposed when making cuts of protecting student learning. Actual savings versus level of disruption – if you assume the disruption of 1600 students for $400,000 that is $250/child. That doesn’t speak highly about how these students are valued. Maintaining functioning programs – while it isn’t considered a functioning program I would argue that a 5th grader attending an elementary school instead of a middle school is a functioning program. Least impact on student learning – large impact considering the number of students who are impacted by closing the three schools.
Can you provide a detail breakdown on the savings that is estimated by closing these schools including the additional costs of relocation? Is the technology at the schools that are slated to be closed going to be moved, for example, the costs of moving smart boards, and all of the other equipment necessary to maintain the technological level of the classrooms? Is the cost of maintaining vacant (or possibly rented) schools factored into the costs/savings? I would like to see the plan that has been thought through for NAMS taking on the addition of the 5th graders. How much is this going to cost at NAMS? Can you please provide the numbers that show the additional costs that will be incurred at NAMS? What are the projected costs of reopening those schools when the economy improves? Will the 5th graders walk to NAES to use the play equipment for recess or will they just not have play equipment or not have recess? If they have to go to the office will they be separated from students in the upper grades? Will they be separated during the lunch hour? Will they still participate with the other elementary students in such things as Science Fair, Battle of the Books, assemblies, etc? Will they still have an age appropriate library? They will have to ride the buses with 6th – 12th graders and wait in bus lines with 6th – 8th graders. Why not shorten the school week for the upcoming year? Someone mentioned they wanted to study the shortening of the school week before implementing it. In the same vein, have studies been done on moving 5th graders into a middle school? Even on all state testing, the brackets are 3rd, 4th, and 5th for elementary. Are they going to have equal access to what the other elementary children have at other schools? If they are not going to reap the benefits of an elementary school child, are they then going reap the benefits of the middle school (for example, band, daily p.e., etc.)? 5th graders are considered elementary age for various reasons; emotional, social, and psychological. The issues that arise at middle schools are usually of a different nature than the issues that arise at an elementary school. How is a 5th grader going to respond when the police are called in to handle middle school situations?
I know Oak Grove has some of the largest class sizes in the state of Oregon. Per the report card, Oak Grove has several classes with 30-35 students and only 5% of the entire state has class sizes in that range, yet the North Albany Schools are some of the top schools scholastically. Also, from the data shown in the 2010/2011 budget, for “building level allocations” both Fairmount and Fir Grove are allocated the least amount of dollars per student within GAPS, yet these two schools are on the chopping block. So… GAPS is proposing to close the schools that cost them the least and have some of the highest academic skills. I would like to better understand how the decisions are being made.
Could you please provide me with the numbers for the last five years (including next year’s projection) that show the numbers of administrative, licensed, and classifieds employees for GAPS? The proposal for next year shows a decrease of only 1.5 administrative (which is the 1 administrative position at Takena and Oak Grove would reduce the principal to half-time). I don’t understand how that is going to work. Oak Grove would still have a student enrollment of approximately 250 students with only a half- time principal. Instead, why not cut a curriculum director immediately? Once the money is available to fund the position it can be refilled. It seems cutting administrative positions and considering job sharing for certain other positions is a better solution than impacting 1,000’s of students. One of the objectives listed in making recommendations to meet the budget shortfall was “actual savings versus the level of disruption” It seems cutting a few upper level positions would cause less disruption and have the least impact on student learning.
I did a quick review of the financials for years ended June 30, 2009 and 2010. Object code 1280 (Alternative Education) in the general fund shows and increase of 2.23% or $1,043,000. What is this about?
We have had additional unpaid cut days and fewer teachers yet the expense for instruction still had a 3.4% increase from 2009 to 2010. Also, the cost of substitute, temporary, extra duty, and overtime continue to increase year by year (from 2008 through current budget year 2011 by about 15%) This doesn’t make sense either. The teachers have less days they are working yet we have more costs for substitute and temporary staff. Why? (In the same time frame, licensed salaries have increased 6%, classified salaries have increased 7%, and administrator salaries have increased 10%). Can you explain these increases to me?
Comparing other areas from 2008 to the current year’s budget the following items stood out. While object code 1220 (Restrictive Programs…) decreased by $1,258,956, object code 1250 (Less Restrictive Programs…) increased by $1,024,436. Unless there was a reclassification of costs between these two codes it seems like code 1250 should share its part of the shortfalls. Object code 1271 (Summer School Intervention Program) went from $0 in 2010 to $135,344 in 2011. Why? The district has so many special programs that we are paying a quarter of a million dollars just to supervise these programs. You want the schools to consolidate; maybe some of the special programs should be consolidated or eliminated. While some programs cannot be cut because of federal and state mandates, the costs that are not covered by pass through funding should reduced. Code 2210 (Improvement of Instruction) has increased 49% since 2008 and code 2410 (Principal’s office) has increased 12%. Why? Custodial salaries, district wide maintenance salaries and transportation salaries have all risen disproportionately over the past years. Why?
While other districts may close schools that doesn’t mean it is the best remedy. Can we think outside the box and find a different solution rather than closing Fairmount, Fir Grove and Takena.
I know you do not have an easy job and the current financial position of GAPS makes it all that more difficult. I propose alternatives are considered that may in fact be better educational and financial decisions in the long run. Our school district, our state and our country is in the condition it is in because of short-term thinking instead of long-term planning. My wish is that we would make decisions that will positively impact our children’s future.
Thanks for taking the time to read my letter and thanks in advance for providing the answers to my questions
Sincerely,
Carole Gougeon
