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July 22, 2013
After many false starts, we are glad to see the idea of regionalization is not completely dead.
That’s because we believe it is a concept that has merit, but has not been fully explored yet, at least on Aquidneck Island.
The issue bubbled up last week in a most unexpected place — at a press conference officially unveiling plans for an 18-mile bikeway across Aquidneck Island. The elected leaders of all three island communities said the Aquidneck Island Bikeway actually represented much more than a safe place for bicyclists to ride.
“We should use it as a symbol ... of what else can we do to create a ‘single community,’” Newport Mayor Harry Winthrop said.
“It’s a great synergy,” Portsmouth Town Council President James A. Seveney added.
“This could be a symbolic first step towards looking at regionalization,” said Middletown Town Council Christopher T. Semonelli. “Maybe it’s the word that we have a problem with, because there’s certainly plenty of desire.”
The Middletown council took it a step past symbolism later the same day, when it voted to take the lead in exploring the feasibility of a regional high school for the island. By a 6-1 vote, it instructed the town administration to develop a model for a 2,000-student school for Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth.
Councilman Richard Adams, who proposed the resolution along with Councilwoman Barbara VonVillas, noted that “we’ve all talked about regionalization for a long time.”
But, he added: “It used to be, not so long ago, that you said the word ‘regionalization,’ you’d better get under the desk because there was a great outcry against it. The whole context has changed.”
During its meeting later in the week, the Middletown School Committee informally supported the concept, and Superintendent Rosemarie Kraeger pledged the School Department’s assistance.
Meanwhile, Middletown School Committee Chairwoman Theresa Silveira Spengler noted that she was meeting with her counterparts in the other island communities to discuss shared services.
That sort of thing — joining forces to purchase items or services or negotiate contracts — has been happening for some time now.
However, discussions about creating a regional school district have gone nowhere, despite studies that have shown financial savings and academic promise.
So maybe this is the way to start — with one regional project, rather than creating a whole new system. And maybe it is smart for it to start in Middletown, which in addition to being geographically in the middle of the island, also is the least polarizing community when it comes to this issue. (Readers may recall that several years ago, a Portsmouth School Committee member said that district did not want “Newport’s problems.”) It will be interesting to see how other communities respond. The Newport City Council will be the first to weigh in; it is expected to take up the matter at its meeting Wednesday.
We are encouraged by Middletown’s leadership on this issue and look forward to seeing the proposal when it comes forward.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Newport Daily News - Officials support study of regional high school
By Matt Sheley
July 18, 2013
Middletown school officials appear to support a proposal to investigate the merits of a 2,000-student regional high school on Aquidneck Island.
Superintendent Rosemarie K. Kraeger and School Committee members said they are interested to see what comes out of a request from Town Council members Richard Adams and Barbara A. Von-Villas for Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown to design a model for the school.
Adams and VonVillas attended the regular monthly School Committee meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Oliphant administration building, where council members and school officials agreed the study would go nowhere without cooperation.
“I do think we need to look at a regional model, given the constraints on our educational offerings and our budgets, but it has to be right for Middletown and right for our students,” Kraeger said. “Unless that happens, it’s going to be a tough sell.”
The School Department is ready to lend a hand, should educators be called upon for assistance, she said. The item is expected to be included on the agenda for the School Committee’s next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 4 p.m. at Oliphant.
“There has been some initial dialogue about shared services, but nothing about regionalization recently,” Kraeger said. “It’s come up in the past, but it’s been some time.”
Rising costs and shrinking educational offerings have sparked renewed talk in the past couple of months about Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth schools pooling resources.
A June 2009 report by the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council indicated the three communities on Aquidneck Island could save close to $13 million by combining their high schools by fiscal 2013.
Adams and VonVillas said they want Brown to investigate the matter since concrete talks have taken place.
Although Brown was given no deadline for his report, it is expected to be completed this fall, once more than 30 questions — part of the Adams-VonVillas resolution — are answered and all the relevant information is addressed. School Committee Chairwoman Theresa Silveira Spengler said she doesn’t know what will come of the Adams-VonVillas proposal, but believes it is a good exercise to undertake.
“We’re going to be meeting with the other two communities (Newport and Portsmouth) to talk about shared services,” Silveira Spengler said. “I’m curious to see what will come out of this and see what’s discussed.”
Others agreed.
“I think developing this model makes things more concrete,” said Kellie DiPalma, school board vice chairwoman. “It gives a better idea of what we’re looking at, and we can have a better idea that we’re all talking about the same thing.”
“I really do think we are changing the culture of what we did in the last regionalization committee,” School Committee member Liana Ferreira Fenton said. “People are now beginning to say, ‘Oh, wait. This might help during budget season.’” Given the amount spent on schools on Aquidneck Island annually, consolidating could save money and offer a better educational experience overall, School Committee member Paul E. Mankofsky said.
“We can’t continue to support the high schools on this island, or our schools, the way we’re doing it now,” he said. “Collectively, among the three communities, we spend over $100 million and we have upwards of 6,000 students.”
But without answers to key questions — like how a regional high school arrangement would work, the costs and the time frame — the concept would have a difficult time gaining the support of stakeholders and getting off the ground, Mankofsky said.
“It should come up with a notion of how are we going to build this? What’s the total cost? What’s the total cost of operations? What’s the total cost of, perhaps, replacement?” he said. “Those elements, in a model, would give the public an idea for what we’re talking about for the parameters, the bounds, of a regional high school.”
Addressing the School Committee, Adams said he and VonVillas attended the meeting to let educators know their input is important. Without their cooperation, regionalization would be a tough go, he said.
“It is time, and we can do this,” Adams said. “We can pull this off. Is it going to be easy? I think the way to do it is at the high school level so we won’t get ourselves mixed up with the other grades to start with.”
July 18, 2013
Middletown school officials appear to support a proposal to investigate the merits of a 2,000-student regional high school on Aquidneck Island.
Superintendent Rosemarie K. Kraeger and School Committee members said they are interested to see what comes out of a request from Town Council members Richard Adams and Barbara A. Von-Villas for Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown to design a model for the school.
Adams and VonVillas attended the regular monthly School Committee meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Oliphant administration building, where council members and school officials agreed the study would go nowhere without cooperation.
“I do think we need to look at a regional model, given the constraints on our educational offerings and our budgets, but it has to be right for Middletown and right for our students,” Kraeger said. “Unless that happens, it’s going to be a tough sell.”
The School Department is ready to lend a hand, should educators be called upon for assistance, she said. The item is expected to be included on the agenda for the School Committee’s next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 4 p.m. at Oliphant.
“There has been some initial dialogue about shared services, but nothing about regionalization recently,” Kraeger said. “It’s come up in the past, but it’s been some time.”
Rising costs and shrinking educational offerings have sparked renewed talk in the past couple of months about Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth schools pooling resources.
A June 2009 report by the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council indicated the three communities on Aquidneck Island could save close to $13 million by combining their high schools by fiscal 2013.
Adams and VonVillas said they want Brown to investigate the matter since concrete talks have taken place.
Although Brown was given no deadline for his report, it is expected to be completed this fall, once more than 30 questions — part of the Adams-VonVillas resolution — are answered and all the relevant information is addressed. School Committee Chairwoman Theresa Silveira Spengler said she doesn’t know what will come of the Adams-VonVillas proposal, but believes it is a good exercise to undertake.
“We’re going to be meeting with the other two communities (Newport and Portsmouth) to talk about shared services,” Silveira Spengler said. “I’m curious to see what will come out of this and see what’s discussed.”
Others agreed.
“I think developing this model makes things more concrete,” said Kellie DiPalma, school board vice chairwoman. “It gives a better idea of what we’re looking at, and we can have a better idea that we’re all talking about the same thing.”
“I really do think we are changing the culture of what we did in the last regionalization committee,” School Committee member Liana Ferreira Fenton said. “People are now beginning to say, ‘Oh, wait. This might help during budget season.’” Given the amount spent on schools on Aquidneck Island annually, consolidating could save money and offer a better educational experience overall, School Committee member Paul E. Mankofsky said.
“We can’t continue to support the high schools on this island, or our schools, the way we’re doing it now,” he said. “Collectively, among the three communities, we spend over $100 million and we have upwards of 6,000 students.”
But without answers to key questions — like how a regional high school arrangement would work, the costs and the time frame — the concept would have a difficult time gaining the support of stakeholders and getting off the ground, Mankofsky said.
“It should come up with a notion of how are we going to build this? What’s the total cost? What’s the total cost of operations? What’s the total cost of, perhaps, replacement?” he said. “Those elements, in a model, would give the public an idea for what we’re talking about for the parameters, the bounds, of a regional high school.”
Addressing the School Committee, Adams said he and VonVillas attended the meeting to let educators know their input is important. Without their cooperation, regionalization would be a tough go, he said.
“It is time, and we can do this,” Adams said. “We can pull this off. Is it going to be easy? I think the way to do it is at the high school level so we won’t get ourselves mixed up with the other grades to start with.”
Newport Daily News: Town will explore regional high school
By Matt Sheley
July 16, 2013
The Middletown Town Council decided Monday night to take the lead in exploring the prospect of establishing a regional high school on Aquidneck Island.
The council voted 6-1 to approve a resolution proposed by Richard Adams and Barbara A. VonVillas instructing Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown to develop a model proposal for a new islandwide high school.
Councilman Bruce J. Long voted against the resolution, saying the matter might be better handled by school officials.
Adams and VonVillas argued that given the struggling state of the economy, reduced state and federal aid, declining student enrollments, lagging curriculum and other factors, the atmosphere was right to push the discussion forward.
“There are a lot of moving pieces and we’ve all talked about regionalization for a long time,” Adams said. “I’ve been struck by something lately. It used to be, not so long ago, that you said the word ‘regionalization,’ you’d better get under the desk because there was a great outcry against it. The whole context has changed.”
No timeline was given for Brown to complete the work, but he is expected to report back to the council in several months.
In a two-page letter to the council, Adams and VonVillas suggest Brown develop specific data on personnel, curriculum, athletics, enrichment programs and facilities based on a 2,000-student school “that would enable all students to achieve future success and independence through post-secondary education or entry-level skilled positions.”
Among more than 30 questions needing answers are the number of teachers, administrators, related personnel, number of academic courses, athletic and extracurricular opportunities and square footage of the school building, offices and amenities.
“There are two major reasons: one is money and the other is education,” Von-Villas said. “There are people who will support regionalization because it will save money and the efficiency and the other factions will support it because of the need for it educationally.
“Newport County communities can no longer afford the constant increases in school budgets. Every one of our communities has suffered this season trying to make things work,” she said. “None of the school committees have been satisfied with the money they’ve been allocated by the towns and we’ve given as much as it’s possible for us to give.”
Sen. Louis P. DiPalma, D-Middletown, said he would support the council in its effort however he could, including seeking financial assistance.
“From a state perspective, there’s not a hearing that we have, where a person comes before a Senate finance or Senate education committee, where myself or someone else on the committee doesn’t ask, ‘So what have you done to try to become more efficient?’” DiPalma said. “The second question, right after that, is ‘What have you done to be more effective?’” According to DiPalma, the state currently provides an additional 2 percent in housing aid costs for each grade level that is regionalized. Also, DiPalma said, the state offers an additional 2 percent under the state funding formula in the first year of regionalization, 1 percent in the second year (there is no additional state aid in subsequent years). It was unclear Monday night what the move could mean in state aid and savings for Middletown, Newport and Portsmouth.
The concept of merging the three public school districts on the island has come up on a number of occasions through the years.
In June 2009, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council released a report showing the three communities on the island stood to save close to $13 million by consolidating by fiscal 2013, which ended June 30.
To date, the concept has been a nonstarter, with talks gaining little traction, but most on the council said they’d like to see that change.
In voting against the resolution, Long asked, “Is it appropriate for the town administrator to do this? It seems that the expertise lies with the School Department.”
In response, other council members said they had no doubt Brown would use the expertise of educational officials to come up with the best model possible.
A staunch proponent of regionalization in the past, Town Council President Christopher T. Semonelli said he was skeptical that other communities would come forward to participate, but it was worth a try.
“It’s a math thing and it’s real easy to determine financially it’s needed,” Semonelli said. “We reached out to people in the community and we got no one to participate. I’m not being a naysayer. I’m at the point where I think someone from the state has to say, ‘You have to do this.’” But others said the time seemed right to revisit the concept on a local level, starting with a regional high school.
“Those boundary lines need to be broken down at some point of time,” Councilman Paul M. Rodrigues said. “I support Mrs. VonVillas and Mr. Adams for bringing this forward. Certainly, there are a lot of facts that need to be gathered and it takes real leadership to move this thing forward.”
“This is a must now,” said Robert J. Sylvia, council vice president. “We can’t ask our taxpayers any longer to keep tightening their belt. They’re hurting. We can no longer support the services that we have.”
Earlier in the meeting, as part of an unrelated conversation, School Committee Chairwoman Theresa Silveira Spengler said she would be meeting with representatives from the Newport and Portsmouth school districts to see if there were areas in which they could work together, primarily focused on maintenance and related matters. Silveira Spengler said wholesale regionalization was not on the table at this point.
Adams said was excited about the possibility of exploring the issue, wherever the matter took the council and the rest of the community.
“We may not exactly know where we’re going, but we’d better get going,” he said.
July 16, 2013
The Middletown Town Council decided Monday night to take the lead in exploring the prospect of establishing a regional high school on Aquidneck Island.
The council voted 6-1 to approve a resolution proposed by Richard Adams and Barbara A. VonVillas instructing Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown to develop a model proposal for a new islandwide high school.
Councilman Bruce J. Long voted against the resolution, saying the matter might be better handled by school officials.
Adams and VonVillas argued that given the struggling state of the economy, reduced state and federal aid, declining student enrollments, lagging curriculum and other factors, the atmosphere was right to push the discussion forward.
“There are a lot of moving pieces and we’ve all talked about regionalization for a long time,” Adams said. “I’ve been struck by something lately. It used to be, not so long ago, that you said the word ‘regionalization,’ you’d better get under the desk because there was a great outcry against it. The whole context has changed.”
No timeline was given for Brown to complete the work, but he is expected to report back to the council in several months.
In a two-page letter to the council, Adams and VonVillas suggest Brown develop specific data on personnel, curriculum, athletics, enrichment programs and facilities based on a 2,000-student school “that would enable all students to achieve future success and independence through post-secondary education or entry-level skilled positions.”
Among more than 30 questions needing answers are the number of teachers, administrators, related personnel, number of academic courses, athletic and extracurricular opportunities and square footage of the school building, offices and amenities.
“There are two major reasons: one is money and the other is education,” Von-Villas said. “There are people who will support regionalization because it will save money and the efficiency and the other factions will support it because of the need for it educationally.
“Newport County communities can no longer afford the constant increases in school budgets. Every one of our communities has suffered this season trying to make things work,” she said. “None of the school committees have been satisfied with the money they’ve been allocated by the towns and we’ve given as much as it’s possible for us to give.”
Sen. Louis P. DiPalma, D-Middletown, said he would support the council in its effort however he could, including seeking financial assistance.
“From a state perspective, there’s not a hearing that we have, where a person comes before a Senate finance or Senate education committee, where myself or someone else on the committee doesn’t ask, ‘So what have you done to try to become more efficient?’” DiPalma said. “The second question, right after that, is ‘What have you done to be more effective?’” According to DiPalma, the state currently provides an additional 2 percent in housing aid costs for each grade level that is regionalized. Also, DiPalma said, the state offers an additional 2 percent under the state funding formula in the first year of regionalization, 1 percent in the second year (there is no additional state aid in subsequent years). It was unclear Monday night what the move could mean in state aid and savings for Middletown, Newport and Portsmouth.
The concept of merging the three public school districts on the island has come up on a number of occasions through the years.
In June 2009, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council released a report showing the three communities on the island stood to save close to $13 million by consolidating by fiscal 2013, which ended June 30.
To date, the concept has been a nonstarter, with talks gaining little traction, but most on the council said they’d like to see that change.
In voting against the resolution, Long asked, “Is it appropriate for the town administrator to do this? It seems that the expertise lies with the School Department.”
In response, other council members said they had no doubt Brown would use the expertise of educational officials to come up with the best model possible.
A staunch proponent of regionalization in the past, Town Council President Christopher T. Semonelli said he was skeptical that other communities would come forward to participate, but it was worth a try.
“It’s a math thing and it’s real easy to determine financially it’s needed,” Semonelli said. “We reached out to people in the community and we got no one to participate. I’m not being a naysayer. I’m at the point where I think someone from the state has to say, ‘You have to do this.’” But others said the time seemed right to revisit the concept on a local level, starting with a regional high school.
“Those boundary lines need to be broken down at some point of time,” Councilman Paul M. Rodrigues said. “I support Mrs. VonVillas and Mr. Adams for bringing this forward. Certainly, there are a lot of facts that need to be gathered and it takes real leadership to move this thing forward.”
“This is a must now,” said Robert J. Sylvia, council vice president. “We can’t ask our taxpayers any longer to keep tightening their belt. They’re hurting. We can no longer support the services that we have.”
Earlier in the meeting, as part of an unrelated conversation, School Committee Chairwoman Theresa Silveira Spengler said she would be meeting with representatives from the Newport and Portsmouth school districts to see if there were areas in which they could work together, primarily focused on maintenance and related matters. Silveira Spengler said wholesale regionalization was not on the table at this point.
Adams said was excited about the possibility of exploring the issue, wherever the matter took the council and the rest of the community.
“We may not exactly know where we’re going, but we’d better get going,” he said.
Resolution of the Middletown Town Council Supporting the Development of a Model Regionalized High School
WHEREAS: The Rhode Island economy continues to slowly recover from the 2007-2008 recession but with significant weaknesses in employment and economic growth; and
WHEREAS: Newport County school enrollments have significantly decreased and are expected to further decline while school budgets rise; and
WHEREAS: Newport County school districts have seen a substantial reduction in Rhode Island state aid, military impact funding and other revenue,and cities and towns have seen a continued reduction of state aid; and
WHEREAS: Educational programs have been reduced to basics, advanced courses eliminated and/or reduced, and entry-level job skill training severely curtailed; and
WHEREAS: Newport County municipalities will be required to make unacceptable reductions in town and city services to support existing school programs and facilities; and
WHEREAS: Property taxes cannot be raised to sustainably fund both municipal services and an educational system which provides a superior education and meets the needs of the Rhode Island economy; and
WHEREAS: Local taxpayers are already burdened by some of the highest property taxes in the country; and
WHEREAS: School districts and cities and towns must comply with RIGL§44-5-2, which caps the property tax levy imposed by municipalities; and
WHEREAS: RIGL§16-2-9(d) requires "The school committee of each school district shall be responsible for maintaining a school budget which does not result in a debt"; and
WHEREAS: It is in Middletown’s best interest to promote community discussion centered on a model for a regional high school which couldhelp alleviate decreasing educational opportunities and consolidate educational funding; and
WHEREAS: A regional high school model is neither a proposal nor a commitment and would be limited to providing a detailed basis for discussion and resolution of issues.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Middletown Administration develop a model of a regional high school incorporating all relevant features and issues such as funding, personnel and staffing, curricula, athletics and enrichment, and facilities.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to all Newport County municipalities, School Committees, State Senators, State Representatives, and the Governor.
JULY 15, 2013
READ AND PASSED IN COUNCIL
WHEREAS: Newport County school enrollments have significantly decreased and are expected to further decline while school budgets rise; and
WHEREAS: Newport County school districts have seen a substantial reduction in Rhode Island state aid, military impact funding and other revenue,and cities and towns have seen a continued reduction of state aid; and
WHEREAS: Educational programs have been reduced to basics, advanced courses eliminated and/or reduced, and entry-level job skill training severely curtailed; and
WHEREAS: Newport County municipalities will be required to make unacceptable reductions in town and city services to support existing school programs and facilities; and
WHEREAS: Property taxes cannot be raised to sustainably fund both municipal services and an educational system which provides a superior education and meets the needs of the Rhode Island economy; and
WHEREAS: Local taxpayers are already burdened by some of the highest property taxes in the country; and
WHEREAS: School districts and cities and towns must comply with RIGL§44-5-2, which caps the property tax levy imposed by municipalities; and
WHEREAS: RIGL§16-2-9(d) requires "The school committee of each school district shall be responsible for maintaining a school budget which does not result in a debt"; and
WHEREAS: It is in Middletown’s best interest to promote community discussion centered on a model for a regional high school which couldhelp alleviate decreasing educational opportunities and consolidate educational funding; and
WHEREAS: A regional high school model is neither a proposal nor a commitment and would be limited to providing a detailed basis for discussion and resolution of issues.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Middletown Administration develop a model of a regional high school incorporating all relevant features and issues such as funding, personnel and staffing, curricula, athletics and enrichment, and facilities.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to all Newport County municipalities, School Committees, State Senators, State Representatives, and the Governor.
JULY 15, 2013
READ AND PASSED IN COUNCIL
Developing a Model for a Regionalized High School in Newport County
On July 15, 2013, the Middletown Town Council approved a resolution based on the following request:
At various times over the last 5 years, there have been discussions related to school regional-ization in Newport County that have resulted in little or no action.
Change is hard, especially when it involves a culture of independence and separation that has been institutionalized over time. In such a case, timing is everything. It may be that the time is now.
Consider the following:
• The economy is barely in recovery following a crippling recession.
• School enrollments have decreased significantly while school budgets have continued to rise.
• Educational programs have been stripped to the basics while advanced courses have been reduced and entry-level job skill training has been eliminated.
• Newport County municipalities cannot continue to support existing school programs and facilities at the expense of the local economy.
As a result, Newport County residents may now be ready to accept a discomforting cultural change to ensure the best possible education for their children within reasonable budgets.
It is in Middletown’s best interest to promote discussion centered on a model for a regional high school which would have the potential to solve the crushing issues of decreasing educational opportunities for future high school students as well as to consolidate educational funding which has become burdensome to all the local communities.
A model is just a model; it is neither a proposal nor a commitment. However, a model would allow municipal authorities to focus attention and discussion on something more tangible than a concept open to multiple interpretations. Such a model should include the following data:
Personnel
• Per pupil and total costs for an enrollment of 2,000 students
• Number of administrative personnel, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of teaching faculty, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of instructional support staff, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of clerical support staff, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of custodial staff, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of maintenance staff, average individual costs, and total costs
Curriculum
• Number of English courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Mathematics courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Science courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Social Studies courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of World Language courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Art courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Music courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Business/Technology courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Consumer Science courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Career and Technical programs, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Physical Education courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Advanced Placement courses, full year and electives, number of sections
Athletics and Enrichment
• Number of Athletic programs, staff, number of participants, costs
• Number of Intramural programs, staff, number of participants, costs
• Number of Clubs, staff, number of participants, costs
Facilities
• Number of standard classrooms, square footage
• Number of small classroom spaces, square footage
• Number of large specialty rooms (music, arts, technology, consumer science, etc.), square footage
• Library, square footage
• Number of offices
• Number of Bathrooms, square footage.
• Cafeteria, square footage
• Kitchen, square footage
• Gymnasium to accommodate 4 simultaneous classes, square footage
• Auditorium to accommodate 500 seats, square footage
• Additional spaces (closets, equipment storage, etc.), square footage
• Total square footage and cost
It is proposed at this time that the Middletown Town Council direct the administration to develop a data-driven model of a regional high school that would provide an outstanding 9-12 education with personnel, curriculum, instruction, and appropriate facilities for an enrollment of 2,000 that would enable all students to achieve future success and independence through post-secondary education or entry-level skilled positions.
At various times over the last 5 years, there have been discussions related to school regional-ization in Newport County that have resulted in little or no action.
Change is hard, especially when it involves a culture of independence and separation that has been institutionalized over time. In such a case, timing is everything. It may be that the time is now.
Consider the following:
• The economy is barely in recovery following a crippling recession.
• School enrollments have decreased significantly while school budgets have continued to rise.
• Educational programs have been stripped to the basics while advanced courses have been reduced and entry-level job skill training has been eliminated.
• Newport County municipalities cannot continue to support existing school programs and facilities at the expense of the local economy.
As a result, Newport County residents may now be ready to accept a discomforting cultural change to ensure the best possible education for their children within reasonable budgets.
It is in Middletown’s best interest to promote discussion centered on a model for a regional high school which would have the potential to solve the crushing issues of decreasing educational opportunities for future high school students as well as to consolidate educational funding which has become burdensome to all the local communities.
A model is just a model; it is neither a proposal nor a commitment. However, a model would allow municipal authorities to focus attention and discussion on something more tangible than a concept open to multiple interpretations. Such a model should include the following data:
Personnel
• Per pupil and total costs for an enrollment of 2,000 students
• Number of administrative personnel, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of teaching faculty, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of instructional support staff, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of clerical support staff, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of custodial staff, average individual costs, and total costs
• Number of maintenance staff, average individual costs, and total costs
Curriculum
• Number of English courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Mathematics courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Science courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Social Studies courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of World Language courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Art courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Music courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Business/Technology courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Consumer Science courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Career and Technical programs, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Physical Education courses, full year and electives, number of sections
• Number of Advanced Placement courses, full year and electives, number of sections
Athletics and Enrichment
• Number of Athletic programs, staff, number of participants, costs
• Number of Intramural programs, staff, number of participants, costs
• Number of Clubs, staff, number of participants, costs
Facilities
• Number of standard classrooms, square footage
• Number of small classroom spaces, square footage
• Number of large specialty rooms (music, arts, technology, consumer science, etc.), square footage
• Library, square footage
• Number of offices
• Number of Bathrooms, square footage.
• Cafeteria, square footage
• Kitchen, square footage
• Gymnasium to accommodate 4 simultaneous classes, square footage
• Auditorium to accommodate 500 seats, square footage
• Additional spaces (closets, equipment storage, etc.), square footage
• Total square footage and cost
It is proposed at this time that the Middletown Town Council direct the administration to develop a data-driven model of a regional high school that would provide an outstanding 9-12 education with personnel, curriculum, instruction, and appropriate facilities for an enrollment of 2,000 that would enable all students to achieve future success and independence through post-secondary education or entry-level skilled positions.
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