Town of Rocky Hill

Board of Education

Facilities Committee

March 21, 2006

Minutes of Meeting

 

 

A special meeting of the Facilities Committee of the Rocky Hill Board of Education was held on Thursday, March 21, 2006, in the superintendent's conference room.  Present were:  Committee Chair Peter Arico, Committee Members Nadine Bell and Rene Rivard, Board Members Anne Schmidt and Charles McMonigle, Director, Finance and Operations, Gregory P. Turansky, and Supt. of Schools J. A. Camille Vautour.  The meeting was called to order at 8:00 a.m.

 

Feasibility Study

Land Availability

Mr. Arico raised questions concerning the availability of land in town that might be used for a new school.  He expressed concerns that the committee cannot complete a review of all options listed in the Feasibility Study until the question of land availability is answered.  Dr. Vautour was asked to confer with Barbara Gilbert, Town Manager, to determine when we will have information on land availability.

 

Elementary School Configuration

Committee members discussed the question of continuing with a neighborhood school model or moving to a different configuration such as K-2/3-5 or K-1/2-3/4-5.  Committee members reviewed material from Educational Research Service on the topic of Grade Configuration.  Citing concerns over too many transitions in the K-2/3-5 and K-1/2-3/4-5 models, the reduction of cross grade activities such as older students helping out in younger students’ classrooms and the increase parental stress of potentially having children in several schools at the same time, the committee concluded that staying with the neighborhood school concept makes the greatest sense.

 

All-Day Kindergarten

Committee members were provided with extensive materials on the question of all-day vs. half-day kindergarten.  In reviewing material from the CSDE (attached) committee members discovered the following.

 

  • There are currently 60 districts that offer half-day kindergarten programs only
  • 25 districts offer extended-day programs (more than 450 hours, but less than 900 hours per year).
  • 75 districts offer at least some full-day kindergarten
    • 36 districts offer full-day kindergarten for all students
    • 9 districts provide full-day K for the majority of students with the remainder in half-day or extended day programs
    • In 30 districts the majority of children are not in full-day kindergarten
  • Five charter schools provide full-day kindergarten for all students.

 

In addition to the above-cited material, committee members discussed information provided in an Educational Research Service Info-file and concluded that there are significant benefits to full-day kindergarten programs.  Committee members concluded that classroom space for full-day kindergarten programs should be included in the recommendations to the full Board and ultimately to the Government Operations Committee.

 

School Size

Committee members reviewed material on elementary school sizes in Connecticut (attached) as well as extensive literature on school size.  Committee members determined the following.

 

  • There are 658 elementary schools in the state.
  • School size ranges from a low of 23 and a high of 1,779.
  • The average elementary school student population is 441
  • 509 elementary schools populations fall between the ranges of 200-600 students.
  • For schools spanning 200 to 600 students, there are 324 with enrollments between 300 – 500.

 

Committee members indicated a preference for schools in the 400 to 500 student range, but did not make a formal decision at this time wanting an opportunity to reflect on the cost implications of running two large elementary schools (650 range) versus three smaller schools (450 – 500 range).

 

Mr. Turansky provided preliminary information on cost implications for scenarios involving two vs. three schools.

 

Committee members decided to continue the deliberation on the number of elementary schools and make a decision at a later meeting.

 

Next Meeting

5:00 p.m., March 30, 2006 in the conference room of Rocky Hill High School Library/Media Center.

 

The meeting adjourned 9:15 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

J. A. Camille Vautour

Recording Secretary

 

 

APPROVED BY:  _____________________________

 

DATE:  ________________________