Saturday, February 15, 2014

Town schools face over-crowding, failing structures

Town schools face over-crowding, failing structures

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer


TEMPLETON — The state of Templeton’s elementary schools has long been a hot topic in town, but a new school may soon be on the horizon.

Needs derived from growing class sizes and crumbling structures plague Templeton’s elementary schools, both of which are well over 90 years old. Templeton Central and Baldwinville Schools have had their share of problems over the years, with Baldwinville recently making news when a pipe leak caused sewer water to rain down into a classroom, forcing an evacuation.

While the broken pipe will be repaired over February vacation, there looms another issue not so easily fixed — overcrowding. According to Narragansett School District superintendent Ruth Miller, both Templeton Central and Baldwinville are toeing the line of operating over capacity and she is having the building inspector look into the problem.

The cause, Ms. Miller said, is two-fold. The previously sluggish kindergarten enrollment is picking back up and the incoming class has an unprecedented 86 students, generating class sizes of 21 and 22 kids when 18 is the ideal.


When those students move up to the first grade, class sizes will swell from 22 and 23 kids a class to 27 and 28, creating an environment where both students and teachers will struggle at a crucial point in education.

“Kindergarten classes have one teacher and one para-professional, but the first grade only has one teacher,” Ms. Miller said. “With that many kids, it’s difficult for them to get around and give each student the individual attention they need and first grade is really when they start to learn to read.”

In a class of almost 30 kids, students who fall behind or learn at a difference pace may get lost in the crowd and have difficulty keeping up with their peers without the help of a teacher.

The sheer number of students may also necessitate an additional first grade classroom and teacher. Currently the art, music, and gym classes share a room, however, should the need arise, that area will be converted into a first grade classroom and those special activities will no longer have a space.

On top of the various space and learning problems, overcrowding is also expected to cause additional wear and tear on the already old buildings, as hundreds of students and teachers move through them each day.

Ms. Miller brought the overcrowding issue to the Board of Selectmen Monday night, letting them know both she and the building inspector were looking at possible solutions.

“I just wanted to give the select board a heads up that this will be an upcoming issue, as the towns are responsible for providing elementary school buildings,” she explained.

While hiring extra teachers or installing modular classrooms may offer temporary relief, a new elementary school will offer a more permanent solution. Ms. Miller provided an update on the ongoing project, which has been in the pipeline for almost a decade.

According to the superintendent, needed feasibility studies are close to completion, allowing the project to move into the next phase.

The studies have taken over six years to complete, after the Massachusetts School Building Authority extended the project’s deadline from June 2011 to this summer.

The delay was due to the difficulty of finding suitable land for construction in a town comprised mostly of wetlands.

After eliminating three possible sites, in June of 2013 the town secured a 26-acre parcel of land on Crow Hill with help from Senator Stephen Brewer, D-Barre. The land is part of the 1600-acre Templeton Develop-mental Center, which has been in the process of closing for several years.

Although the project may look like it’s still in its early stages, Ms. Miller said the longest portions are now behind them. When asked if construction was still years off, she was adamant that the next phases would pass by quickly.

“No, no,” she said. “The feasibility study will be submitted to the MSBA this summer and we’ll know in the fall if we fit in the model school program or if we’ll be a new design.”

As Ms. Miller explained, the MSBA, who is reimbursing the town for 60 percent of the money needed for the new school, has several schools they’ve supported during construction, called ‘model schools’. Should the project fit within the parameters, the town could potentially take plans from a model school and use them for their building.

“We would take their designs and structure and move it to our location,” she said. “We’d just need to make modifications, but all the schematics and design work would be done for us.”

Fitting into the model school program could shave up to six months off the project’s timeline and save the town a considerable amount of money.

“The end result is you have a really great quality school for a lesser cost that will more than meet the students’ academic needs,” the superintendent said.

As far as the community goes, Ms. Miller believes the support is there for a new school, despite a small and occasional but vocal opposition.

“Everybody in town knows these 90 year old buildings are not sufficient to support these kids education,” she said. “The community and parents will come together to support a new school.”

The Elementary School Building Committee will need to go before the town in early spring or fall and raise money for the next part of the project.

Although nothing has been confirmed, Ms. Miller mentioned during the recent Selectmen’s meeting that Templeton Central and Baldwinville may not be worth saving after construction on the new school is complete.


40 comments:

  1. Look at the population projections from the Donahue Institute. They do not support Ms. Miller's contention that Templeton needs additional space. According to the projections of Donahue, Templeton's population will increase to nearly 10,000 by 2030. But the projections for those ages 5-19 show a decrease while elderly (ages 60+) nearly double. All the projected increase comes from the elderly, while school age population drops.

    If our school is overcrowded, maybe NRSD should consider dropping School Choice.

    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8LmBM1P7BYuMTdvWFRyalVnYmc/edit?usp=sharing&pli=1

    2010 2030

    5-19 year olds 1673 1536
    60+ years 1597 3163

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    1. If overcrowding was going to be such a problem, then why on earth would the School Department give the East Templeton School building back to the town?? Not a very smart move, if they had projections that should have told them what the population would be today. I predict that if the tax rate jumps to high, the school will not have to worry because there will be more foreclosures, and there will not be a need for a bigger school. The town needs time to dig it's self out from the mess our prior administrations have left us in. A problem we can't do anything about is our debt. Those forty year loans have come back to haunt us. I hope you realize, some of these will not be paid off until 2044. Some of the trouble the town is in, are the result of the voters being too trusting and not asking enough questions. Like for how many years, when they were given figures that looked like they were manageable, but in reality were our downfall. The greatest failure goes to the people who were in office the longest, and had to know the financial position the town was in, but did nothing but add to the financial debt the town owes. One might ask themselves why the Municipal Building Committee would continue to push building 252 down the throats of the citizens of this town, when in reality they knew the financial position the town was in. Why would anyone continue to push this project, when the citizens had just voted to give the jobs back to the town workers after their hours were cut?? The bigger question is why would anyone push to add one or two million to our debt level, digging the hole we are in even deeper?? Everyone knows the town would like a new school. I am not against building a new school, but there are things the town has to do before this gets accomplished. It is sad that the town is in this position but this is where we are and getting on a even keel should be the first priority of all of us. Bev.

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  3. The town needs a new elementary school. The town needs a new town hall. The town needs a public safety complex. The town needs to replace old equipment.

    The town is carrying a huge amount of debt. The only asset available is the Light department. Sell the light department. Build the school.

    Running the schools into the ground to create "overcrowded" classes; accepting more school choice students into elementary grades to inflate numbers is akin to crying "wolf". Why doesn't the school superintendent go for a vote on the new school and if it doesn't go her way, overturn that vote like one she did for school's operating budget. Heck, she was able to overturn 4 NO votes to get a YES. Won't the same tactic work for a new school?

    Why expend all the effort to condemn the remaining elementary schools in Templeton? Is it to try to "force" the voters to vote for an elementary school building? Hasn't anyone ever heard of double sessions?

    If the vote for a new elementary school fails, just keep asking or overturning the will of the voters. It has worked the past.

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    1. Using the nuclear route may backfire in the faces of those who think it will help them get what they want. It backfired on Spencer/West Brookfield. The State officials came in and took a good look at what they were doing, and the crap hit the fan because they were not doing what they should have. Maybe they would look at our situation and tell the school officials they are spending too much on administration, and not enough on the kids. Ms. Miller can tell a tale to the people in this town, but she will not get away with it with the state officials. It is really unfortunate that the money shortage did not come to light earlier, like years earlier. It should have, and we could have found a way to fix it by now. If that had happened, we would be putting the walls up but we are in the here and now, and we just can't leave the town the way it is for another year. I have read things Bob Columbus and Virginia Wilder have said about the current administration. To listen to them, the fault lies with the people who are in office now. That is just so wrong. The mystery of how messed up the town is, is in years worth of transactions to mystery accounts that have had to be untangled. This shell game went on for years and it will not get fixed over night. There is no easy way to straighten things out and we may find the departments we have come to rely on will need to be cutback. We have been living off a credit card, that is maxed out, and our credit rating is not good enough for us to get a new one. Nope, the buck stops here. Bev.

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    2. The state needs to come in & look at ALL the books, both school & town. Of coarse, that would require the town complete theirs....

      Don't be surprised when the entire town shuts down.

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    3. And we all know WHY the town would shut down, Greedy School administration for 1

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    4. Explain how they are greedy when they LEVEL FUNDED? Every override that the school has gotten over the past 15 years has gone back to the town after the first year, by using it to cover the minimum contribution. You can't keep blaming the school for mismanagement, inept leadership, & poor governance. They have been doing more with less every single year. The townies cannot say the same. The reason our town will shutdown is the -$505,000 & the fact that they can't even close last years books. We pay people to do this job, yet our accountants are failing miserably. I dunno about you, but if I don't do my job, I don't get paid. Why haven't these people been fired? Get someone who will do the job.

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  4. Just got back and see that things have not changed. Spent all day catching up on town issues. The way I see it is we should build a school and a town hall / Police station with a debt exclusion like other towns. Yes it will take time to pay but we need them. Also I know we will hear we have to much debt, but the town does not run like a homeowner it is a business and will be here long after the complainers are gone. The town has my vote on going forwards not backwards. Fix the problems don't keep patching things. Man up and go forwards, Don't keep harping on how bad things are and do nothing, Do something on the positive and people will understand and the town will go forward. Will be here until the town meeting so I will be watching so play nice.

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    1. Half way, I know the best way the town could solve the majority of it's problems, Sell the Light Company while it is still worth something. The only people who are benefiting from having our own light Company are the people who work for them. Listen to the last meeting I went to. The last ten minutes or so will tell you the whole story. Is Driscoll the guy you would choose to work for you?? There is plenty wrong with that whole deal, and if you don't know it now, you will soon. Bev

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  5. selling the light co will solve one problem, we will get rid of driscoll!!!!!! then we need to sell the schools!!!! we are held hostage by two un-elected people !!!!! brad

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    1. While your at it, sell the PD & Hwy dept. They can charge a fee to plow your road & another to sand it. Then PD can charge to come out. We could make a ton of money....... :/

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  6. Actually Huff, the reason the state has so many plow contractors is so the state does not have all the health insurance and pension costs, but back to the school. From the district review of April 2013 completed by DESE. Actual FY11 district budget: $19,018,119.00. FY12 budget of $21,189,005.00. Level funding is the number staying exactly the same. FY11 required local contribution from Templeton, $4,548,674.00, FY12 $4,564,055.00. Required net school spending: FY11, $14,104,767.00 and FY12 $14,171,449.00. Actual net school spending FY11 was $16,410,877.00 which shows $2,306,110.00 was spent over what was required. All of this information is available if you google Narragansett regional district review 2013 which has 31 pages of interesting information. It shows what the dept. of education thinks is right at gansett and what needs improvement. It can help people make a decision on school issues. It shows the district is not unlike most big business', the higher costs are generally labor and materials. Per pupil costs for teachers, over $4,000.00, benefits at over $2,000.00, instructional materials & technology for the kids, $149.70 (smallest amount spent) Table shows all the expenses add up to over $11,000.00 per pupil. enjoy the read.

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  7. FYI, FY12 actual net school spending was $15,843,250.00which was $1671,801.00 above the required amount. Net school spending includes chapter 70 monies along with local contributions. It does not include revolving accounts or grants to the school. It does not include transportation costs, school lunches, debt or capital. District debt payment can be seen in annual town reports where the town has to provide from debt exclusion votes (tax increase for a period of time) to supply the funds for the debt reason, such as the repair of the roof at the middle school. So towns of the district provide funds for the district then provide more funds for capital projects (debt) of the district. The report on the district completed by the state seems to put to rest at least a few points of discussion, the school budget went up from 2011 to 2012, more is being spent by the school than is required by the state as far as net school spending is concerned and the towns are providing additional funds for district debt, such as roof repairs, the building of the high school addition and other things. The town of Templeton provides all the labor, equipment, materials to plow the school. The town of Templeton provides all the infrastructure for the school. If one ever flushes a water closet or drinks from a water fountain or turns on a light at a school, Templeton provides that. When a water main breaks that feeds a school, that is on the Templeton water rate payers and taxpayers because if the highway dept. is involved, well there could be Templeton chapter 90 monies involved in the project. There are a lot of things on the Templeton taxpayers back that do benefit the school that the other town does not directly pay for. So before anyone says Templeton taxpayers do not pay their share for the schools, you may wish to look at the big picture. Maybe there should be a revolving schedule for plowing. One year, the town of Phillipston brings their trucks and sand and salt and they clear the schools and clean up in the spring, and the next year it is Templeton's turn.

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    1. The school pays the town to plow. Does the FD pay to have their bldgs plowed out? Nope. So that's not a valid argument, the town makes $ on the deal. As far as water. If a main breaks that feeds my house, the town pays, not me, so you can't include that either. Which brings us back to the $. FY11 to FY12, Templetons contribution went up 10 grand? Woah. Better get that investigated. Don't worry about the fact that your books aren't even closed yet, or that your $505,000 short. Worry about the 10g's from 2years ago that is less that the cost of living increase.

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  8. Before we get all hostile, the FD is part of the town, the district is a legal separate entity. I have yet to see a set of complete figures that show Templeton makes money from snow plowing and sweeping and disposal of the sand swept up in the spring. The town does not pay for water main breaks, the water rate payers do. However, if the highway dept. helps out or if the road is re-paved or patched by the highway dept. that is something to be considered within the whole of the cost of the district to the Templeton taxpayers. Templeton taxpayers cover those costs because the district is physically located in Templeton, which is true of all other school district buildings, the have to be located somewhere. So the point is, when you talk about Templeton school assessment, there is more to consider than just the up-front dollar amount voted at town meeting. Now for FY11 and 12, you talked about level funding and the report clearly shows that not to be the case. The report also shows more than what is required is being spent, which I feel is important information taxpayers need. Especially when the district superintendent is talking about a tax override to pay for something that was already provided for, if you believe the original contract. Town books and what is spent on the school are two different issues. You stated something about level funding and fifteen years of tax overrides for school. My thought is if the district level funded, as in the budget stayed the same, why would they require a tax override? If they level fund, there is no increase and no need for an override. The point is when considering what is spent on schools, I think everything should be considered. Remember, the water dept. just told the BOS they are independent, so the town does not pay for the water main break to your home, you as a rate payer do but when the road is repaved, the town most likely pays for that.

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    1. My point was, when the school gets an override approved, the next year it goes back into the general fund then the town continues to only pay the minimum contribution & uses the override money to fund its own budget. Just another way you have been keeping the tax rate artificially low.

      The school has a 20 million dollar budget of which we pay 5. We don't support the school, the state does.

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  9. Puffy,
    Please clarify your comment about the min. contribution. What exactly is the minimum contribution?

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    1. Really? A selectman & previous SC member, & don't you work at a school? Not knowing what the required minimum contribution is? Really?

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  10. really Puffy!
    Please demonstrate your vast knowledge of regional school finance for all to see here on the blog. Really. Please explain.

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    1. My guess is that Puffy did not respond to your request because he had a BOS meeting to attend. What bothers me is when Ms. Miller asked for a override and did not get the answer she wanted, she continued on, using money squirreled away. Why ask for a override if she is going to do whatever she wants, even if it means going after extra funds to replenish the E&D Account?? The school living on a "credit card" or unauthorised money, is no different than the town running it's business using free cash or money from stabilization accounts. Why is it that many of the people in this town, have no faith in the School Committee or the Superintendent ?? Do not tell the people in this town you are broke, only to come up with big bucks ?? Where did that money come from, if you are so broke?? It is a lot like the little boy who called wolf , one time too many. Bev.

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    2. No, Bev. I didn't respond because its an obvious trap. There is no way I could be as versed in regional finance as a Selectman & former SC member, that is why I am not one. I am not going to play Julies stupid little, condescending, gotcha games. Our towns future is too important to be playing games.

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  11. Puffy,
    It's not a stupid game, but a legitimate request. I would like to know your explanation of the minimum contribution. It's not a gotcha game. You seem confident making statements on this blog that are not backed up with anything. I would really appreciate it if you could explain the minimum contribution. Please back up your statement that the schools are level funded. Please define "level funded" .

    You seem to care an awful lot about the schools. That's a good thing. I would like to know what you are basing some of your comments on. It's about educating people about the process. So again, please explain the minimum contribution.

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  12. me too puff lets here it!!!! all puff no action

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  13. The town has consistently made only the legal minimum required contribution, falling well short of the target share as set by the DESE based on the towns assets.

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  14. Puffy,
    I'm thinking of asking DESE to come out to Templeton to explain the NRSD district's EOY report, target share as well,as net school spending. It should be a good time.

    Again, you mention minimum contribution, please explain.

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    1. Please do, maybe you could learn something.

      What part is tripping you up? Minimum?, contribution?, or legal???

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    2. Oh, & you should be worrying about your own deficit right now.

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    3. Huff, I think your point above was the FD does not pay for the town to plow so there is no valid argument to consider snow plowing and sweeping as a contribution to the school and my point was the FD is part of the town and the district is not. Speaking of the town deficit, why would there be a need for any override to do a schematic design when the money for that was already voted and provided. And I think a legitimate question is how will the taxpayers respond to being asked to provide more funds for design when they already provided the money and after being told 4 times their vote does not count. It does not matter in my opinion how you felt about the last school budget, it has to be how will the voters view that question if it is asked. Perhaps a little looking forward by the district should have taken place last year as a new school is eyed. Remember, the law states and it is on the website of DESE that 2 or more elementary schools can share a principle and it can also be a teaching position so there was room for the district to move a bit as a gesture to the taxpayers and in looking forward. Time will tell if the taxpayers forget or forgive. And it does not matter how much they have given in the past what ever that number is, this is here and now, and will the taxpayers forget and forgive?

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    4. I doubt the taxpayers will forget and forgive, but we will know for sure if it comes to a vote. With the increases in gasoline, oil, water bills and just about everything people touch, the quality of life is being affected by those on fixed incomes, and the people with out a job, and the people who no longer have unemployment insurance. Reality does not mean anything to the people who do not have to worry about survival, but to the people in those shoes it is not a joke. Ms. Miller made a super blunder when she went after the extra money. She did not have to take it all, but she did. She could have compromised and I think the voters would have been ok with that. Like my mother used to say, "You made your bed, now lay in it." How could a department take money away from a town who was clearly in trouble ?? That was so wrong. Bev.

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    5. OMG!!! QUIT BLAMING THE SCHOOL! They had nothing to do with your town govt being all f-d up!

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  15. I did not blame the school for anything and no one should have a problem with the facts. So Huff, do you think the district could have cut the elementary school principles down to one? Do you think that would have been a good will gesture that would have made a difference on that whole issue? would you support an override for schematic design?

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  16. Good will? They maybe could have done it, but it probably would not have made a difference. I think some people had there minds already made up to vilify the school.
    And I don't support any override at this time.

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  17. But Puffy,
    What if the override is "for the children"?

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    1. This is why you will never be reelected. Jeff & I are having a healthy, constructive debate. Please keep your condescending bitchyness out of it.

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  18. Oh Puffster-
    Have a problem with women? You stated before that would not support an override. Do you suppoort an override for an new elementary school in Templeton?

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    1. I have a problem being spoken down to. And. No. I do not. With the he current mismanagement, I can't support another override. You got what you needed to immediately and permanently raise the revenue stream.,. Now it's on you.

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  19. Puffy,
    Please explain the minimum contribution. Please define "healthy debate". Please define target share.
    Have a great night.

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  20. Puffy,
    I'm tired of your condescending bitchiness. Please define minimum contribution. Please define "healthy debate". Please define target share.

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