Phillipston Memorial Elementary School. [TGN file photo]▲
 
PHILLIPSTON — The future of Phillipston Memorial Elementary School may be very different from the past, filled with the youngest students, including those bused from Templeton, while Phillipston elementary students are bused to Templeton.

And many people in Phillipston are concerned.

"Selectmen are trying to look at what their options are," Phillipston Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Flynn said.

A planned consolidation of elementary schools in Phillipston and Templeton could impact children from pre-kindergarten to grade 5. Elementary students in grades 1 to 5 would attend a new Templeton school under construction while pre-K and kindergarten students from both communities would attend school in the Phillipston building.

The plan is being implemented by the Narragansett Regional School Committee after Phillipston recently passed a tax override to give additional funds to the schools but Templeton taxpayers failed to approve the increase in that town's election.

Phillipston parents are planning to turn out to fill the meeting room on Wednesday night when Phillipston selectmen meet at 7 p.m. in the public safety complex at 90 State Road. On the agenda is a budget update from Superintendent of Schools Chris Casavant.

Selectmen Chairwoman Kim Pratt asked the superintendent to come in to talk about the budget, Flynn said.

He said the town council has been asked what choices are available.

School committees have certain authority over schools under state law, limiting the ability of other committees to take action, especially under a regional school organization.

Complicating the discussion, some documents are missing.

"No one has a copy of the leases for the schools," Flynn said. In 1974, a 20-year lease was supposed to be approved, which would then normally be renewed every couple decades. But the superintendent can't find them, he said.

The townspeople's opinions, however, can be easily found, in surveys and social media postings.

Flynn said a community survey was done through the community newsletter that goes to 675 households, with more than 100 responding.

"There was quite a lot of concern about closing the school," Flynn said of the results.

"There has been a public school in Phillipston since before there was a Phillipston, when it was a part of Templeton," Flynn noted.

Among parents objecting to the move, Richard Degan has been vocal.

With Templeton building a new school, as well as a police station, taxes in that community may have driven voters to turn down the override, Degan said.

But Phillipston residents are not keen on the solution presented by the school administration: busing students between the two towns in order to reorganize the schools and cut staff.

He said plans would increase class size substantially and result in long bus rides for young children, both concerns driving parents to seek options.


"We have a real issue with that," Degan said. "The School Committee said the schools wouldn't be closed," adding that technically keeping the Phillipston school open for pre-K and kindergarten was not meeting that promise.

Degan said residents are exploring legal actions as well as pressuring community leaders to take action.

"The community is outraged," Degan said of the drive that has parents especially energized to fight the decision.

Among ideas being floated is one to break up the region, with Phillipston pulling out, at least at the elementary school. It could form a separate school district for the elementary school while remaining in the regional high school, a model used by some other districts. Another option would be to join with another town in a regional school.

And some residents are not happy with their School Committee representatives, prompting discussion of a recall.

Degan said the preliminary 85-signature threshold has already been reached for a recall election. Next would be a second signature-gathering effort to meet a higher standard and bring it to an election vote.

He said there are people who are ready to step in and run for the seats to give a new voice for the town's three votes on the board. Templeton controls the School Committee with five seats on the eight-member board, but Degan said the vote to proceed with the consolidation was supported by the Phillipston members as well.

"We need to prevent this," Degan said, even if it requires legal action such as an injunction. "Once it's stopped, we can discuss how we're going to proceed."