Community Advisory Committees discuss
      programs and building use at fourth meeting

June 23, 2011

What programs might be available in a merged district and the different uses of existing school buildings were the two main topics of discussion and analysis as the Community Advisory Committees (CAC) met for a fourth time on Monday, June 20 at Mayfield Central School. The committees’ ultimate goal is to help answer the question – what might a possible merged Mayfield and Northville school district look?

At previous meetings, the committees met with elementary and secondary representatives from both districts to learn about the current programs. The SES Study Team asked the committees, on behalf of the communities they represent, to suggest program opportunities that the communities might expect to be possible if the instructional resources of both districts were combined in a consolidation.

At Monday’s meeting, the Study Team wrote down the various program opportunities and challenges suggested by the committee members if Mayfield and Northville decided to merge.

“Your boards have asked that the study look at program opportunities for students first and financial opportunities for the communities next,” said SES member Douglas A. Exley.

“This is the point where the focus is on answering what do the communities expect for their children from a public education,” said SES member Paul Seversky. “Then, the immediate and important follow-up question is how can the locally defined expectations be sustained over time in an affordable fashion?

“We will provide very detailed information when it comes to the incentive aid the districts would receive over fifteen years if the communities chose to consolidate. We will also talk to you about ways to use the money to make sure tax increases will be kept at reasonable levels in the years to come.”

Some of the additional opportunities committee members suggested should be available in a merged district included:

• More life skills courses for students who are not going to college

•  More AP and college-level classes

•  Foreign language classes in the elementary school

•  Stabilized class sizes

•  Transportation for pre-K students

•  An elementary school librarian

•  Comprehensively planned staff development

•  Distance learning

• Before and after-school programs

•  Drivers education

•  Improved nutritional services

•  Water safety classes

Use of Existing School Buildings

During the latter half of the meeting, the committees began to identify a range of “what if” ideas about how to use existing school buildings to serve the students of both districts if the communities chose to consolidate.

The enrollment (K-12) estimates of a combined district over the next five years is between 1365 and 1468 pupils.

“Both school district communities have invested in their facilities. As such, the buildings of the two districts are well-maintained and are valuable assets to continue serving the children of both districts in a consolidated school district,” Seversky said.

The next meeting is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 at the Northville HS library.