School Board: Merger is a go

By COURTNEY LAMDIN | Staff Writer
courtney@miltonindependent.com

The Milton School Board voted 4-1 to move grades seven and eight to the Milton Elementary School building before next fall at its meeting Monday.
Board member Reg Godin, who was traveling and reached by phone, cast the lone dissenting vote.

After the vote, board member Jim Lyons called the decision to form a “true” middle school the most important one the board has made in two decades.

Lyons said the board made his decision for him last spring when it adopted a four principal structure, assigning one position for grades 6-8, even though the grades were split between buildings. Lyons voted against the structure.

Lyons also noted that he’s not concerned about the merger’s cost: Superintendent John Barone said he doesn’t have firm figures, but a preliminary budget sheet shows it costing at least $70,182, depending on if some existing staff and equipment can be reallocated.

Lyons said what cinched his vote was at the November 30 special reconfiguration board meeting, he didn’t hear one teacher or parent say the plan wouldn’t work.
“Absent of those words, I feel tonight’s vote is just a mere formality,” Lyons said.

Board member Darren Carner, who was in favor of the merge happening last fall, exaggerated that he’s “150 million percent” behind the idea.

“It is the absolute right thing to do,” Carner said. “We have a long road ahead to get where we need to be, but this is definitely the first step in absolutely the right direction.”

Board Chairman Doug Stout said the Reconfiguration Committee agreed when it first convened in May that it would recommend the merger unless there was a compelling reason not to.

Stout acknowledged some elementary school teachers’ views that the merge will reduce needed “breakout” space for kids who need a quiet room to calm down or study. He said that issue might resolve itself with budget cuts: Earlier in the meeting, Barone recommended four elementary school teachers, among others, be cut.

“If we start opening up classroom spaces, that is going to provide space,” he said.

Business manager Don Johnson added in a follow-up interview that the budget won’t be finalized until January. Before that time, more reductions could be made to offset the proposed staffing cuts, he said.

Stout also noted student counts are  projected to decrease. If space is still tight, Stout said, the district could consider two other options: Moving the early education program and the district office to the high school.

“If we have to juggle some number of people and/or students to try to make the fit more comfortable in the two buildings, we still have some cards we haven’t played yet,” Stout said.

Just before the vote, Mary Knight said she was still on the fence but was leaning toward a “yes.” She deferred to Godin, who again expressed his concern with room for unified arts classes and with moving the overcrowding problem from one building to another.

“At this point in time, I feel it’s not a good idea,” he said. “I do support the sixth, seventh and eighth grade, but I don’t under the current circumstances.”

Godin also noted that unified arts staff, like woodshop and family and consumer science, would work in two buildings.

Joanne Davidman, a family and consumer science teacher, said she had no problem commuting the less-than-a-mile between Rebecca Lander Drive and Herrick Avenue.

“That shouldn’t stop what’s really in the best interest of our students,” she said.
Student School Board representatives Sean Morrissey and Sydney Trombly and parent Rick Dooley also spoke in favor of the decision.

The few Milton Elementary teachers who were in attendance left before the official vote. Contacted after the meeting, second grade teacher Cheryl King, who previously expressed concerns over space, declined comment.

The district will now form an implementation committee to facilitate the move, to convene after the holiday break. Barone said it will consist of parents, teachers, students and community members. Anyone interested in helping can call Barone’s office at 893-3210 ext. 1.

“We have no time to wait,” he said.