Cost Is Too High for Norfolk and Its Children

By Kim Crone

There are two arguments supporting the regionalization plan: that it’s good for the town or that it’s good for the children. I am convinced that it’s neither.

This plan is not good for Norfolk:

(1) The financial burden is higher for Norfolk. Colebrook refuses to send their students to Botelle if costs are shared equally. Under the plan they will initially pay thousands of dollars less per pupil, cutting significantly into Norfolk’s savings. This inequity is difficult to accept when it is Colebrook who is facing shrinking enrollment and enormous costs, estimated at over $3 million, to bring their school up to code.

(2) The savings to Norfolk are precarious. After initial reductions in administrative costs, savings further down the line will depend primarily on cutting teachers when—or if—enrollment decreases. Enrollment projections have already proven flawed. If enrollment holds steady as it has for several years, those savings will never be realized. There are also no assurances that savings will go back to the Norfolk taxpayers.

(3) The lease is an unknown. Norfolk residents are being asked to vote on regionalization without access to the final lease. What is known is that Norfolk will lease a $6 million building for $1/year to the new regional school. Even Colebrook residents admit that their town has not invested well in maintaining their school. The people of Colebrook will have to approve paying for large capital improvements to Botelle. Will they vote to spend money to maintain a building they do not own when they have not done so for their own building? It is irresponsible to put Norfolk’s largest asset at such risk.

This plan is not good for the children of Botelle:

(1) Valuable spaces will be lost. By almost doubling the school population, children will lose important rooms including the music, science and tutoring rooms; the computer lab; and potentially the community art room, which compromises learning.

(2) Class sizes will likely increase. Although some argue that increased numbers will improve socialization, socialization is not the primary task of a school. Educating children is. Research has long substantiated the benefits of smaller class size on student behavior and learning, resulting in higher performance in language arts and math. Averaging 15 students per class, Botelle’s class size is considered ideal by many educators.

(3) Educational enhancements are not guaranteed. Since the marketing of this plan has focused heavily on financial benefits, the pressure on the new board of education to demonstrate that savings will be great. Although educational enhancements are touted as a potential benefit to regionalization, I am doubtful that such enhancements will fit into the budget.

Despite attempts by the planning committee’s consultant to paint a dire picture of Botelle, implying that enrollment is plummeting and the budget skyrocketing, this is not true. Enrollment and the budget have held steady for several years. The quality of education has remained high, with children from Botelle going on to thrive at Northwestern Regional 7. Regionalization now, under the current plan, is not necessary and comes at too high a cost for Norfolk.

Plan Saves Money, Allows for Accountability

By Julie Scharnberg

In 1972, 289 students attended Botelle School. With the exception of slight increases in 2005 and 2006, Norfolk’s student population has steadily declined each year. About 121 students currently attend the school. Colebrook’s student population figures are more of a rollercoaster: 126 students in 1973, down to 78 (1981), peaking at 142 (1998), and now about 98 students. The projections are that by 2023 the numbers will be Norfolk—95, Colebrook—81. The costs of labor, materials and utilities have increased faster than the rate of inflation. The added supervisory and instructional costs of externally imposed mandates continue to be significant. All that financial pressure. Fewer and fewer students. That is one of the reasons why you should consider voting “yes” on September 22.

If both towns vote “yes,” the first new regional school in over 40 years in Connecticut will be formed by merging two separate schools into one cohesive community school. Every year the voters will set the regional school budget, not the boards of finance. Both communities will be able to say they were proactive and chose to combat declining student enrollment with a cost-effective solution.

The savings projections in the plan represent the regionalization planning committee’s best estimate based on reasonable assumptions. The numbers have been criticized at the public hearings, but those critiques represent someone else’s best guess grounded in their assumptions.

The key to success will be the new regional board. So many of the questions aired at the public hearings have had to be answered with “That will be up to the regional board.” If the vote is “yes” in both towns, the new regional board will be formed very quickly and will be handed an enormous responsibility. The regional board will have to make thousands of decisions. Decisions like the nitty-gritty details of the lease of Botelle School, who will be the principal, what will be in the educational plan, which bus company will transport our children.

Norfolk and Colebrook will each select four members for the new regional board. The board votes will be weighted by town population, and at this time, Norfolk’s population is larger than Colebrook’s. A crossover voting safeguard—at least one member from each town must vote in favor for a measure to pass—is part of the governance structure.

Start thinking now about who would best serve our children and the combined school community if the vote is “yes” in both towns. Both towns will need board members who are open, flexible, creative, hardworking, thoughtful and responsive. Much of the anxiety and uncertainty due to “that will be up to the regional board” will be assuaged if we are careful to choose exceptional charter board members. There is no lack of smart, talented people in both towns—people who are more than capable of taking on the challenge of knitting together the best traditions of both towns and bringing to life a new school community everyone can be proud of.

Read the plan, ask questions. Everyone involved with the plan would be happy to answer questions. Get the best answers you can and be sure to vote on September 22.