Each has presented a budget to the public (the Borough has held the line on taxes, while the NASD presented a significant tax hike) and each have had issues regarding building plans. The NASD presented building plans for a new intermediate school. The Council faced questions last week regarding the bill received by the architect of the Hall Park proposal and specifically who authorized the work be done.
In regard to the Intermediate School, I sent an email to the "administration@" email address listed on the NASD web site on 11/21/06 in response to the conversation on NOC that day. Here is what I sent:
Am having quite a discussion on newsovercoffee regarding the new intermediate school proposal.
The building not withstanding, can you provide me with some information about how the school will operate within the district:
- Will the 5th and 6th graders become secondary students (ie beginning on the secondary schedule), and if so will they be on buses with other secondary students (ie up to 12th grade)?
- Will borough residents be bused to the new intermediate school and middle school as each will be located outside the borough of nazareth?
- Is there any current educational research supporting/advocating the k-4, 5&6, 7&8, 9-12 building format as compared to a more traditional k-6, 7-9, 10-12 or our existing set-up?
- What is the anticipated new staff that will be required at the intermediate building? Obviously teachers will be moved, but administration, secretarial, custodial, nursing, counselors, etc would be new or moved as well?
- Is there an estimated additional cost per year that the district will need to budget for as a result of this new building (new staff, additional utilities, maintenance, supplies, etc)?
Have a wonderful holiday,
Ross
To date I have not received a response. This seems to indicate that either these costs have not yet been approximated, or they are not being released for fear of halting/slowing the process of building the new building.
Are you attending either meeting tonight? If so, send your comments or post them here.
Have a great week!
5 comments:
After returning from Orlando and puting away my mouse ears, I'll be at the meeting tonight and will forward notes.
I took me most of yesterday to catch up with the news (I had 10 days of the Morning Call to skim through) and read the posts here...
Brad, you just saved me a phone call. See you there.
Scott
Thanks to both of you for attending and keeping us informed of what is happening!
Received a phone call today from Asst. Superintendent Diane Dautrich in regard to my email I mentioned in this post. I was typing as fast as I could to keep up so here goes.
The 4-6 intermediate school, NASD is still looking at scheduling. They want a longer school day, but what type of tiered system they'd need to have enough buses to meet each schedule has not been determined.
Who will be bused has also not yet been determined, but probably follow same rules now as do 6,7,8. Though this could change as its not been finalized.
Grade levels will be K-3, 4-6, 7/8, 9-12. Research indicates it is not the number of grades, it is the effectiveness of the programs. (what I found after sending my note is that the right programs based on age/grade and time on task is critical factor not grade level arrangement).
At this point the number of students is determining the staff need. It will be roughly comprable to the MS as it exists now for staff and support (number of teachers will obviously differ based on number of classes). For equity purposes same type of staff and support staff as other buildings.
From Dept. of Ed last year an elem student tuition $6400 elem, $7500 secondary as per pupil cost (2005-06). Other than debt service that figure won't change.
Important to remember that all of these issues right now are tentative. They are being worked on. Must consider how what happens at one building will affect others.
Plan is for new arrangements to be in place for the 2009-10 school year.
In the survey parents were clear that they did not want a centralized kindergarden center, they wanted 6th grade in elementary setting, and they wanted 7&8 closer to HS. In short this is what district is doing.
Thanks to Ms. Dautrich for getting back to me and hopefully this will shed some more light on the path we are now following.
Just saw the agenda....
there is a special session at 7:15 for the acquisition of the plot of land next to Calandras ($600,000+).
After that, is the borad re-org meeting and the regular board meeting, which looks abbreviated.
Union vote coming soon......
Scott
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