School Consolidation Plan (G)

Plan J is similar to the findings of the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee, but approaches building needs from a program perspective, with recent enrollment projections and detailed analysis of spaces needed. Findings/Recommendations Adopt, without hesitation, a 3 building configuration. House K-4 in the Intermediate School, grades 5-8 in the Middle School, and 9-12 in the High School. A room by room analysis indicates that this can be done comfortably with present enrollment Close completely the Primary School and realize about $138,000 annual savings. House WIA in the 2story building of the Middle School Enrollment projections for the next 5 years strongly suggest the need to adopt a 2 building configuration, probably with K-5 in the Intermediate and 6-12 in the High School. Our effort to house 6-8 in the High School and K-5 in the Intermediate revealed over crowding in both and huge space conflicts in the High School if attempted in 2010. With current projections, in 2013, K-5 begins to fit comfortably in the Intermediate, with enrollment under 500. The High School consolidation is more complicated and problematic. It appears from the analysis we have done so far that 6-12 enrollment of 750 could be handled without sever program degradation. This could happen in 2013 or 2014. We recommend that a target for moving to a 2-building configuration be based on enrollment level rather than a particular year.

South Whidbey School District, faced with steadily declining enrollment and funding curtailments, has been considering building consolidation as a means of cutting costs. The Long Range Facilities Planning Committee considered future school consolidation in 2006-8, but was not then in the midst of economic crisis. This year, the administration and Board has decided that action to control costs is needed quickly. Teaching staff was reduced by about 15%. And plans were drawn to close two buildings as soon as possible. Parents and teachers saw the need to bring costs in line, but were not united in determining how that should be done. Adding to the fray, one of the buildings considered for closing was Langley Middle School, a fixture in the community since the 1920s. This building has substantial need of maintenance and updating, but also has teaching spaces that are comfortable to teachers, students and the community, hard to let go. Many feel there is an issue of housing 6-8 grades in with high school students, overcrowding that space. Our group considered two building consolidation plans on a room by room basis (see maps), using current enrollment projections through 2013-14 (attached), building operating costs (attached) and maintenance needs. Conclusions of the group are summarized below. Supporting material, reasoning and methods are included following the conclusions as an in appendix. K-4 5-8 9-12 - THREE BUILDING PLAN This plan houses K-4 in the present Intermediate School, grades 5-8 in the Middle School, and 9-12 in the High School. The Primary School is closed completely. The plan requires moving grades K,1 and 2 to the Intermediate School, and 5th grade to the Middle School. The group focused its attention on moving each teaching station from its current location to the proposed building. Special spaces, like gym and music, were considered separately to see if crowding or conflict might become issues. It appeared to the group that the consolidation of K-4 in the Intermediate Building could be made without degradation of program. Although initially the building would be full, it is expected that K-4 enrollment would diminish by about half a section per year. No part of the Primary School would be needed to maintain the educational program in its present form and quality. Separate elementary, middle and high school programs and settings would be maintained. Savings of utilities, custodial staff and office costs by closing the Primary School would be about $183,000. In addition, it is recommended that the two-story building and perhaps other unneeded spaces at the Middle School be closed as additional cost savings. The Group concluded there would be little potential savings from moving Bayview or District Administrative Offices into one of the 3 remaining school buildings. WIA can easily be housed in the two-story building at the Middle School. This plan would realize immediate cost savings without degradation of program. In fact, programs could possibly improve do to elective possibilities.

To realize savings, the building would need to be closed completely. Currently planned use for the Primary School in fall, 2009 is to house WIA, 5 offices, 2 sections of Kindergarten, one of first grade, some PE classes, Library, and physical therapy. There are places to adequately house these activities elsewhere. K-5 6-12 - TWO BUILDING PLAN This plan closes the Primary School and Middle School. K-5 are housed in the Intermediate School, and 6-12 in the High School. Again, the group considered moving 6-8 grades to the high school a teaching station at a time. Special spaces such as gym, music, shop, library, art and auditorium were considered separately from general class rooms. This task was daunting and took many hours by those that were intimately familiar with the buildings and program. It was assumed that the move would be made in the fall of 2010 with projected enrollment for that time and the current staff and program, and there would not be substantial remodeling to the building.. After this exercise, it was unanimously concluded by the group that it would not be possible to house grades 6-12 in the high school in 2010. Housing K-5 in the Intermediate in 2010 would probably not work either. There would be sever crowding at both the Intermediate School (which is close to capacity with K-4), and the high school (with 200 more students than it has ever housed.) Scheduling and room assignments would be very difficult at the high school. For example two gyms would need to serve all the PE classes: 9 sections of high school, 15 sections of middle school kids. And this doesnt count sports activities. Music, art, library, science and auditorium spaces would have multiuse and scheduling problems. Shop space would not likely have a problem. Somewhat less tangible but on the minds of many related to housing grades 6-8 in the high school are issues that might arise from mixing the age groups. Many districts that have that age-span housed in a single building have made a provision to partially separate 6-8 from 9-12. This gives middle school kids a bit of a separate identity (Cougars), administration and separation from older kids. Our group concluded that only a very limited amount of separation would be possible. Under this plan District Offices and Bayview do not move. WIA is housed in the high school. Closing the Middle School provides clear operating cost savings from utilities, custodial staff, office machines, administrative staff and office staff of about $391,000 (see spread sheets). There could also be minor savings from busing.

RECOMMENDATION The group concluded that the 3 school plan is workable without need for building modification. Crowding and conflict would be minimal. Three building system and identity are maintained. Savings from closing the Primary School would be about $183,000 per year. It could be accomplished immediately at a very low cost. The 2 school plan is not so easy. There is severe crowding at both buildings if done in 2010-11. The high school would experience many scheduling and multiuse issues. The 6-8 grades would not have a separate space or identity. We believe there would be a degradation of program in several areas. Housing of 6-8 grade administration and office staff would likely require some space modification at additional cost, and there would probably be need extra administrators, temporarily, just to make the programs work. The difficulty of making the program work would probably not offset the cost savings of closing the Middle School. It should be kept in mind that over the next 5 years the District is expected to loose about 250 students. 6-8th grades will loose the most. They will loose about one section (~25 students) per year. K-5 may lose 3 sections in 5 years, and grades 9-12 may lose 2 sections. Given this projection, it may be that a 2- school plan would become workable in the future. If enrollment trends continue, in 2013, K-5 may have the same number of kids as K-4 will have this fall. K-5 could then fit comfortably in the Intermediate. The same reasoning can be applied to the 6-12 enrollment in the high school. With enrollment levels of perhaps 800 or less, it seems much more possible to house 6-8th and 9-12th in the same building, maintain separation of age groups and a great program for all students.. We think moving to a 3 school program now is beneficial. Moving further to a 2 school program before 2011 would not work. But if enrollment trends continue, in 2013 or 2014 enrollment levels in K-5 and 6-12 could be low enough to make the 2 school system work comfortably.