On November 13, 2019, the HUUSD Board voted to “plan to make a plan” for a district redesign that involves closing a middle and elementary school and reconfiguring a second.
Yet on January 15, the board voted to approve a budget that closes Harwood Union Middle School (HUMS) and moves Moretown fifth- and sixth-graders this upcoming school year. This budget will go before voters on Town Meeting Day on March 3 and, if passed, will necessitate these changes, as the funds to operate HUMS and Moretown Elementary School fifth- and sixth-graders will not be included.
But wait, they forgot to make the plan before beginning to implement the changes. If going through the process of making the plan later uncovers answers that were unexpected, they will not have the ability to course correct, as the money will not be approved. If it is realized that the proposed changes will not result in the cost-savings promised, we will already be halfway down a path without a clear route back.
There are countless financial variables in this major redesign that have not yet been resolved which have huge impacts on the bottom line. We do not have finalized construction costs with precise designs and estimates, instead of rough guesses. We did not conduct surveys to anticipate how many tuition students from Granville/Hancock might be lost, at over $15,000/year apiece. We do not know what will happen if the majority of Moretown students want to continue at a K-6 school and choose Waitsfield over Crossett, on top of the students from Fayston. We did not think through what would happen if the families of the 100 employees at Darn Tough’s new Waterbury production facility enter the school system in 2021, after Crossett Brook has been filled to the brim. These are to name just a few.
Last week, the teachers and staff of Crossett Brook Middle School stood up for the second time and asked the board not to make these changes for the 2020-21 school year. They did not believe the rushed timeline, increased class sizes and lack of planning would benefit their students or the staff. They wanted to make this big change deliberately. They wanted to ensure funding so that their students were not in temporary classrooms without an end date. They were worried about how a class size of 25 would affect the students receiving special education, especially with a budget that cuts one of their case managers.
The board chose not to listen to the ones with their feet on the ground, teaching our children or the parents and community members who spoke to say, “Wait, let’s do this right.” They chose to listen to the administration that said, “Don’t worry. I trust they will be able to figure it out.”
I am saddened to be in the position where my only option is to vote down our school budget to voice my opinion that this is not the best plan for next year, but I see no other path. I encourage you to think about this as well.
I also encourage you to read the amendment to the Articles of Agreement that will be before us all on the Town Meeting Day ballot and consider whether you want your town to have the ability to choose whether a plan that makes a major change to your school is actually best for your town, and not just the ones that surround it. Last week, the board decided for Moretown and HUMS, without the consent of the stakeholders or buy-in from the schools themselves. It could be anyone next.
Lisa Mason is a Moretown resident.
