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Town of Princeton, MA
Public Hearing-Meeting Minutes
Thomas Prince Middle School Enrollment Study Committee
September 29, 2010
Thomas Prince Middle School Cafeteria, 170 Sterling Rd
Members present were Toryn Bright, Laura Gal, Larry Greene, Matt Lindberg, Larry Pistrang, Dawn Sulmasy, and Carla Volturo. Chairman Pistrang opened the hearing at 7:03 PM.
Introductory Remarks
Chairman Pistrang welcomed those attending. He read the Board of Selectmen’s charge to the Committee. He explained that the Committee is in its information gathering stage, and that the purpose of the public hearing was to take testimony from interested parties. The Committee was seeking their thoughts about how to address the issue of the decline in middle school enrollment that is forecast to cause the Wachusett Regional School District (WRSD) to reduce staffing levels in the future. Speakers were informed that they would have three minutes each to speak.
Testimony
The Board heard testimony from:
- Corey Burnham-Howard, 11 Osgood Rd, asked for an explanation of what the future negative impact to 7th and 8th graders would be.
- Allison Zelmenis, Leominster, is a school choice parent who was attracted by the K-8 model.
- Janet Sidor, 15 Calamint Hill Rd South, inquired about teachers covering more than one grade or subject.
- Susan Priest, 44 Lovers Ln, asked if Thomas Prince School (TPS) Principal Mary Cringan could offer some background.
Principal Cringan gave a brief overview of teacher licensing and certification. Testimony continued:
- Wayne Andrews, 34 Lovers Ln, inquired why the town could not have low income Section 8 housing to boost the population.
- Heather Archchambeault, 51 Beaman Rd, stated that the town is very expensive for any family to move to, that a before school care program at TPS would be helpful, and that the low general population is a town problem, not a school problem.
- Kathy Sweeney, 217 Mirick Rd, stated that the WRSD Regional Agreement allows the WRSD School Committee to unilaterally move middle school students out of their home community if the educational program is not operating at a satisfactory level. She also suggested that students from other district towns that have capacity issues be transferred to TPS. She continued by stating that though change is difficult there are would be some both social and educational benefits to having students attend a larger middle school. If it is necessary to move the Thomas Prince students, she advocated moving grades 6, 7, and 8 as a single bloc.
- Katy Locke, 46 Calamint Hill Rd South, suggested inviting home schooled students to attend middle school at TPS.
- Laura LaRose, 253 Brooks Station Rd, inquired if there is an immediate concern starting with the 2011-12 first grade being reduced to one class with a larger enrollment than two smaller classes that is the current practice. She also suggested a greater effort be made at marketing in other communities for school choice.
- Bob Imber, Princeton WRSD School Committee member, informed the group that any parent can make a request for their own child to attend any school in the district. He also clarified a previous point made by K. Sweeney, explaining that the Regional Agreement requires that the School Committee and the Town Meetings of both the sending and receiving towns approve moving middle school classes from one district town to another.
- Heather Forkey, 57 Hickory Dr, suggested that TPS offer a middle school enrichment program for the entire district.
- Dave Krashes, 106 Rhodes Rd, former local and WRSD School Committee member, had no objection to sending students out of town, but did have concern about Princeton financially supporting a school construction program in another town for what may be a temporary problem. He was also concerned that a long-term borrowing damages flexibility. He cited the town of Harvard, which has been very successful in attracting out of town students, and suggested TPS develop a specialty to attract students. He cautioned that public education models are in a state of frequent change.
Steve Cullen, 6 Connor Ln, praised Princeton’s small-town, kid-friendly feeling, and suggested that TPS can be crafted as a go-to school through enriched curriculum and taking advantage of active volunteering by the community. He noted that the town lacks both available job opportunitiess and affordable housing, and the existing high property taxes deter families from locating here.
- Claire Golding, 86 Hubbardston Rd, supported the K-8 model. She thinks TPS assets are not fully exploited (Nature Trail, Large Campus). She supports a focus on science. She believes the 1993 Regional Agreement has not fostered cooperation, but rather a system of five antagonistic towns, and that better leadership is necessary. She questioned the logic of building in Holden when there is unused capacity in Princeton.
- Phil Mighdoll, 290 Redemption Rock Trail North, offered his historical perspective that a magnet school model was considered previously by the administration and then suggested residents read the Town Plan. He also clarified that the town had never rejected any affordable housing proposals as established by Mass. General Law Chapter 40B.
- Kelly Langford, 16 Esty Rd, did not favor a magnet school model. She prefers a broad-based educational experience. She questioned if existing two acre lot zoning minimums are a barrier to families building and locating in Princeton.
- Shelly Nass, 8 North County Rd, thinks a before school program is essential for working parents.
- Sharon Olsen, 144 Houghton Rd, wanted the Wachusett experience and small elementary school for her family. She wondered if Rutland’s growing enrollment might present an opportunity for some Rutland students to attend TPS.
- Ed Carlson, 217 Mirick Rd. is opposed to Princeton financially participating in a Holden building program as it would likely be temporary. Also, the lack of a late bus curtails the ability to fully utilize the facility beyond school hours. School choice and magnet schools are short-term fixes. The town has not been in favor of structural changes that would open it up for development.
- Tess Bois, 88 Mirick Rd, questioned what Princeton can do within the Regional District Agreement.
- Andrea Proulx, 23 Redwood Dr, is concerned that the small class size at TPS reduces options available there in comparison with other WRSD towns.
- Wendy Brockleman, 10 Calamint Hill Rd North, questioned the cause of the declining enrollment. Is it fewer families, or is it more students attending private schools, and if so, why? She believes that elimination of the TPS middle school program becomes a greater disincentive to potential new move-ins. She supported an enrichment model rather than a magnet one.
- Steve Cullen, 6 Connor Ln suggested grouping students by skill set, not age.
In response to a question regarding the Committee’s timeline, Chairman Pistrang informed those in attendance that final recommendations would be made to the Selectmen by April 15, 2011. Testimony then continued:
- Mary Trostel, 312 Mirick Rd, stated that the problem is too complex and it is difficult to make an opinion until the problem is broken down into its parts. More information needs to be provided.
- Ed Carlson, 217 Mirick Rd, inquired if WRSD Superintendent Pandiscio could speak to a meeting of interested parties.
- Lincoln Waterhouse, 57 Calamint Hill Rd South, encouraged the Committee to continue communicating with additional public meetings.
- Robin Gomi, 288 Mirick Rd, requested concrete information be provided. How many more children and/or dollars are needed?
- Cathy Dickson, 93 Mirick Rd, was concerned about lengthy bus rides to Mountview.
- Sharon Olsen, 144 Houghton Rd, inquired about timeline after the Committee reports to the Selectmen.
Chairman Pistrang explained that a future timeline would be based on the Committee’s findings and how the Board of Selectmen decides to proceed. Town Administrator John Lebeaux detailed the anticipated timeline of Holden’s Mountview project. Testimony continued:
- Steve Cullen, 6 Connor Ln, asked if the Committee could attempt to establish how many TPS students would choose to attend Mountview if that option was followed, or would choose another school option
- Sharon Olsen, 144 Houghton Rd, asked if the goal is to have primarily Princeton students in the school or to have students from any community. She questioned a model in which a large proportion of students attending TPS were not from Princeton.
- Bob Imber, 1 Clearings Way, believes there are two distinct questions. One is how the town deals with declining number of families, a town issue. The other is how TPS handles declining enrollment from an educational perspective. The school issue is symptomatic of the town issue.
- Ed Carlson, 217 Mirick Rd, offered that the decisions need to be made that are for the best education for Princeton students.
- Dave Krashes, 106 Rhodes Rd, reminded everyone that a vote of the town will decide. Voters need facts sooner not later.
- Lincoln Waterhouse, 57 Calamint Hill Rd South, inquired of ideas that could be employed to fill any funding shortfall.
- Steve Cullen, 6 Connor Ln, inquired if a semi-private model (fees) could be employed to add value to the educational program.
- Corey Burnham-Howard, 11 Osgood Rd, reiterated that a clearer definition of the problem, whether it is primarily created by enrollment changes or by funding changes, needs to be articulated.
Chairman Pistrang thanked those who attended and requested them to stay involved in the process. He closed the hearing at 8:29 PM.
Respectively submitted,
John Lebeaux
Town Administrator
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