Published: November 12, 2009 12:18 am      

NT SCHOOLS: Board of education confronts consolidation

The North Tonawanda City School District could end up changing its look even more drastically than the $50 million in renovations now taking place.

School board President Jeffrey Glatz said the board must ultimately decide whether closing some schools are in store as government subsidies are continually threatened.

But the first consideration will be to decide sometime in the next six months whether capital funding now in place for the upcoming last phase of work at Grant and Gilmore would be better used elsewhere.

The decision whether or not to fund repairs could then become a very public discussion on possibly closing one or both of the buildings, but each are decisions the board will consider separately over the course of the next few years.

Capital project architects Kideney made a preliminary presentation to the board at Tuesday’s regular meeting to open the discussion. Superintendent Vincent Vecchiarella asked them to look into the issue of “right sizing” as part of their overall role in designing massive upgrades to each of the district’s buildings.

“This went back to discussions the board had with Vince about the declining enrollment,” Glatz said. “To be prepared if that should continue. Do we put all of the money we have for the capital project into every one of the buildings?”

As Kideney puts together its long-term projections on the matter — which could mean planning to shuffle employees and students into the rest of the district — the board will first discuss the funding question.

The answer to whether or not repairs will continue as planned at one or both schools will likely indicate the board’s feeling about their ultimate fate.

Discussion of school closings are often emotionally charged, but Glatz took pains to point out that raising taxes would be even less popular, and while the overall financial picture for the next budget is far from clear, there aren’t necessarily many options if state cuts under consideration go through.

“I think that’s the first step,” Glatz said. “We’re trying to gather that information.”

The capital project, now in its second of three phases, has already resulted in repairs and renovations at Drake Elementary and the middle school.

Gilmore and Grant are the last two buildings to be addressed. Things like population trends in each area of the city and return on investment at those schools must be examined before any recommendation can be issued on closures.

“I envision that it’s going to be a process including many town hall meetings to gather information. It would be an extensive process,” Glatz said.

Referendum votes then would likely call on residents to approve specific plans for consolidation and redistricting. Such a plan, could include a recommendation to close one or both of the buildings, phased closures or other options. Together, both schools account for roughly 450 to 500 students.

Glatz said presenting a plan to voters could take more than a couple of years and stressed nothing is yet in the works.

Among the reasons to consider such a plan, he said, are possible cuts in the state budget that would reduce the district’s financial aid. In the last year, the district received about $23 million from the state meaning, with talk of cuts around 10 percent, millions of dollars are at stake.

“Those are big numbers. Where do you make that up? My position is I’m not ready to just turn it over to taxpayers and say you’ve got to make up that difference,” Glatz said. “No way.”

Also at Tuesday’s school board meeting:

• North Tonawanda High School technology students were honored for taking first place in the distance category for a pumpkin-launching catapult they designed and tweaked themselves, when they competed with similar teams from at least 20 other area schools to see who can fling the fruit the farthest and most accurately.

The fourth annual event took place the weekend of Oct. 17 at the Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence. North Tonawanda has steadily moved up in the rankings since first earning a tenth place finish in 2006, to sixth in ’07 and second to Depew last year.

Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.