Supt. Cornish Tells PTAs Friday That A School Closing (or Two) Again 'On Table'

The closing of one or more elementary schools in Stratford for the 2011-2012 school year starting next September is back on the table, according to Supt. of Schools Irene Cornish.

Earlier today (Friday), Cornish notified school PTA leaders and members via email that an elementary school closing – or two – is again among the options being considered in order to close an apparent budget gap facing the Board of Education in Stratford.

Cornish wrote in an email sent at 11:55 a.m. Friday morning:

Dear PTA Council Members:

We learned today that the Mayor is giving us a zero percent increase for 2011/12.  We now have to find 1.7 million dollars which will likely result in at least one school being closed.

The Board meets with the Council about its budget on Saturday, March 19, at 9:00 a.m. at Center School.

Irene C.
3/11/11

Today was the day that Mayor John Harkins was scheduled to submit his proposed 2011-2012 budget. While the mayor and chief of staff Marc Dillon did not return an email request this afternoon from Stratford Patch for a comment to confirm, the mayor’s proposed 2011-2012 budget has apparently recommended a 0% increase for the Board of Education.

That news should come as no surprise to school officials and Supt. Cornish. It was well publicized by Mayor Harkins earlier this year that he intended to do that just – recommend a 0% increase for the schools next year.

That earlier news had prompted educators to meet with the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee and a consultant hired to review the town’s options with respect to possible school closings, resultant savings and the ramifications closings might have on such things as pupil redistricting and bussing.

Large crowds of parents, educators, residents and town officials attended the open meetings where the consultants presented their findings.

Then, on Feb. 28, just 11 days ago, the full Board of Education accepted a recommendation from the planning committee to put on hold any plans to close a school or schools.

The March 1 story [click here for full story] in Stratford Patch noted:

The Board of Education formally accepted a recommendation by its Long Range Facilities and Plant/Planning Committee that no elementary schools will be closed in the coming year, though consolidation still is possible after 2011-12.

"Right now, it's status quo," said Board Member Joseph Crudo Jr. He and other board members acknowledged a recent consultant's report that detailed the possible savings in consolidation, but said more time is needed to crunch the numbers.

Educators had already pared the superintendent’s original budget increase of about 2.7% for the 2011-12 school year down to $94.03 million, an increase of $1.6 million, or 1.77% over the current year.

Two weeks ago, Superintendent Irene Cornish called her initial request of 2.64 percent a modest one.

"And I would call 1.77 the bare minimum we need to run a school district," said Board Chairman Gavin Forrester III on Feb. 28. "Everything you need is up (in cost). Electricity is up. (Heating) oil is up. Food is up."

Today, even that “bare minimum” increase is too much, according to the mayor.