Mark's Meadow to close

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer

Published on May 22, 2009

Mark's Meadow School, which North Amherst children have attended for decades, will close at the end of the next school year. About 190 children will be reassigned to the other three elementary schools in the district.

The Amherst School Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to close the school as a way to save money during a nationwide economic downturn and an ongoing budget crunch in town. Parents of Mark's Meadow children railed against the proposed closure at five public forums and in countless emails to officials and the local press.

The decision has an impact for Amherst as a whole. Mark's Meadow has been a bargaining chip in financial negotiations between town officials and the University of Massachusetts, which owns the building.

This week, the Bulletin seeks to break down these issues through the following questions and answers.

Q: Why close Mark's Meadow to save money? Aren't the other elementary schools larger and owned by the town?

A: Yes, but the School Committee feels there would be less disruption to students from closing the smallest school. Closing another, larger school would make it more difficult to fit children into the remaining three, and it's not clear what the town would do with a closed school building.

Q: Won't the remaining three elementary schools become crowded?

A: Fifteen years ago, there were about 1,800 elementary students in the four buildings, and now there are only 1,327. The buildings have a capacity for 78 classrooms (12 at Mark's Meadow), but only 69 are in use.

Q: How much money will this save?

A: The estimate is $532,000 the first year, $673,000 for subsequent years. There will be some one-time moving and packing expenses the first year.

Q: Where do these savings come from?

A: Reduction in classrooms and of these positions: one principal, two secretaries, two custodians, three teachers, two aides, a nurse and a librarian.

Q: How does this help solve Amherst's budget problems next year if the savings wouldn't be seen until the following year?

A: It doesn't, but the School Committee believes it could persuade town officials to use more cash reserves next year. The committee is also worried already about the following year's budget.

Q: Besides saving money, is there anything else the School Committee wants to accomplish?

A: Crocker Farm School currently has a disproportionate share of children from low-income families. The committee would like to redraw the geographical lines that determine where children go to school to equalize these numbers.

Q: Did the new superintendent play a role in this decision?

A: Alberto Rodriguez was in Amherst last Friday through Tuesday and concurred with the decision.

Q: Weren't there other alternatives? What about accepting "school choice" children from other towns?

A: These children bring in only $5,000 apiece. The School Committee also voted unanimously Tuesday not to accept "choice" children next year.

Q: How about an override of Proposition 21/2?

A: Town officials have been reluctant to consider asking residents to raise their property taxes above the state limit during a recession. Voters rejected a $2.5 million override in 2007.

Q: What will happen to the "open enrollment" policies, in which parents can send their children to a school other than the one dictated by their address?

A: The School Committee suspended indefinitely all new approvals of open enrollment Tuesday.

Q: Why is Mark's Meadow's future important to negotiations between town officials and UMass?

A: Town officials have complained for years that taxpayers foot the bill for educating children who live in tax-exempt housing owned by UMass. This cost is estimated at $675,000 a year. UMass officials have pointed to the fact that it provides the Mark's Meadow building to the town at no cost.

Q: What will happen to the Mark's Meadow building now?

A: UMass Chancellor Robert Holub told school officials Tuesday that UMass intends to use it. He did not promise to reimburse Amherst $675,000 a year for those children in UMass housing.

Q: What was the School Committee's reaction to that?

A: Catherine Sanderson said, "I hope they decide to do the right thing." Steve Rivkin said political and community pressure should be exerted on UMass to fulfill its financial obligations to the town.