There have been various problems with the multiple small OSCU middle and elementary schools. Recently, the OCSU board brought up what the Chronicle calls a “radical” proposal: the construction of a new school on the LR grounds.
Part of the underlying problem in OCSU’s school management lies within the middle/elementary schools. Historically, there was a separate school for each township, and to combat this, OCSU adopted a sister school model this year. A problem that has plagued multiple OCSU middle schools is having multiple teachers in the same grade band leaving mid year and then the middle school failing to have enough staff. This has happened at Irasburg, Glover, and Barton over the last four years. It is very hard to hire teachers mid-year, and the lack of staffing has resulted in entire grades at a school having to stay home for days at a time. Barton middle schoolers last year also spent a large portion of the year learning math on VTVLC, which was a struggle for many students.
In Irasburg, two teachers quit during the 2022 school year and then the entire middle school was disbanded and those kids were bussed to the other schools in the district. OCSU then chose not to even attempt to hire teachers at those positions the next year which left class sizes higher throughout the district.
Elementary schools are now only elementary schools, and middle schools are only middle schools.This system leaves much to be desired, even though the board was trumpeting this model just a year ago. Now the board hopes to fix this with a new middle school and elementary school on the Lake Region property and to then repurpose the old middle/elementary schools. A large part of the problem lies within the age of the schools. Orleans Elementary School was built over 100 years ago and just last year experienced a water main break. Repairs to the schools are a band-aid on a bullet wound, and building a new middle school and elementary school is a whole new bandage on the situation.
Dan Roock led the presentation and emphasized the subject of money. The OCSU long-term board cooperated with the company TruexCullins in order to further evaluate further savings, and one solution came out: a new school on the LR campus would save the most at 734 million dollars over a span of 30 years. Plus, a centralized location would help with transportation, fewer buses would be needed, and a one-stop hub for all the students would come in handy. The consolidation would also make it easier to implement new educational programs, extracurricular activities, and special services, as staff and resources would be centralized rather than spread thinly across multiple small schools. This could lead to more robust offerings for students and a heightened sense of community among different age groups.
The LR Post asked a number of students, “How would you feel about a future school?” Here are some responses we received”
- “It definitely would help save money in the future, but raising taxes puts a further economic burden on an already poverty-stricken school district.”
- “I couldn’t care less about it, I’ll be long gone.”
- “It would be chill.”
When asked for comment Lake Region principal, Mrs Gonyaw, had this to say:
- Do you know about this and what are your thoughts?
Yes, I’m aware that there have been early conversations about the possibility of consolidating the elementary and junior high schools and potentially building a new facility on the LRUHS property. These discussions are very much in the beginning stages. My thoughts are that any decision like this should be guided by what’s best for students, families, and the community. I’m open to exploring the idea and learning more as planning and conversations continue. - Would you support the construction?
I would support a plan that reflects the community’s wishes and clearly benefits students, both in terms of learning opportunities and long-term sustainability. If, through the process, the community decides that consolidating schools and building a new site at LRUHS is the best path forward, I would be supportive of moving in that direction. - How would this affect school life?
It’s too early to know exactly what the impact would be, but a project like this could create opportunities for updated learning spaces, closer collaboration between grade levels, and more efficient use of resources. Any changes would be carefully planned to ensure that students feel supported, welcomed, and connected. The goal would always be to improve school life, not complicate it.
A wide range of sentiments, from being carefree to the taxation on citizens. Another concern shared by some parents is the potential loss of the close-knit feeling that small neighborhood schools provide, as well as worries about increased travel times for younger children. Others, however, look forward to the prospect of newer, safer, and more modern learning environments that could better support current teaching methods and technology.
It’s clear that a solution to the schooling problem would be beneficial to the students and would be built somewhere off-site, but close to the school. The school would have a completely redone parking lot to suit the extra staff and transportation. The plan would demolish the pond, greenhouse, and garages, while all sports fields would be untouched by construction. The construction would also include a renovation of LR, but those details remain unknown. The construction would definitely interfere with the school and the process of each student’s daily lives. However, the long-term benefits of improved facilities, increased efficiency, and a stronger academic community could outweigh the temporary inconvenience. Only time will tell if the community is ready to adapt to these changes and invest in the future of its students. Are the taxpayers and students ready for that big a change?
