An article that that could have resulted in Francestown Elementary School, Dublin Consolidated School, Pierce School in Bennington and Temple Elementary School closing failed at the ballot box Tuesday, receiving only 45.47% of the vote, when two-thirds was required. 

Across ConVal’s nine towns, 2,572 people voted against the article, and 2,145 voted for it.  The amendment would have changed the district’s 1967 Articles of Agreement, which now calls for elementary schools in Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough and Temple, to only requiring schools in Antrim, Greenfield, Hancock and Peterborough.

Had the article passed, the School Board planned to conduct an analysis and study in the 2024-2025 school year before making a final decision.

On Tuesday, ConVal School Board Chair Dick Dunning of Peterborough said the issue of district reconfiguration was in the hands of taxpayers.

"All we can do is hope we get a good turnout so we can get a clear direction. That's what we're looking for - a good turnout, and a clear direction of where the taxpayers want us to go. That's the most-important thing. This is a taxpayers’ issue, to give us guidance - that's what we ask for. So we'll see how it goes,” he said.

Wednesday morning, School Board member Alan Edelkind, the board’s Strategic Organization Committee chairman, said the board would meet Tuesday, March 19, to discuss what they are going to do going forward.

“But honestly, looking at the numbers, we got only 45% of approval from the voters. It would take another a year to bring it up to 66%, so in my opinion, we will most likely vote not to continue this effort. I’m not sure what else we could have done,” he said. “This is the way people want it to be, and they will have to live with this decision. I understand people’s emotions. It’s very tough issue. But on the other side, the fact is that students are not getting the same education in the smaller schools, and they’re are not as safe with fewer adults in the building. People keep asking us to cut taxes, but then they do not want to give us the power to make these decisions. I honestly don’t know what will happen with the district moving forward.”

The ConVal School Board and administration have stated that consolidating schools is necessary to provide every student in the district with an equitable education, and that consolidation would provide savings for voters. Opponents to the proposed changes expressed concern that closing schools would negatively affect the towns, be disruptive to children and lower property values.  

Laura Mafera of Francestown, a member of the Francestown School Committee, which organized parents and concerned residents to look into options for Francestown children, stated Wednesday morning: “The voters have spoken, just as they did in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.  Taking away the voters' voice in the closing of schools will likely never go over well in this district.  We love our schools and the towns are willing to pay for them. We understand the School Board will be disappointed and this isn't likely the last we have heard on this issue.  The Francestown School Committee will continue the work we are doing on looking at all available options for our town's students, including our town warrant Article 19 requesting a feasibility study for withdrawing from the ConVal district.”

Breaking down the vote

Francestown, Dublin, Temple and Bennington voted overwhelmingly against the article. In Francestown, 74 people voted for the article, with 491 against. In Bennington, 73 people voted yes, while 341 voted no. In Dublin, 100 voters supported the article, with 439 opposed, and in Temple, 41 voters voted for the article, and 318 were against it. 

The article did best in Peterborough, with 1,048 yes votes and 349 no votes.

Outside Bennington Town Hall Tuesday, Bethany Manley Craig held “Vote No on 10” signs along with her son, Caleb. 

“It is just so important for the towns to keep their small schools,” Craig said. “Pierce School is so vital to Bennington. It would be a concern if something else happened to the building; it’s right there in the middle of town. I am curious how the vote will break down in the other towns. Bennington is a little bit different from Francestown and Dublin and Hancock.” 

In Antrim, School Board representative Erin Pils-Martin said she had thought there might be a higher turnout because of school vote, but that turnout in Antrim did not seem to be unusually high. Out of 1,826 registered voters, 423 voted on the article, with voter numbers varying on other ballot articles. 

Michelle Cilley-Foisey of Temple, whose children have attended both Peterborough Elementary School and Temple Elementary School as well as ConVal High School,  said she didn’t think think the minimal projected tax savings were a good reason to vote for reconfiguration. 

“As a mom of two kids that are at Temple Elementary School, I am extremely confident in the smaller school education, the combined classrooms are fantastic. As far as the social interaction - all the kids know each other, they support each other. I feel very strongly that there won't be any tax savings [from the reconfiguration]. I think it's really important for the community to have a school within the town,” she said Tuesday.

Kari Higley of Dublin said she felt the school district needs to find other solutions for lowering the budget. 

"I'm here mostly because I will not vote with no plan,” she said Tuesday. “The recommendation is not a plan. There wasn't anything in the proposal that I feel would work to make a real difference. I think the issue is not with the small schools. I think there are other financial matters - spending -  that need to be looked at. This is not the first time we've had this vote, and it's upsetting that we aren't being listened to. We voted it down, and we need to find other options."

Sharon, which has only 340 residents, has not had an elementary school since the town consolidated with Peterborough in 1938. Seventy-five people in Sharon voted in favor of the article, and 32 people voted against it. 

Matt Craig of Sharon said since Sharon had long been consolidated, people in Sharon were generally in favor of the article.

“If you look at Sharon, we have the highest property values in the ConVal district, and we don’t have a school,” Craig said. “It would be nice to have more money to pay our teachers. “ 

Antrim, which has the district’s second-largest elementary school, was nearly tied on the issue of reconfiguration, with 212 voters for the article and 217 voters against.

Greenfield, which has the fourth-largest elementary school in the district and was not listed as one of the towns slated to possibly consolidate, voted in favor of reconfiguration by 224-99. Hancock, which was also not at risk of losing its school, voted 298 in favor and 221 against. 

Jay Schecter of Dublin, who is a leader of the Dublin School Committee said “this is not over for Dublin.”

“The results of warrant Article No. 10 will not alter our course of action in the Town of Dublin,” Schecter stated Wednesday morning. There is tremendous opposition in Dublin towards closing our local school. The manner in which the reconfiguration study was conducted by the School Board was unsatisfactory to many of our residents. This has caused a loss of confidence in the ability of the School District to plan and manage the significant logistical and emotional issues which need to be addressed in towns which lose their schools.” 

According to Schecter, the financial demands on Dublin are unsustainable.

“Dublin currently spends the most money per student in the ConVal system, at more than $37,000 per student per year,” he stated. “This is prior to the $2 million increase proposed for the 2024-2025 school year and the prospect for $40 million in capital improvements to several schools. The silver lining in the entire school reconfiguration proposal has been the awakening of people in the affected towns to the many issues which plague the ConVal system.” 

Longtime Dublin resident Jeff Pinney, who also ran for Select Board, also spoke against the article.

"Our spending is out of control in Dublin, and it's forcing young families out of town. And elderly people like myself - who have lived here their entire life - it's a burden on us all. It's vitally important that all these small towns  save their schools. It's what builds a town,” Pinney said Tuesday. 

Rose Lowry of Temple stated that the “School Board has planted massive distrust that will hurt the district for many years.”

“Why were they campaigning? Don’t they just want to hear the will of the people?  They were selective with facts, and were deceptive about how incomplete the plan is and the risks.  They didn't follow the data in the Prismatic report (for example, the vast majority of survey respondents were happy with the elementary schools),” she stated. “They didn’t listen to small towns.  Even worse, they actively worked to convince people that it is fine to ignore our desperate pleas to not do this to us.”

Article draws 38.9% turnout

Based on the number of people who voted for the reconfiguration article, turnout was as follows:

Antrim – 431 of 1,826 voters.

Bennington – 414 of 945.

Dublin – 539 of 1,213.

Francestown – 565 of 1,265.

Greenfield – 323 of 1,076.

Hancock – 519 of 1,417.

Peterborough – 1,397 of 5,168.

Sharon – 107 of 181.

Temple – 422 of 1,036.

Overall – 38.9%.