Letter: What ConVal doesn’t say

The Conval School Board is stuck in myopia. Over and over again, they blame the small schools for their troubles – “We keep having to cut middle and high schools because of the cost of running these small schools.” (Dick Dunning, Dec. 19). Would it be possible for  Dunning to tell us how much could be saved if the two middle schools were combined? Or if seventh and eighth grades, or just eighth, were moved to the half-empty high school? All they ever do is blame the small schools.

Now we get a list of things they have cut in the last 10 years. Considering that enrollment decreased by 370 students in those 10 years, one might expect some things to be cut. Actually, the operating budget rose from $41.5 million to $56 million, a 36% increase. Perhaps we should not weep for those cuts.

Let us look just at this year with a proposed budget increase of over $2 million. Here are just a few increases that caught my attention. SAU management is up by $325,374 (17% increase) to $2.24 million. School administration is increasing by $568,000 (16% increase) to $ 4 million. There are other administration categories: special education, vocational administration, student services administration. These have “only” $139,173 in increases for a proposed total of $848,000. Legal expenses are up 75% (increase of $150,000). Improvement of instruction is going up 52%. ($214,133). I do not know what instruction will be improved, but I look at test scores and hope it helps.

It would be great to have a real study of what could be saved with other options. Prismatic did not offer that. The School Board does not offer it. Important facts are missing. Say no to their ill-advised proposal.

Gail Cromwell

Temple