Everyone who attended the community dialogue session on possible high school consolidation left with some valuable information.
Documents created by school planning company DeJong included a chart summarizing various criteria for each high school option. The options discussed Tuesday evening included the current four high school scenario, Option A, which would utilize Warren Area High School and Youngsville High School and Option B, which would utilize Warren and a new high school.
In a breakdown of school size for grades nine through 12 under the four high school scenario, Eisenhower Middle/High would hold 350 students, Sheffield Middle/High School would hold 200 students, Youngsville would hold 350 students and Warren would hold 800 students.
Under both two high school options, Warren would hold between 900 and 1,000 students. Youngsville or the newly constructed high school would hold between 600 and 700 students.
According to DeJong, the current ninth to 12th grade enrollment is approximately 1,700 students, which is projected to decrease to approximately 1,500 students over the next 10 years.
The chart created by DeJong looked at the following categories:
Comprehensive high school
Four high schools: Negative, because smaller high schools have difficulty providing programs, sports and extracurricular activities.
Option A and B: Positive, because of an increase in program offerings.
The DeJong analysis noted that with the two high school options, program offerings increase because more students are concentrated at two locations rather than four.
Course Offerings
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change in the number of course offerings.
Option A and B: Positive, because each high school would be able to provide courses similar to what Warren provides now.
Courses with insufficient enrollment or need to be combined
Four high schools: Negative, because more courses are not held because of insufficient enrollment
Option A and B: Positive, because fewer courses are not held because of insufficient enrollment
AP Programs
Four High Schools: Negative, because of reduced opportunities at smaller high schools
Option A and B: Positive, because of increased AP opportunities.
Foreign Language
Four high schools: Negative, because it would be more difficult to provide multiple foreign language and advanced courses
Option A and B: Positive, due to more foreign language opportunities
Elective Courses
Four high schools: Negative, due to fewer elective course offerings
Option A and B: Positive, due to more elective course offerings
Career Tech
Four High Schools: Negative, because of limited opportunities at small high schools
Option A and B: Positive, because a career tech could be at each school, at the career center or a combination of both
Class Size
Four high schools: Negative, with the average size being between 10 and 16 students
Option A and B: Positive. with the average class size being between 16 and 20 students.
According to DeJong, with increased efficiency class size would be increased.
Special Education
Four high schools: Neutral, due to the fact there would be no change
Option A and B: Positive, because efficiency and effectiveness would increase.
According to DeJong, with special needs students in two locations rather than four, there can be better coordination of services and use of specialists.
Administrators
Four high schools: Neutral, with no change in the total number
Option A and B: Positive, because there would be a reduction in two 260-day principals and one 220-day principal
According to DeJong, in the two high school options, there would be a reduction in the total number of administrators in the district.
Teachers
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change in staffing
Option A and B: Positive, due to an increase in staffing efficiency, with 11 teacher positions
According to DeJong, fewer teachers are required under the two high school options because fewer undersized classes are taught.
Custodial and Support
Four high schools: Neutral, but there will be some efficiencies since there are fewer buildings
Option A and B: Positive, seeing the greatest increase in staffing efficiency
According to DeJong, fewer custodians, food service, secretaries and support personnel are needed based on fewer schools in operation.
Extracurricular
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change
Option A and B: Positive, due to the increased number of opportunities for students
According to DeJong, with the two high school options, extracurricular activities and clubs would be consolidated into the two schools, resulting in higher participation per activity at each school and the availability of more offerings.
Performing Arts
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change
Option A and B: Positive, because of the ability to have more and larger performances
Athletics/Sports Offerings
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change
Option A and B: Positive, because of increase number of opportunities for students
Sports Participation
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change
Option A and B: Positive, depending on the sport
Sports Competitiveness
Four high schools: Neutral, due to no change
Option A and B: Positive, depending on the sport
According to DeJong, all sports would be consolidated into the two schools, resulting in higher participation per sport at each school, and the availability of more offerings. This would increase the likeliness that there would be a sufficient number of students to field teams and have teams be competitive, resulting in moving up in the PIAA classes.
Marching Band
Four high schools: Neutral, the bands would be smaller
Option A and B: Positive, due to increased size of the bands
Facility Improvements
Four high schools: Positive, because Eisenhower would be new, Warren would be renovated and Youngsville and Sheffield would require no action.
Option A and B: Positive, with each of the two high schools being renovated or receiving an addition
Facility Adequacy
Four high schools: Neutral, because only Eisenhower would be state of the art. (Under the original masters facilities plan, Eisenhower would be replaced with a new $24.75 million facility). All other facilities would be classified as fair
Option A: Neutral, with renovations or additions there would be some improvements to Warren and Youngsville
Option B: Positive, because the new high school would be state of the art. Warren would be improved through renovations and additions
Facility Energy
All options: Neutral, because facility improvements can improve energy efficiency
Facility Utilization
Four high schools: Neutral, because fewer elementary schools would improve utilization
Option A and B: Positive, because fewer elementary, middle and high schools would improve utilization
According to DeJong, the configuration in the two high school options would improve overall utilization and efficiency.
Transportation
Four high schools: Neutral, a more route-specific analysis would be required
Option A and B: Negative, because transportation time would likely increase, but a more route-specific analysis would be required
Middle Level Attendance Boundaries
Four high schools: Positive, with no change in attendance boundaries
Option A and B: Neutral, with Russell and Sugar Grove elementary schools becoming grades K-8 to accommodate Eisenhower grade 7-8 students
High School Attendance Boundaries
Four high schools: Positive, with no change in attendance boundaries
Option A and B: Neutral, with either a new east or west, Youngsville or Eisenhower and Warren or Sheffield
Potential for New Charter School
Four high schools: Positive, with no change in boundaries and few school closures
Option A and B: Negative, with moderate potential due to the closure of Eisenhower
Facility Cost
Four high schools: Neutral, costing $85.6 million
Option A: Neutral, costing $82.8 million
Option B: Negative, costing $102.9 million
Transportation Cost
Four high schools: Neutral, with a district-wide increase of approximately $384, 561
Option A: Neutral, with a district-wide increase of approximately $421,174
Option B: Neutral, with a district-wide increase of approximately $437, 460
According to DeJong, the costs are based on the district changing from K-12 busing to K-9 busing.
Staffing Cost
Four high schools: Neutral, with a reduction of approximately $220,046
Option A and B: Positive, with a reduction of approximately $1.5 million
Utility Cost
Four high schools: Neutral, with a reduction of approximately $73,123
Option A and B: Positive, with a reduction of approximately $142,527
Athletics Cost
Four high schools: Neutral, with no change in cost
Option A and B: Positive, with a reduction of approximately $149,238
Overall Operating Cost
Four high schools: Neutral, with an overall reduction of approximately $293,169
Option A and B: Positive, with and overall reduction of approximately $1.8 million
Average Cost Per Student
Four high schools: Neutral, with a decrease of cost per student by approximately $56.18
Option A and B: Positive, with a decrease of cost per student by approximately$351.50
According to DeJong, the above amount is based on the 2008-09 enrollment of 5,218 students.
