While it is not appropriate for the Superintendent to interact in a political fashion in regards to a consolidation or other School referenda, it is appropriate to offer reasons for bringing consolidation to ballot. For many years now, the PORTA District has sought opportunities to consolidate with neighboring districts. The history between Greenview and PORTA goes way back before I was hired at PORTA and continued up until just a few years ago when the PORTA Board realized that the Board at Greenview felt they were providing a good education to their students. Now, we find ourselves a month away from a consolidation effort with our neighbors to the West, A-C Central School District. Some of you might still be wondering why the PORTA Board has pushed so hard to seek out opportunities like the one coming to ballot on March 18th.
To answer that question we first need to look at what it takes to help students become college and career ready. In today's world students are being taught more subjects, deeper, more difficult curriculum than ever and all in the same number of teaching days. In order to maintain the curricular offerings that we have come accustom, we need to have the ability to fill classes with students. Unfortunately, like most rural districts our student enrollment has been reduced in the last 12-15 years by about 24%. When a district looses a quarter of its population revenue is also reduced and subsequently the ability to maintain staffing levels becomes very difficult. In most instances, school see a reduction in population beginning at the lower elementary levels and the bubble of smaller classes moves through the system over time to High School. As the bubble moves, staff are reduced and when it hits the Jr/Sr High level the district begins to make very difficult decisions that affect available curricular offerings.
In our current state, PORTA has been able to maintain it's curricular offerings but we are already seeing instances where we have courses to offer, but not enough students to fill the seats. This school year we could not offer AP Physics to our students because we only had two students available to take the course. Next year, we will have enough students to take AP Physics, but undoubtedly another course will suffer the same fate. Not only does the reduction in enrollment hinder our ability to maintain current courses but it severely limits our ability as a district to keep pace with current trends. For instance, the PORTA Board and administration desperately want to add courses that will aid our graduates who want to leave High school and enter a career sooner. We would love to offer nursing, food preparation, cosmetology, and new computer technology courses that will take our students, who may not want to complete 4 years of college, to well respected and good paying employment. Unfortunately, offering these courses cost additional dollars and if courses cannot be filled to a respectable level the district could not responsibly add those courses. If the consolidation is successful the new district would have as many as 470 High school students and the ability to fill current courses and add new ones benefiting all of our children.
In the end it is my job as an educator to utilize the resources available to the District and create the best possible curriculum and school experience for our students. Unfortunately, the PORTA district is at a point that if we aren't able to raise revenue or increase enrollment, the students graduating from PORTA in 5-6 years will have significantly fewer curricular offerings. Personally, I find this latest fact unacceptable and I hope you do as well. Consolidation will create some bumps and bruises but it will also create opportunities for our students.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE ON MARCH 18TH, 2014.
To answer that question we first need to look at what it takes to help students become college and career ready. In today's world students are being taught more subjects, deeper, more difficult curriculum than ever and all in the same number of teaching days. In order to maintain the curricular offerings that we have come accustom, we need to have the ability to fill classes with students. Unfortunately, like most rural districts our student enrollment has been reduced in the last 12-15 years by about 24%. When a district looses a quarter of its population revenue is also reduced and subsequently the ability to maintain staffing levels becomes very difficult. In most instances, school see a reduction in population beginning at the lower elementary levels and the bubble of smaller classes moves through the system over time to High School. As the bubble moves, staff are reduced and when it hits the Jr/Sr High level the district begins to make very difficult decisions that affect available curricular offerings.
In our current state, PORTA has been able to maintain it's curricular offerings but we are already seeing instances where we have courses to offer, but not enough students to fill the seats. This school year we could not offer AP Physics to our students because we only had two students available to take the course. Next year, we will have enough students to take AP Physics, but undoubtedly another course will suffer the same fate. Not only does the reduction in enrollment hinder our ability to maintain current courses but it severely limits our ability as a district to keep pace with current trends. For instance, the PORTA Board and administration desperately want to add courses that will aid our graduates who want to leave High school and enter a career sooner. We would love to offer nursing, food preparation, cosmetology, and new computer technology courses that will take our students, who may not want to complete 4 years of college, to well respected and good paying employment. Unfortunately, offering these courses cost additional dollars and if courses cannot be filled to a respectable level the district could not responsibly add those courses. If the consolidation is successful the new district would have as many as 470 High school students and the ability to fill current courses and add new ones benefiting all of our children.
In the end it is my job as an educator to utilize the resources available to the District and create the best possible curriculum and school experience for our students. Unfortunately, the PORTA district is at a point that if we aren't able to raise revenue or increase enrollment, the students graduating from PORTA in 5-6 years will have significantly fewer curricular offerings. Personally, I find this latest fact unacceptable and I hope you do as well. Consolidation will create some bumps and bruises but it will also create opportunities for our students.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE ON MARCH 18TH, 2014.