K-6 Elementary School Configuration Will Not Work in Milford

Milford Mayor Benjamin G. Blake’s proposal that would have saved all eight existing elementary schools, but would have led to the repurposing of Harborside Middle School “is not possible,” said Elizabeth Feser, who is the district’s superintendent of schools.

The Board of Education is in the midst of looking at both short and long-term solutions to the school system. Enrollment has been on the steady decline at both the elementary and middle school levels.

Currently, the district operates a K-2, 3-5 elementary school configuration, three existing middle and two high schools. School officials have agreed everyone wants less transitions but they are still deciding on how to go about that.

It’s possible one or two existing elementary schools could be closed, though no decisions have been made by the school board.

Blake asked school officials to examine whether all of the students could fit in a K-6 elementary school configuration, and then have two middle schools, East and West Shore. The city would have repurposed or closed Harborside Middle School. The two high schools would remain as is.

But Feser told board members late Monday that while there are numerous educational benefits, it just can’t work from an infrastructure standpoint.

It’s not possible to fit all of the students from K-6 in the eight existing elementary buildings without undertaking significant capital projects, the superintendent said.

While enrollment is decreasing it’s not decreasing fast enough to accommodate Blake’s proposal, Feser said.

“There’s too many students,” Feser told board members. “This won’t work even in four years when enrollment continues to go down. It’s not going to work.”

Another concern is most elementary schools have one multi-purpose room, which is the gym/cafeteria, and it may be difficult to accommodate the physical education curriculum and lunch waves.

Feser and Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Michael Cummings both said it would have been a good plan if it had worked, and most importantly it would have avoided closing an existing elementary school.

For example, if the plan worked they could have created a mini-middle school with fifth and sixth graders. Also teachers would have been able to focus more on teaching one subject, which could have led to higher student achievement.

Also more electives could have been offered, school officials said.