Study Shows Southington School's Future Is In Doubt

SOUTHINGTON, CT — In addition to planning for future school years in terms of funding, policies and programs, school boards are also charged with planning who goes to what school and what schools are even necessary.

The board recently received an elementary school facilities study from a Southington Board of Education-hired consultant pitching five different scenarios for future elementary school district reconfigurations.

Of those five options, three call for the district to close Flanders Elementary School at 100 Victoria Drive, Southington, a possibility that has folks in that part of town concerned.

On Feb. 23, all options were unveiled to the school board by a representative of the SLAM Collaborative, a national consulting firm.

Options

SLAM works with school districts in planning for future building needs via population project studies and statistical analysis.

Specifically, the long-range options are:

• Maintaining the status quo and make no changes.

• Maintain the eight current elementary schools and undertake building renovation projects at three elementary schools — Flanders, Derynoski and Kelley schools.

• Maintain seven elementary schools and close Flanders, with building renovation projects at Derynoski and Kelley.

• Maintain seven elementary schools and close Flanders, with a building renovation project at Derynoski and an expansion project at Kelley.

• Maintain seven elementary schools and close Flanders, with a smaller Derynoski school, along with renovations at Kelley and South End Elementary School.

Flanders Worries

Talk of such a long-range idea is worrying parents and Flanders Elementary School property abutters.

That was clear at the board of education's last meeting March 23, when all speaking during the public communications portion of the meeting spoke about the future of Flanders.

"Just knowing the different scenarios in the process and knowing what could happen, it's upsetting," said parent Melissa Belanger, who has two children at Flanders.

"I don't want my children to have to be redistricted. They love Flanders. They walk to school. Flanders is their home away from home."

Others left it up to the school board to decide what's best, but do express worry about what would go up at the Flanders site should the town close the school.

"If Flanders does close, it's in my backyard. We're interested in what will be done with the school property," said nearby resident Michael Kryzanski, who added his five children all went to Flanders and had a positive experience there.

Resident Ryan Dumond, whose four children all attended Flanders, had similar sentiments, expressing worry not enough has been communicated regarding potential option costs.

"My concern is I expect the board and town council to do enough due diligence. I'm not sure if the costs have been transparent in all of the scenarios," Dumond said.

Southington Superintendent of School Steven Madancy said costing out the project is a bit tricky because possible multiple school building projects would not be done at the same time.

He said uncertainty in projecting future construction costs makes firm cost estimates a difficult endeavor.

"The challenge with the costing out of the scenarios is there is no scenario where we would do all three of the projects at once," Madancy said March 23.

Southington Board of Education Vice Chairman Joseph Baczewski even threw out another option school officials could look at.

He suggested the school board, in an effort to maintain the neighborhood school concept, mull demolition of Flanders and the temporary relocation of its pupils.

Then, he said, the town could build a new Flanders Elementary School at its current site.

"I would rather see us, as a community, put our money into an elementary school that is nestled into a neighborhood," he said.

What now?

Regardless of what the options call for, school officials have pointed out the report was a feasibility study and nothing has been decided.

For now, the school district is seeking public input on the study and the future of Flanders, including a section on the school system's website to garner public input.

That section also includes links to particular meetings where the issue has been discussed and reports utilized in the process.

Click on this link to ask questions or offer input on the elementary school facilities study.

For the minutes of the Feb. 23 Southington Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For the minutes of the March 23 Southington Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For the full, multi-option report by the SLAM Collaborative, click on this link.