Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
FRIENDSVILLE — Friendsville and Kitzmiller elementary schools are proposed to close, in addition to the Dennett Road Elementary School, as part of a five-year plan for Garrett County schools. Faculty members were notified Dec. 13 of the proposed closing at the end of the school year, according to Jamie Fike, a member of the Friendsville Advisory Committee.
The nine-member committee, which was formed by Friendsville Principal Tracie Miller, was created recently to research the feasibility of the five-year plan and the impact on the students and the community as a whole, according to Fike.
Prior to the Christmas break, Friendsville Mayor Spencer Schlosnagle and council held an emergency meeting on the proposed school closings. Fike told the Times-News that Schlosnagle, who is a member of the Advisory Committee, stated at the meeting that the closing would have a negative impact on Friendsville as a whole.
Fike echoed the mayor’s sentiments, stating, “The closing of Friendsville Elementary School will definitely have a devastating effect on our little town ... going far beyond the town limits. It could become a whole county issue.”
Public meetings on all three proposed school closings will be held this month. Should Friendsville close, the 103 students who attend the school will be sent to Accident and Grantsville elementary schools, according to Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools. In addition, school position reductions are proposed as part of the five-year plan developed by Waggoner.
The plan proposes the reduction of eight teaching/principal positions, one custodian position and one secretary/assistant position at Friendsville Elementary. The overall anticipated savings is $674,522.
Should Kitzmiller Elementary close, the 50 students will be redistricted to Yough Glades and possibly Broadford. The plan also calls for the proposed reduction of approximately 3.5 teaching/principal positions, one custodian and one secretary/assistant. The overall anticipated savings is $279,077.
The potential school closings and reductions were apparently brought on by an anticipated state funding shortfall of about $3 million and a loss of student population, according to a previous Times-News article. Waggoner anticipates an 11 percent decrease in funding from the state this year.
During a recent meeting of The Greater Cumberland Committee, Garrett County Commission Chairman Jim Raley said that according to the 2010 census, 20 percent of student population in Garrett County was lost. The county has lost approximately 800 students since 2000 and there is an expected 3.6 percent decrease in enrollment, which is the largest in the state, explained Waggoner. In 2019, the state estimates enrollment will be down by 9.3 percent. The declining student population is caused by a decrease in birth rates, according to Waggoner.
“Education is always an issue. Last year, Allegany lost about $6 million and Garrett County lost about $2 million. We are going to try to do our best to hold that cut down and introduce a piece of legislation to do something there,” said Sen. George Edwards during the TGCC meeting.
Edwards is working on a bill that would cap the funding losses, according to Waggoner. Last year, Edwards was able to help pass the Budget Reconciliation and Finance Act of 2011 to cap losses at 6.5 percent for both Allegany and Garrett counties.
“I’m glad that Edwards is pushing this legislation but I’m unsure of how will it will do because of how the state is doing at this time,” said Waggoner.
Dennett Road area residents have signed a petition in hopes of stopping the school from closing.
Last year, the board of education voted to close Bloomington Elementary School.
Public hearings on the proposed closings will be held separately for each school:
• Friendsville, Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the gym with a make-up date of Jan. 25.
• Kitzmiller, Thursday at 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room with a make-up date of Jan 23.
• Dennett Road, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Southern High School gym with make-up date of Feb. 1.
Those interested in speaking at the Friendsville meeting must sign up by 6 p.m., according to Fike. Members of the Advisory Committee plan to speak at the Wednesday meeting.
Testimony at the hearing will be limited to three minutes per person but written testimony or data may be submitted to the board of education in conjunction with the testimony or in lieu of an oral presentation and must be postmarked by Feb. 29. Comments can also be at www.ga.k12.md.us.
Waggoner will make a final recommendations on the proposed school closings at the regular school board meeting Feb. 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Southern Middle School.
The final decision on all three school closings will be made at the March 13 board meeting.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
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