Garrett school board won’t rescind decision to close schools

Interim superintendent says reopening Kitzmiller, Dennett Road would create $1.4M budget hole

Cumberland Times-News

— OAKLAND — Members of the Garrett County Board of Education hope to use some of the $1 million-plus it will receive in additional state funding to return eight personnel to the schools, according to interim Superintendent of Schools Sue Waggoner.

During a special meeting Wednesday night, board members also discussed using funding from the passing of the state Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act for transitions of school closings, staff development and academic intervention, Waggoner said. Some of the money may also be used to alleviate transportation congestion at Southern Middle and Broadford and Yough Glade elementary schools.

“We are working with the county to make them more user-friendly and to make sure the drop-offs are safer,” said Waggoner.

Board members did discuss the possibility of reopening the schools they recently voted to close and also considered a petition for a revote. However, no motion was made by members of the board to rescind their decision to close Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools.

“We would be $1.4 million short for fiscal year 2014 if we reopened schools,” said Waggoner. “I feel confident and truly believe that the children will be fine. Change is never easy.”

The board followed the same procedure with the closings of Dennett Road and Kitzmiller as it did last year with Bloomington Elementary School, according to Waggoner.

“It has been a very difficult year. Hopefully now that we have a final decision, the healing process can begin,” said Waggoner. “Many have said things that have hurt people.”

Some of the residents got upset and yelled at the Wednesday meeting, according to resident Elizabeth Hebden.

Members of the Parents for Garrett County Education are unhappy about the decision to close the two schools a day earlier that the rest of the county’s schools, said Diane Donham, the group’s spokeswoman.

The group has filed an appeal with the Maryland Board of Education to stop the closures. The state board will have to hear the county board’s side and will have 20 days from the date it received the appeal to respond. The appeal was sent Monday, according to Donham.

The doors of Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools are set to close May 30. The remaining Garrett County schools will close June 1. The Maryland State Department of Education granted Waggoner’s request for a two-day waiver to close the schools.

“You indicate that 360 students will be moving from Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools to the new school for the 2012-2013 school year,” wrotes Bernard Sadusky, interim state superintendent of schools, in a letter to Waggoner. “Approving this request will allow staff time to pack up their rooms and move to their new schools without students being present.”

The board did not vote on approval of the budget but will likely vote on it at the June 12 meeting. Waggoner is working with Larry McKenzie, director of finance, to make the changes to the fiscal 2013 budget. The budget will be available for public comment on the board’s website by June 1, Waggoner said.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Kitzmiller, Dennett Road schools to close day early

Decision upsets parents; Garrett BOE meets tonight

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

— OAKLAND — The doors will close permanently on Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools at the end of the month unless the school board decides for a revote at tonight’s meeting or the appeal to the state to stop the school closings comes through.

Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools will be closing May 30, a day before the rest of the schools close, according to Amy Barnhouse, human resources/administration for the Board of Education.

Members of the Parents for Garrett County Education are unhappy about the decision to close Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools a day earlier, according to Diane Donham, the group’s spokeswoman.

“At this point we are feeling pretty aggravated and we are not feeling hopeful that the board will decide to keep the schools open,” said Donham.  “We encourage them to rebuild the community relationship. It’s something that has to be done. If the board decides not to close schools, we will work with the Board of Education to come up with a better plan.”

The board is meeting tonight to discuss how it will spend $1 million-plus that will be received from the passing of the state Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2012. Spending scenarios that will likely be discussed include retaining more personnel and revisiting the decision to close the schools.

Parents for Garrett County Education filed its appeal to stop the school closings with the Maryland State Department of Education on Monday. The appeal includes a petition, an appeal letter and a copy of an audit from when the decision was made to close Bloomington Elementary School last year, according to Donham.

On Monday, Leo Martin, mayor of Mountain Lake Park, presented a petition with more than 2,400 signatures to the board asking for another vote on the school closings.

The special board of education meeting will be held today at 8 p.m. in the Southern Middle School cafeteria.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Garrett’s board of education sets meeting to talk spending

Superintendent to offer scenarios on how to hold on to employees

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

— OAKLAND — The Maryland General Assembly’s passing of the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2012 means $1 million-plus for education in Garrett County.

The legislations’ enactment also means the school board needs to meet to decide on the best use of the money, said Charlotte Sebold, the board’s president.

A special meeting of the Garrett County Board of Education is being held Wednesday to discuss possible spending scenarios.

Scenarios that will likely be discussed include retaining more personnel and revisiting the decision to close Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools, according to Sebold.

“The superintendent will provide scenarios on what the board can do with monies to best serve students of Garrett County and to preserve jobs,” said Sebold. “We are looking at keeping as many employees as possible.”

There are no laws that prevent the board from revisiting the decision made at the April 24 meeting to close the two schools, Sebold said.

The commissioners provided the board with $500,000 for fiscal year 2013 and suggested that the money be used to reduce the number of instructional employee cuts from 40 to 28. In total, the county has appropriated $25.3 million to the board for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The General Assembly passed an income tax hike on Wednesday that targets six-figure earners and will avoid about $500 million in budget cuts. 

Gov. Martin O’Malley emphasized that the special session was needed to protect education, to keep college tuition affordable and preserve public safety.

Leo Martin, mayor of Mountain Lake Park, presented a petition with more than 2,400 signatures to the school board Monday, said resident Elizabeth Hebden.

The petition contained signatures of more than 10 percent of all registered voters in Garrett County, Hebden said.

The petition asked board members for another vote on the April 24 school-closing decision, pending the passage of the revenue bill by state legislators and the receipt of additional funding for Garrett County schools.

The petition was accepted by Sebold but there was no discussion on it, according to Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools.

“It was premature for the board to adopt the school closure policy in light of the Maryland General Assembly special session that opened earlier today (Monday),” said resident James “Smokey” Stanton. “The special session was called in order to adopt a state budget with revised expenditures and revenues, and it is likely that state funds for Garrett County will increase as the result of the special session.”

Stanton said the board didn’t have a contingency plan to maintain Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools if the legislature approves additional funds for Garrett County schools.

“Small schools are exceptionally important to the economic health of our small towns and small communities, and it does not seem that this essential factor has been adequately taken into account with the proposed closures for this year and the proposals for future years,” said Stanton.

The special board of education meeting will be held Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the Southern Middle School cafeteria.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Group battles Garrett closures

State board of ed has 20 days to respond to appeal

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

— OAKLAND — A group called Parents for Garrett County Education is working on filing an appeal with the Maryland Board of Education to stop the closures of Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools, according to Diane Donham, the group’s spokeswoman.

The group has until May 24 to file the appeal and hopes to have it filed by the end of the week.

The state board must hear from the Garrett County Board of Education before they respond to the group’s appeal, according to Donham.

“I hope the state board of education responds in time so more teachers don’t lose their jobs,” said Donham.

The group is also circulating numerous petitions to keep the schools open, some of which will be provided to the state board with the appeal.

The state will respond 20 days after a copy of the appeal has been sent, according to Maryland Office of the Secretary of the State.

“Last year, people were given raises instead of keeping the schools open,” said Donham in an interview with the Times-News.

In October 2011, county commissioners provided the BOE with a preliminary appropriation of $24,859,000 to allow for budget planning for fiscal year 2013, according to a news release provided by the commissioners.

Last year, the commissioners provided the BOE with $700,000 to keep Bloomington Elementary School open, according to a previous Times-News article. Then, in April 2011, the BOE voted to close the school.

Prior to the decision to close the schools on April 24, the commissioners provided the BOE with $500,000 for fiscal year 2013 and suggested the schools remain open.

During the April BOE meeting, interim Superintendent Sue Waggoner recommended that the money provided by the commissioners be used to “reduce the number of instructional employee reductions.”

Before the money was provided by the commissioners, 40 teacher positions would have been cut. Now that number would be reduced to 28 positions, according to BOE President Charlotte Sebold.

“I will not be able to vote to close schools tonight,” said BOE Vice President Rodney Durst during the April meeting.

The commissioners cannot obligate or commit to additional funds above $25,359,000 for fiscal years 2013 and 2014, the commissioners said in a news release.

“Regardless of whether we close schools or not, we are going to have to lay off teachers ... but if we decide to go that route and the state does come through with the money, we can hire those teachers back,” said Durst during the April meeting, noting that the BOE is restricted by the union as to who must be laid off.

“But I’m afraid if we close the schools, even if they come through with twice the money, they won’t open back up.”

Funding for education will be determined by a special session of the General Assembly that will likely be held May 14.

“My hope is that with the ‘doomsday’ budget they (the General Assembly) will decline the 12 percent decrease during the special session,” said Donham. “So the teachers can get their jobs back.”

Sebold echoed Durst’s sentiments and suggested that the schools remain open, and instead of cutting teachers’ positions, using the money provided by the commissioners to save some of those positions.

Teachers’ salaries account for 80 percent of the budget, according to Sebold.

“Our problem this evening is the fact that we don’t know what is going to happen in the legislative session,” said Waggoner, during the April meeting. “As a result, until we have the dollars in hand, I have to recommend a balanced budget. That’s the reason we are going to be talking about school closures.”

During a special meeting on April 24, the BOE voted 3-2 to close Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools at the end of the school year.

Students who attend Dennett Road will be redistricted to Yough Glades, Broadford and Crellin elementary schools. Yough Glades will be designated as the special education school.

Students who attend Kitzmiller will be redistricted to Broadford elementary school.

The Parents for Garrett County Education group, whose goal is to to preserve the future quality of education for children in the county, is also currently looking into the possibility of a homeschool co-op, according to Donham.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com

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Uncertainty about budget has local educators on edge

Allegany, Garrett schools facing drastic cuts if state lawmakers don’t act

Kristin Harty Barkley Cumberland Times-News

— CUMBERLAND — Area educators say they’re optimistic that state lawmakers will reconvene in the weeks ahead to work out a budget that doesn’t include such devastating cuts for public schools.

But they’re worried it might be too late.

“Time is really of the essence right now,” said Evan West, Univserv director at Allegany County Teachers Association, who wore red on Thursday as part of a local effort to implore state leaders to act — and quickly.

The so-called “Doomsday Budget” — which includes around $3.4 million in cuts for Allegany County Public Schools and around $1 million for Garrett schools — went into effect earlier this month after lawmakers failed to agree upon a budget before the end of the 90-day session.

The Maryland State Education Association posted a “Doomsday Clock” on its website last week, which outlines in red the effects of the cuts.

“It’s a little theatrical, but it’s real,” West said. “You get to a certain point where counties can’t adopt budgets based on anything other than what they know, and right now what they know is that the doomsday budget is the law of the land. ... We’re concerned about whether the effects of a special session will be timely enough to prevent the cuts we’re looking at right now.”

The Garrett County Board of Education voted on Tuesday to close two elementary schools and cut 28 teacher positions to deal with its anticipated shortfall. The Allegany County Board of Education hasn’t proposed any major program cuts yet, but is dipping deeply into its fund balance to make ends meet.

Allegany County commissioners have put their budget process on hold for now, but local governments must approve budgets well ahead of the beginning of the fiscal year, July 1.

The uncertainty has everyone on edge, including teachers.

“Tension is just incredibly high,” said Lynne Elmlinger, a kindergarten teacher at Broad Ford Elementary School in Garrett County. “I’ve never seen morale this low in all my years of teaching. ... It’s hard to deal with. We’ve had tears. We’ve had a lot of that, actually.”

Some teachers fear that increased class sizes and a higher student/teacher ratio will decrease the quality of education that students receive. In Allegany County, 90 positions have been eliminated through attrition over the past five years, though not all were teachers.

“As we’re losing teachers it’s going back to we’re losing the special ed inclusion teachers, so there goes the one-on-one help that we try to provide in the high schools,” said Christa Williams, who teaches science at the Center for Career & Technical Education. “We’re providing that now, but as we keep losing teachers ...”

Mount Savage consumer science teacher Carol McBride said that smaller class sizes help teachers spot troubled students early and get them on track.

“If you get the student ready to learn and eager to learn and having success, then he’s going to be good all through school,” McBride said. “But if he gets defeated at the beginning, he’s going to have problems through school and he’s not going to be successful in life.”

Some teachers are concerned, too, about losing funds for supplies and technology.

“If I lose lab money, there goes some hands-on, real life connections for my kids because I just can’t afford to do it out of pocket,” the Career Center’s Williams said. “We’re losing opportunties for our kids.”

Misty Dodson, who teaches at Cresaptown Elementary, which won a national Blue Ribbon award recently, said educators want to be able to maintain the quality of education they’re providing. Maryland was named No. 1 in the nation for the fourth consecutive year for high-quality public schools.

“All we’re asking is for the legislators to provide us a budget so that we can maintain that excellence,” Dodson said. “We want to continue to provide that quality of education instead of relinquishing to mediocrity.”

Across Garrett and Allegany counties, educators wore red on Thursday as part of the “Wear Red for Public Ed” campaign to urge lawmakers to act.

Northeast Elementary School teacher John Reuschlein said local public school employees are still in “a state of shock” over the the legislature’s failure to pass a budget.

“The great concern is to have the governor reconvene the legislators and make a realistic budget so that we aren’t damaged by this doomsday budget,” Reuschlein said. “... It’s important that the special session be called as early as possible because the counties have to make their budgets and we have to make our budgets. Class sizes are being determined now, as we’re speaking.”

Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kbarkley@times-news.com

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Two Garrett County grade schools will close

Commissioners offer $500,000 prior to vote affecting Dennett Road, Kitzmiller elementary

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

— OAKLAND — The Garrett County Board of Education voted to close Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools at a special meeting Tuesday.

The decision was made despite receiving $500,000 from the Board of Garrett County Commissioners earlier in the day for fiscal year 2013 and their suggestion to keep the schools open.

“Public education is not only our number one fiscal priority but also a notable objective of our economic development vision,” the commissioners said in a news release. “We recognize and emphasize that the issues and actions regarding school budgets, closure of schools and the overall decision about our school system rest in the elected members of the Board of Education. Any action on the part of the board of county commissioners as the funding source is not intended to usurp your difficult decisions.”

The decision was also made despite school boad president Charlotte Sebold’s suggestion that the schools remain open, instead cutting teaching positions.

“I would prefer to keep the schools open,” said Sebold, echoing the commissioners’ sentiments. “I don’t know how long that would be. We have got to address the fact that we are short $1 million. We have to have a plan.”

Sebold said the teachers’ positions could be brought back if the money from the potential stop-loss revenue comes through. That funding will be determined by a special session of the Maryland General Assembly that will likely be held in May. Before the money was provided by the commissioners Tuesday, 40 teacher positions would have been cut. Now that number would be reduced to 28 positions, according to Sebold.

“Things that we need here to make the economy grow are families and young people in our communities, said Sebold. “If we close schools, unfortunately we are not doing the things we need to do to grow the economy. We can make it without closing schools.”

Sebold also said she was appreciative of the fact that the commissioners were able to provide the money without raising taxes.

“At this time, the Board of County Commissioners plans to set the real property tax rate at the current rate of $0.9900, which will result in $2 million less revenue based on a reduction in assessments,” said the press release.

During their last meeting, the commissioners discussed the possibility of raising property taxes more than 7 cents.

Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools will be closed at the end of the school year and will save about $1 million and $279,000 respectively, helping to close a shortfall of $2 million, according to interim schools Superintendent Sue Waggoner.

“No other district has had as large of a one-year percent decrease as we have,” said Waggoner, noting that it was a 10.27 percent reduction in funding.

Students that attend Dennett Road will be redistricted to Yough Glades, Broadford and Crellin elementary schools. Yough Glades will be designated as the special education school and will need about $20,000 to provide the necessary facilities, according to Waggoner. Less money would be needed for the facilities if the work was done in-house, she said.

Students from Kitzmiller Elementary will be redistricted to Broadford Elementary. Both school buildings will revert to county government.

In their statement to the BOE, the commissioners encouraged them to have a discussion with whomever assumes the superintendent position.

“While closing community schools is a simplistic approach, you are encouraged to have an open dialogue with the candidates for the position of superintendent on how to best resolve current expected budgetary issues. It needs to be noted that commissioners cannot obligate or commit to additional funds above this level for FY 2014,” said the news release.

Although Friendsville Elementary was under consideration for closure earlier in the year, it was not included in the recommendation or the vote.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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‘With remorse’ Garrett County superintendent suggests school closings

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County’s interim superintendent of schools recommended Tuesday that Dennett Road and Kitzmiller elementary schools be closed due to a lack of state funding.

“We don’t have any wiggle room in the budget. I am a proponent of small schools and I agree that it takes a community to raise a child. This is definitely an emotional issue,” said Sue Waggoner, who said it was “with remorse” that she made the decision.

House Bill 660 and Senate Bill 586, proposed by Delegates Wendell Beitzel, Kevin Kelly and LeRoy Myers Jr. and Sen. George Edwards passed in the Senate but failed in the House, according to Waggoner.

“It is unprecedented. Who would have believed that the legislature would adjourn without passing it,” said Waggoner, who said she wasn’t sure if lawmakers would return for a special session to hash out budget differences. “I’m still hopeful things can change.”

The county stands to lose $1.5 million in state assistance in fiscal year 2012 and that number is projected to be $2.5 million in FY 2013.

The board will vote on the recommendation at a special meeting on April 24 at 7 p.m. Public comment will be taken before the vote.

The proposed bill would have limited the board’s losses in state funding to 5 percent for the next three years. If the bill would have passed, it would have capped losses at $1.5 million.

In closing Dennett Road and Kitzmiller, it will save the board $1.2 million and $279,000 respectively, according to Waggoner. However, the board would have to add $170,750 in unemployment compensation to its budget.

There was no public comment on the school closing recommendation.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Waggoner To Give School Closure Recommendation

Apr. 5, 2012

The Garrett County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 10, beginning at 4 p.m. The meeting will be held in Southern Middle School cafeteria.

Following public comment at 4 p.m., the board will meet in closed session until 5:30 p.m. At that time, public agenda topics will involve recognition of Girl Scout Troop 55021 and FIRST Robotics Team 1629, as well as Maryland wrestling champ-ion Austin Shaffer.

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Action will be taken on the 2012-12 school calender and the 2012 retiree recognition dinner.

Information items will deal with special education procedures and Interim Superintendent Sue Waggoner's recommendations concerning budgetary issues and school closings.

A second public comment will be held at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

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BOE Hears School Closure Committees

Mar. 15, 2012

The Garrett County Board of Education heard three advisory committee reports on Tuesday concerning the proposed closure of three county elementary schools – Dennett Road, Friendsville, and Kitzmiller. All three committees made appeals to the board to keep the schools open and operating.

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The advisory committee representatives made their respective cases in the cafeteria of Southern Middle School, a venue selected by the board to accommodate the larger than usual crowd expected.

The groups cited the stress that would be placed on children by longer commute times, the loss of educational programs, and the damage that would be done to the surrounding communities as reasons to not close the schools.

It was also generally believed by the advisory committees that eliminating the three schools would cause crowding at other facilities and also adversely affect Garrett County's ability to attract new industries and businesses.

"Class size is important," stated Leo Martin, Mtn. Lake Park mayor, during the public comment forum.

"If we close these schools what do we do with the buildings? You simply create another burden for the tax payer. Like it or not, Garrett County will develop – what do we do then without adequate space for students?"

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Dennett Road is the best place for special needs children

To the Editor: Cumberland Times-News


I have three children in my home who attend Dennett Road Elementary School. One is a son in fourth grade who has done amazing there and received a wonderful education.
He is very involved in extra sports and they use the gym for practice often. He has excelled in math and science and loves the special evening workshops. I would love him to finish his last year in this school.
I also have a granddaughter in first grade, who spends most of her day in a special education classroom. She isn’t vocal and has cerebral palsy for which she uses a walker.
I have a disability advocate who has given me advice. I know I could request her to receive services at our home school (Crellin) and the board of education would have to provide it.
After her coming to Dennett Road, I believe the BOE has a great setup there for her and decided this was best for her education.
Dennett Road has two separate special education rooms, huge bathrooms, separate changing area, sensory room and all therapy in one place. To change something so well structured is a terrible injustice to kids who need structure the most.
My third child, a granddaughter, is in kindergarten. She isn’t vocal and has cerebral palsy. She is in special education only for one hour for speech and sign language. The rest of her day is regular classrooms.
She has done wonderful and deserves to be in the regular class, where she best fits in. Next year the BOE predictions say 30 kids in each first grade class at Yough Glades. I toured the school and desks for 30 kids would make it so tight she would be tripping over things, not handicap accessible at all.
Bathrooms are a big concern. As with most children with CP they are longer to toilet train. One tiny bathroom in the old Head Start class with no private area to change and clean them would be very embarrassing to them. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
I am against closing Dennett Road School. I hope you will find a different solution and help not just the special need children but all the children in Garrett County. May God guide you in your decision.
Shari Ashby
Oakland

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Closing Dennett Road bad for special education students

To the Editor: Cumberland Times-News

I am disappointed that no mention has ever been made of the special education population at Dennett Road Elementary School.

I do not know if everyone knows that Dennett Road is the special education center for the entire southern end of Garrett County.

At Dennett Road, there are two large classrooms, a kitchen area to teach life skills, safe Time Out area, a private changing area for children who require this type of assistance, sensory room, handicapped equipped playgrounds, and ample handicapped equipped bathroom stalls and facilities separated into “Girls’” and “Boys’” bathrooms to serve the large number of students taught at this school.

The consolidation plan calls for these students to be shoved into two cramped classrooms at Yough Glades with NO private changing area, NO sensory room, NO safe time out area, NO kitchen skills and safety teaching area, NO handicapped equipped playground, and ONE toilet and sink (NOT Handicapped Equipped) to be shared by BOTH boys and girls.

I am sure that the staff of Yough Glades have good intentions and are highly qualified teachers, but their school is poorly designed, and will not allow for the inclusion of these students in the regular education setting, as they are included at Dennett Road.

This large special education population deserves better than to be shoved into a corner of leftover space in a building that doesn’t provide enough room for a walker to fit in a bathroom or in classrooms.

I recall one mother saying, at the Garrett County Board of Education meeting at Southern High School, “Just because my daughter is non-verbal, does not mean that she will not feel humiliated being changed in front of other students/adults. It does not mean that she will not feel hurt because she is not able to be included in activities because her walker doesn’t fit into the areas that the other students can access.”

I have dealt with similar situations during my wife’s life-ending illness. She was in a wheelchair for approximately ten years. Not having access to stores, restrooms, parks, etc. that non-handicapped people could access was humiliating and depressing.

Is this the message we really want to send to the special education students and their families? I think not. Send the right message. Make the only right decision. Keep Dennett Road Elementary School open.

Darrell DeWitt

Oakland

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Garrett school board delaying decision on elementary school closings

Vote to come during April 24 meeting

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The final decision on whether to close Dennett Road, Friendsville and Kitzmiller elementary schools will come during a special meeting April 24, the Garrett County Board of Education voted at its Tuesday meeting.

Delaying the decision will allow time for additional funding opportunities and to allow the committees additional time to work, according to Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools. Advisory committee reports will be presented at the next board meeting on March 13.

“Because of pending legislation and other assistance, possibly, I would like to recommend that the superintendent’s recommendation not be made until April 10, because it will be after the close of the legislative session,” said Waggoner.

House Bill 660 and Senate Bill 586, proposed by Sen. George Edwards and Delegates Wendell Beitzel, Kevin Kelly and LeRoy Myers Jr., limit the board’s losses in state funding to 5 percent for the next three years. If the bill passes, it will cap losses at $1.5 million, according to Larry McKenzie, the board’s director of finance.

The Senate bill also asks that the study done by the Maryland State Department of Education include the impact on state funding of declining enrollments in local school systems with small enrollments.

“We are hoping that the bill does something for rural counties in the future. We can’t be the fifth-wealthiest county in the state with 46 percent farms,” said Waggoner.

Board vice president Charlotte Sebold encouraged all county residents to support the bill and write letters, stating, “It’s going to be heard.”

The hearing on SB 586 will be brought to the Senate Budget and Tax Committee on Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Annapolis, according to Sebold.

Angel Simms, a teacher at Dennett Road Elementary School, asked board members if they had talked to other counties about how they are cutting costs. Simms noted that she called 14 counties to ask if they closed schools and how they are saving money.

“I have talked to 14 counties. None of them had said they had closed schools. Some of them laughed. They think it’s a laughable idea that you would close a school,” said Simms. “When I started realizing that they are not closing schools and they are not firing all these teachers, I asked what are they doing.”

Some of the schools raised the co-pay for health insurance from $10 to $20; made a 5 percent cut to all programs; took furloughs; cut all salaries across the board; offered early retirement incentives; and placed a freeze on buying new maintenance equipment, according to Simms.

“To me, the things you want to think about cutting first are the things that kids aren’t going to notice,” said Simms. “The first thing they are going to notice is that their school is closed and their teachers are gone. So that’s the last thing you want to cut.”

The board is talking with other counties to try to find any kind of money savings, according to Thomas Carr, president.

“We do go down (to Annapolis) and lobby and will be going down for the March 15 (Maryland Association of Boards of Education) lobby day,” said Carr. “We are on the road a lot talking to people.”

The board also voted to honor a retirement incentive for employees even though there are fewer certificated employees then originally planned. The retirement letters that were sent to 158 eligible employees called for 15 certificated employees and three noncertificated employees. Only 10 certificated employees and nine noncertificated employees ex-pressed an interest in the retirement incentive.

The retirement incentive would save an estimated of $400,000 to $500,000, according to Waggoner.

The county commissioners had encouraged the board to review retirement incentives as a way to reduce staff numbers without eliminating new employees.

“We are going to look and see if we can absorb those positions,” said Waggoner during the board meeting.

Applications for a new superintendent are being received by the Maryland Association of Boards of Education. The board will meet with association representatives on March 14, said Carr. Interviews for the position will begin March 31; the second round of interviews will be conducted April 21; and final interviews will take place May 16-18.

“We have six applications in hand and possibly another one. At that point (in May), we desperately hope to have a new superintendent,” said Carr.

Waggoner had accepted the interim position for a year when former Superintendent Wendell Teets retired.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com

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BOE Pushes Back School Closure Vote

Feb. 16, 2012

The Garrett County Board of Education informed those attending its Tuesday meeting that in light of new legislation being brought forward in Annapolis, it was delaying its decision on the potential closure of three county schools – Broad Ford, Kitzmiller, and Friendsville elementaries.

Originally, Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools, was scheduled to make a recommendation to the board on the closure issue on Feb. 14. That recommendation will now occur at a meeting in April.

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"We've delayed our decisions to allow our advisory committees and our elected state officials more time to do their work," stated Waggoner before an audience in the cafeteria of Southern Middle School.

The bills currently being proposed by Wendell Beitzel, Maryland state delegate, and George Edwards, state senator, – House Bill 660 and Senate Bill 586 – would cap cuts in state aid to Maryland school systems at 5 percent from the previous year's budget.

These measures come after Maryland's new state-aid formula has assessed Garrett County as the state's fifth wealthiest, in spite of the large percentage of local children who qualify for free and reduced lunch. The assessment has presented the BOE with a loss in funds of around $3 million.

If passed, the new law would reduce the school system's current losses by an estimated $1.1 million. Similar losses would be capped the following year; however, it is believed that by 2015, as the school system takes measures to reduce its expenditures, the loss limitation would no longer apply to Garrett County.

Waggoner and Larry McKenzie, the school system's director of finance, expressed their plans to travel to Annapolis next week (Feb. 22, 1 p.m.) to testify in favor of the senate bill. That process will be repeated in the coming weeks to support the house bill.

"This situation is unfair to our county," said Waggoner. "This legislation would do much to help Maryland's rural communities."

Waggoner stated that she has met with Senator Edwards to discuss the ongoing process. She also relayed a message from Delegate Beit-zel, who has requested that citizens send their stories, comments, and concerns to officials in Annapolis.

Pending any new decisions made at the state level, the superintendent's recommendation is now scheduled to come on April 10, after the board has heard from the school advisory committees on March 14. The board's final decision on the fate of each school would then come on April 24 at a specially called meeting.

It was also reported that 19 of the 158 eligible school employees have accepted the board's retirement incentive. On the superintendent's recommendation, the board voted to accept these retirements, which will save the school system approximately $450,000 in fiscal year 2013-14.

The board also recognized Southern High 10th grader Lindsey Murray, who designed last year's BOE Christmas card, as well as the Garrett County FIRST LEGO League teams which collectively took first-place finishes in three major categories at a recent state tournament.

"We are so proud of how these students have represented Garrett County," stated Waggoner.


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Closing Dennett Road would be major blow

Cumberland Times-News

My name is Kaitlin Shaffer. I went to Dennett Road Elementary School for five years: first through fifth grade. I am very distressed to even think about Dennett Road closing.

If Dennett Road closes, over 320 children will be taken out of a learning environment they are used to being in. Plus, they will be taken away from their friends, because the students of Dennett Road School would be split between three different schools.

The third graders would suffer the most, though. They would be expected to attend Dennett Road in third grade, a different elementary school in fourth grade, and possibly the Middle School in fifth grade!

Three schools in three years will not allow these children to make the connections with fellow students and teachers that they need to have a successful learning environment.

Now, onto the fifth grade situation. I have been informed that the Board of Education is thinking of putting fifth grade at the middle school in the tiny pods in between classrooms.

Those pods are five-sided and can fit 15 people in them at the max. There simply isn’t enough room or lockers for those students in addition to the sixth, seventh and eighth graders that are already there.

I also have heard that the second choice is to take the fifth graders and distribute them among Crellin, Yough Glades, and Broadford schools and close the schools the students came from. If this is done, the class sizes would be huge, which I know from experience isn’t good either.

I am in sixth grade honors classes at the middle school. My teacher’s job is made more difficult due to a very large class size of 29 students.

We have to learn lessons very fast so we can complete our state curriculum, and if there is something you don’t understand and want some help you are faced with a choice, go up to the teacher and wait for a long time because there are so many other kids in line.

Or, try to figure it out by yourself, which doesn’t always go so well. There is the option to go for tutoring in the mornings, but when there is homeroom, you sit in the back with about 20 people in the classroom.

If fifth grade is placed at the other elementary schools in Oakland, their classes will be much like mine.

In my fifth grade year, I had 20 students in my class and it was a lot easier to get help and learn because my teacher, Ms. Simms, didn’t have to divide her time between nine extra students.

I had a wonderful connection with her, because she simply had more time to get to know me.

So, if Dennett Road closes, those kids are deprived of that. And if the school closes, it doesn’t just affect fifth grade, it affects the entire community! Some excellent teachers will lose their jobs, everyone is forced to move somewhere else, and all the schools will be overcrowded. So it just causes problems for everyone.

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read my letter. I hope that the Garrett County Commissioners and the Garrett County Board of Education will truly consider my thoughts, as I am just one of hundreds of students who feel this way.

Kaitlin R. Shaffer

Oakland

BOE Postpones School Closure Advisory Meeting

Feb. 2, 2012

The Garrett County Board of Education has announced that it will postpone its special meeting for the presentation of the Dennett Road Elementary, Friendsville Elementary, and Kitzmiller Elementary advisory committee reports.

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The special meeting for these advisory committee reports to the Board of Education will be rescheduled for a date to be announced after the board's regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14.


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Board Of Ed. Holds Elementary School Closure Hearings

Jan. 26, 2012

The Garrett County Board of Education recently held its public hearings for the potential closings of Kitzmiller and Dennett Road elementary schools. The hearing for Kitzmiller Elementary was held last Thursday (Jan. 19) in that school's multipurpose room, while the hearing for Dennett Road Elementary took place on Tuesday in the gymnasium of Southern High School – a venue chosen to accommodate the large crowd expected by the board.

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Both events began with a presentation by Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools. Those presentations showcased the fiscal problems faced by the county and the BOE, namely the trending loss of enrollment and Maryland's wealth formula, which ranks Garrett County as the state's fifth-wealthiest county despite its large number of students who qualify for free and reduced meals.

"This is like a grieving process as we're dealing with the potential loss of our schools," Waggoner said. "We're looking at every aspect of this situation while trying to make tough decisions."

Waggoner also talked about trying to attract some of Garrett County's 294 homeschooled students into the system through the use of technology and offerings in advanced-placement courses. This addition of students would potentially increase state funding, though, as Waggoner explained, this would require some support from lawmakers in Annapolis, as Maryland currently does not permit funding for part-time students.

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Fifth-graders move up a year early under proposal

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News


OAKLAND — In addition to calling for the closing of several elementary schools, the Garrett County Board of Education’s five-year plan outlines the reconfiguration of fifth-grade students into middle schools. The reconfiguration is being considered because of reduced space, staff and “related arts,” according to Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools.
“The reconfiguration will provide the maximum effective use of staff and space while providing students optimum educational programing,” said Waggoner. “The reconfiguration will afford fifth-graders the opportunity to participate in foreign language, tech education classes and allow them to experience more than they have at the elementary school.”
A presentation on the reconfiguration will be held Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Southern Middle School. After the presentation, the board will take public comment followed by possible action on the recommendation.
Rebecca Gordon, a Finzel resident whose child is a fourth-grader at Route 40 Elementary, attended the Jan. 10 board meeting and questioned if the board had done any research on how the reconfiguration would impact the fifth graders academically and behaviorally. Gordon said that she wasn’t provided with an answer.
Fifth- and sixth-graders would be on a separate lunch schedule from the other grade levels, so there would be no interaction with the older students, explained Waggoner. They would also have pods to separate them from the rest of the grade levels.
Gordon noted that studies done by Harvard, Duke and Johns Hopkins universities indicate that students fare better if they are left in a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade setting.
In her research, Gordon did come across a study where the reconfiguration was completely successful, but she noted that at this school the fifth-graders were in a different building than the rest of the middle-schoolers.
“We just don’t have the resources to do that,” said Gordon, noting that it would be impossible to separate the students completely while they are in the same building.
Gordon suggests that elementary schools remain open as kindergarten through eighth grade.
Many parents who attended the January board meeting were concerned about bullying, according to Gordon.
“There is bullying going on now in the middle school. In fifth grade, kids still have SpongeBob lunch boxes and they are going to go to the middle school and get made fun of,” said Gordon.
Other concerns of Gordon’s include the lunch schedule and the fact that fifth-graders are going to be riding the bus with eighth-graders.
“I’m also concerned with the fact that there is no recess, especially with obesity rates climbing,” said Gordon.
The fifth-graders will be eating lunch at 10:50 a.m. with no snack, according to Gordon. In her child’s case, that means an extra hour wait to eat because of the hour-long bus ride from school to home.
“This will mean bigger class sizes, loss of jobs and a lot of disruption to our kids,” states a petition started by Elizabeth Hebden to stop the closing of Dennett Road Elementary.
“I feel it is unreasonable to send fifth-graders to the middle school, they will miss out on experiences of being the fifth-graders,” wrote Michelle Riggleman on the online petition.
Gordon also opposes the Dennett Road Elementary closing.
“I understand that Kitzmiller and Friendsville schools need to close because the numbers are just not there. But the numbers for the Dennett school are there,” said Gordon.
Hebden, an Oakland resident, started a petition on Change.Org to keep the school open and she opposes the reconfiguration. With 511 signatures so far, the petition appeals to the board, county commissioners, Gov. Martin O’Malley, the state Senate and House of Delegates, Delegate Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Edwards to keep the school from closing.
Gordon is encouraging everyone to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
“I’m asking that every parent, grandparent, aunt and uncle please attend this meeting. It’s affecting our children’s future,” said Gordon, who plans on speaking at the meeting. “I want my children to have a voice.” 
For more information on the petition, visit the website http://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-md-keep-dennett-road-elementary-school-open-and-pk-5.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

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Closing school would be ‘devastating’

Public meetings scheduled this month in regard to Garrett County’s five-year plan

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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Friendsville Responds To Proposed School Closings; Forms Committee

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Jan. 12, 2012

In response to a proposal by the Garrett County Board of Education to close Friendsville Elementary School, an emergency meeting was held by the mayor, town council, and a group of Friendsville's concerned citizens. The meeting took place in December, prior to the school system's Christmas break, with the expressed purpose of informing local parents of the board's plans to balance its budget.

"I feel that this would have such a negative impact on the students and community of Friendsville as a whole," stated Spencer Schlosnagle, mayor of Friendsville.

"Our children are our future – and the future of Friendsville – and we cannot let this school closing happen."

According to the board, the closing of Friendsville Elementary is being based on the decline in student enrollment over the past few years. The Friendsville Advisory Committee has been formed to research the feasibility of the school closings and their impact on the students and the community as a whole.

Friendsville Elementary is one of three schools in line to suffer the consequences of funding cutbacks felt throughout Garrett County – setbacks shared by communities across the state of Maryland.

Faculty members were notified on Dec. 13 of the proposed closing of Friendsville, Dennett Road, and Kitzmiller schools. If the proposal to close these schools becomes a reality, they would be scheduled to close at the end of the current school year. This action is part of a five-year savings plan that couples the school closings with program and staff cuts, such as the elimination of the driver's education program, and also with the realignment of grade levels (fifth graders would be moved from elementary schools to middle schools).

The total anticipated savings from closing these schools is thought to be over $2 million. The action would eliminate the costs associated with utilities and the upkeep of the facilities, but also remove teaching, custodial, and secretary positions.

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Proposed School System Changes Draw Large Crowd To BOE Meeting

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Jan. 12, 2012

Emotions ran high at Tuesday's meeting of the Garrett County Board of Education, as concerned citizens, many of whom hail from the Friendsville area, filled the board room to express their opinions and grievances with the recent five-year plan set forth by the board to right the school system's budget woes.

The board was scheduled to take action on a proposal to reconfigure the grade structure of the school system – a move that would place fifth grade students in middle schools – but that action was postponed until Tuesday, Jan. 17, in light of some of the issues addressed in the public comments portion of the meeting.

BOE members heard and took note of the information put forward in that public forum, which was schedule for 4 to 4:30 p.m., but ran well over 2½ hours. A video feed of the meeting was set up in the main lobby area of the Garrett County Board of Education building to accommodate the overflow of participants and onlookers.

Many of the concerns voiced dealt with the issue of young students being emotionally and developmentally unready for the change of venue, the unintended consequences of housing fifth and eighth graders in the same building, the strain placed on elementary students by the extended commute times, and the loss of the more "nurturing and intimate" setting provided by smaller class sizes.

Some of these concerns were addressed by Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools, in a presentation earlier in the meeting. Waggoner expressed that the board had considered and shared the majority of these concerns, laying out a tentative but detailed schedule for students in the event the reconfiguration took place.

According to the presentation, in the larger middle school each grade would have its own "pod" within the school and be kept separate from the other grades. Each grade would have its own lunch shift and every student would also be assigned his/her own home room. Enrichment/remediation periods would also be built into each schedule.

Furthermore, fifth and sixth graders would be heterogeneously grouped and on a different bell schedule than students in the seventh and eighth grades. Classes would last 35 minutes and have four minutes between them.

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