Should the Town 'Mothball' Chalk Hill School?

Fifth graders have already moved out of  Chalk Hill School, leaving sixth graders behind. Classes are being taught on the second floor and the Parks & Recreation Department has found a new home downstairs.

The school district hopes the new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy, set to debut in a wing of Masuk High School next fall, will attract enough sixth graders to allow it to close Chalk Hill as a school next year.

Supt. of Schools Colleen Palmer said about $500,000 could be saved by closing Chalk Hill. The aging building does not meet state education specifications for a school, though its operation is grandfathered.

"It's an aging building," Palmer said during Monday's Board of Education meeting. "Repairs have to be made. It's ready for a face-lift."

Among the building's problems, Palmer said Director of Facilities Arthur Baker told her replacement of underground water pipes to the boilers can no longer be put off.

"We have to do that now or there will be no heating this winter," she said. "That's another reason why it's a risk to stay in that facility."

Palmer said the pipes continue to break and there is concern the boilers will blow. Forty-year-old single-pane windows must also be replaced, she added.

But not everyone is on board with closing the school. Board of Education member Mark Hughes pointed out that Masuk High School was successively refurbished.

"I think we should be cautious about mothballing a building," Hughes said, adding the student population in town could increase in the future. "I don't think we should throw the baby out with the bath water."

"I agree with Mark," said Tom Taylor, another board member. "I would like to see the first selectman put together a facilities study committee to review what can be done with Chalk Hill. Once that building is closed, it's closed and you would have to jump through all sorts of hoops to re-open it."

However, Taylor noted Chalk Hill could be closed as a school for one year without losing the grandfather clause.

Academy has momentum

The superintendent said at least 150 students will have to enroll in the STEM Academy before Chalk Hill could be closed.

"We had an  last week and there was a tremendous amount of interest," Palmer said of the academy.

The STEM Academy can accommodate up to 236 students, according to Palmer. At the open house, she said 50 parents entered their child's name in the Dec. 3 lottery on the spot, and another 25 names were entered at central office later in the week.

Leasing revenue

Board of Education member Donna Lane asked about a $100,000 revenue projection from having the Parks & Recreation Department use the building. This is supposed to help the district to maintain it.

"That was a very aggressive projection," Palmer said of former parks and recreation director, David Freedman's estimate, "$50,000 is more realistic, but we were hopeful."

Palmer said the school district was trying to be supportive of the town and thought it would be worth seeing if it worked out. "I think this is a test year," she added.

First Selectman Steve Vavrek thanked the superintendent for allowing the town to move forward in re-locating the Parks & Recreation Department offices from Monroe Town Hall to Chalk Hill.

Vavrek expressed his belief that offering daycare in the building could be "a tremendous profit center."

"I think that is something we can look at more," he said. "And maybe an alternative school."

Vavrek said an alternate school could generate $88,000 to $130,000 year in profit.