Bedford Central School District

LONG-RANGE FACILITIES PLANNINGInteractive, Inc.Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Phases:1. CONTENT AND PLANNING: January-September

2. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: October – February[SUPERINTENDENT & BOARD IDENTIFY PREFERRED OPTION(S): March

3. STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION: April – May

4. SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDS & BOARD ADOPTSLONG RANGE FACILITIES PLAN: June

LONG-RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING

• Team discussions with BCSD, document request, document review• School site visits and interviews with building and central office staff• Second visits to collect data for the capacity analysis of the elementary schools• Refinements to timeline and planning

1. CONTENT AND PLANNING: January-September

• Focus groups and community forums• Web-survey data collection and analysis: Facts, options, variables and criteria• Follow-on forums, web-survey data collection, analysis & reporting: capacity utilization

2. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: October – February

• Interactive, Inc. combines (1) the documented beliefs and opinions of the publics with (2) the results of capacity utilization analysis.

• The superintendent recommends and the Board identifies preferred option(s).

BOARD OF EDUCATION SELECTION OF PREFERRED OPTION(S): March

• Introducing Bedford publics to the Board’s preferred options• Public forums, print and media presentations and hearings

3. STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION: April – May

• Preparation for implementation: School year 2020-2021• Implementation begins school year: 2021-2022

4. BOARD ADOPTION OF LONG-RANGE FACILITIES PLAN – June

• We should examine three options: (1) operate 5 buildings (2) operate 4 buildings (3) operate 3 buildings• We will use Bedford’s current class size practice rather than the “functional operating capacity”

maximums.• The Hillside program should return to District space.

INTERACTIVE, INC.’S CURRENT ASSUMPTIONS

THE PROCESS OF DECISION

Facts Enrollment declineExcess capacity across the five elementary schools The need for maintenance and repair

Options Dr. Seversky’s ‘8’Interactive, Inc.’ ‘3’ (operate 5, 4, 3 buildings)

Variables/Criteria

• Preserve quality of education for students• Expand, improve the quality of instruction• Increase the efficiency of BCSD• Minimize disruption for the school community• Be responsible stewards of taxpayer resources• Invest in maintenance and repair

• Bedford’s enrollment has and will likely continue to decline.• The District’s buildings have capacity that can be repurposed more efficiently and more effectively.• The District’s buildings need systematic attention to maintenance and repair.• The Board has determined to adopt a Long-Range Facilities Plan in June 2020.

FACTS

• Operate five buildings• Operate four buildings• Operate three buildings

OPTIONS

Components of the Decision. BCSD’s facility utilization decisions can be decomposed into three clusters of decisions.

Cluster One: The number of schools effected. Operate 5 elementary schools, operate 4 elementary schools or operate 3 elementary schools.

Cluster Two: The grade level configurations. Continue the current K-5 grade level organization or adopt a K-4 and 5-8 grade level configuration.

Cluster Three: Use of the savings. What to do with the savings, if any, from refining the school facilities?

VARIABLES

• Preserve instruction and learning.• Expand, improve the quality of instruction• Make more efficient, cost-effective use of space (save money)• Be responsible stewards of taxpayer resources• Minimize disruption for the school community• Invest in maintenance, repair and sustainability.

CRITERIA

• The condition of each of the buildings.• The length of the school day• The practice of sharing instructional staff• Equity gaps in the grade level section class size, and• Contract considerations.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

The “Engagement” activity is scheduled for October through February.

In March, the superintendent supported by Interactive, Inc. will consider and identify a set of preferred options for consideration and selection by the Board.

The “Education” activity is scheduled for April and May. It, and the Board’s preferred options, will have been informed by the “Engagement” phase.

Board adoption of its Long-Range Facilities Plan is scheduled for June 2020.

SEQUENCE OF BCSD DECISIONS

We recommend the following sequence of considerations.

(1) Determine the number of schools to be operated (5, 4, 3?) and the identity of the building(s).(2) Determine the grade level and other changes necessary to support the first decision. (3) Determine the use of the savings, if any.

STEPS IN THE DECISION

October 22, Tuesday - 4 PM FLMS Little TheaterOctober 22, Tuesday - 7 PM FLMS Little TheaterOctober 23, Wednesday - 9:30AM Admin. BldgOctober 23, Wednesday - 6 PM FLMS Little Theater

COMMUNITY FORUMS

Dale Mann, Ph.D., Managing Director and Professor Emeritus, Columbia University

Bill Librera, Ed.D., former New Jersey State Commissioner; superintendent, Montclair and Bernardsville, New Jersey

Ken Eastwood, Ed.D., former superintendent, Middletown and Oswego, New York

Betsy McKean, MBA, former assistant superintendent for Business Management, Middletown, Goshen and Sullivan West, NY

(804) 798 8700

www.interactiveinc.org

INTERACTIVE, INC.