By
Sara Fridley
Annika Russell
Dianne Selchert
Sandy Selland

The purpose of this study is to answer questions regarding consolidation of the
Artesian/Letcher, Woonsocket, and
Alpena school districts into one district.

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Will it be cost effective to combine the districts?
Will students benefit from the consolidation?
1)
Course offerings
2)
3)
Sports Implications
Transportation
1)
2)
Time on bus
Mileage
What implications will consolidation have for staff?
What questions do community members have?

Q1A – If each town keeps a school in operation for certain grades, how much would this cost as opposed to one facility?
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It would depend . . . .
Specific numbers can’t be given with determination of exact scope of each operation
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Staffing needs
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Building maintenance needs
Student numbers in each building
Might be a desired short-term measure but would raise eventual costs

Q1B – What will it cost to reorganize into one school and build a new school?
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Important question – with no exact answers yet!

Q1C – How will a new school district save money as compared to keeping the existing 3 districts?
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Money could be saved in the following area:
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Administrative salaries
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Custodial & maintenance salaries
Utility costs
Transportation costs
Salaries of duplicated staff
Improved utilization of supplies & equipment

Q1D – Would taxes be increased if a new school district were created?
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Depends on these factors
 economic conditions
 future board decisions
Could increase
Could stay the same
Could decrease

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Q2A – Would the new curriculum for the consolidated district include more courses?
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Potential for new courses would be increase
Decisions on course offerings based on
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Compliance with state standards
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Board decisions
Student needs would be addressed in the final reorganization plan

Q2B – What will happen to athletic activities when the districts are consolidated?
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Extra-curricular activities are local matters
Also subject to SD High School Activities
Association & State Board of Education
Based on total enrollment of grades 9-12
Combined enrollment from the 3 districts would suggest
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Class 11-B in football
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Class A in other sports & co-curricular activities

Q2C – How will transportation for school activities be handled?
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New school board would determine transportation policies
Should be more efficient if there is a central location
Buses will run where needed as required by law
Option of paying parents mileage for transporting children

Q3A – What administrative and academic staff would be needed for the new district?
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Staffing would depend on contents of consolidation plan
New district is committed to employ sufficient staff for
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To teach mandated standards
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Meet the needs of the students
Manage the facilities
Attrition would probably account for reduction in force
List of anticipated staff requirements in each specific area was distributed

Q4A – Why should Alpena, Artesian-
Letcher and Woonsocket consolidate at this time?
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Prudent solution to eventual closings of all 3 schools
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Declining enrollments (27% decline in 5 years)
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Aging school facilities (safety issue)
Inadequate capital and operating income (fiscal issue)
Could be mandated by the State
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Legislatures looking at forcing consolidations
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Takes away local choice

Q4B – Can the school districts continue as
3 separate districts?
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Yes – they could remain as they are today.
However . . . . . .
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Decreasing enrollment means less financial support in the future
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School board members become personally liable for deficit spending
Deficit spending is not an option
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Existing facilities need replacement
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Buildings all have existing fire code violations
Higher educational standards would be difficult to meet

Q4C – How is consolidation accomplished?
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Procedures are specified in
SDCL (South Dakota Codified
Law) 13-6-10
First procedure is prepare a reorganization plan

Q4D – What if one school district doesn’t want to consolidate?
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A district could withdraw from the plan prior to approval by State Secretary of Education
If an election were held, the wishes of the district would be determined by results of the vote.

Q4E – If there are school district size requirements, what are they?
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There are no current requirements for size of a school district.
Estimate of consolidated size would be between 475 and 500 (all 3 districts) students
Open enrollment could effect numbers

Q4F – Is a new school necessary, and if so, is one location best?
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Little advantage in consolidating if a new school isn’t built
Advantages of a new building
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Reduce separate costs for heating & maintenance
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Eliminate duplication of services
Provide improved academic atmosphere
Location is the most important element
Survey results
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Majority of Woonsocket patrons want the building in
Woonsocket
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Majority of other patrons want building centrally located

Q4G – If an election to consolidate is held and the vote is for consolidation, when would it become effective?
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New district would become effective July 1
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Before new school year begins
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All other time frame elements must be met
Order of Secretary of
Education must be issued by
March 1

Q4H – Is there an overlapping period of time between continued operation of the existing districts and the beginning of the new district?
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No overlapping period
Existing districts would cease to exist on that July 1
New district becomes operational on same date

Q4I – Would new board members be selected, and how many? When would their terms begin?
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New board must be selected
State law requires 5, 7, or 9
Elected in accordance with SDCL 13-8-6b
Terms of 1-3 years initially and 3 years thereafter
Shall take office as soon as convenient if elected on or before the first Monday in May

Q4J – Can property owners withdraw from the newly approved school district?
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Property owners may petition for withdrawal
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State law provides for this option
Called a “minor boundary change”
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Petitions must be approved by both sending and receiving boards

Q4K – How can it be certain that everyone will pay his or her fair share of taxes for the new school district?
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Reorganization plan makes a provision for adjustment of assets between existing districts
Future fairness would depend on board decisions
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Setting tax rates
Working with counties
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Adopting budgets

Q4L – How are the existing obligations of the 3 districts met after the reorganization is completed?
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Invoices must be presented in a reasonable and timely fashion to existing boards
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Payments would be made by existing board
SDCL provides for transfer of liabilities to the new board
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Payments would be made by new board

Q4M – What is the condition of the current school buildings and what will happen to them?
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Current buildings have been well-maintained but are very old and deteriorating
All have numerous fire code violations & limited handicap accessibility
Higher maintenance costs are expected in future
Antiquated boiler systems (referenced
Plankinton school tragedy)
Gymnasiums could continue to be utilized

Q4N – What about water, electricity, and sewer services, and fire and police protection?
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Costs will vary depending on location & size of new building
Fire and police protection
 adequate for either a rural or town location
Water & Sewer
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Woonsocket & Letcher have city water towers
Option of rural water or a well
Electrical costs would depend on size of building

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Survey
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Patrons were surveyed by mail
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Patrons were asked about
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Opinion of consolidation
Concerns they had
Location of future school
Results of that mail survey helped identify issues of importance to patrons
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Interview
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Case study group created an interview form
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Each member of the group interviewed 5 district patrons
Results were included in our case study

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Most patrons favor consolidation ONLY IF
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Future school is located in their own existing district
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Taxes don’t increase
Location is the most important issue to voters
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Location will “make or break” the consolidation vote
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No easy compromise available
Community members had very little information at this time about the consolidation plan.

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Fear is a huge issue in consolidation effort
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Communities fear they will “die out” without a school
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Fear of loss of local control
Staff fear losing jobs
Competition between existing districts
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What will be kept of existing traditions?
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Who has the best teachers? Curriculum? Programs?
Lack of knowledge prevalent
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Patrons don’t really know much about school finances
Rumors run rampant