Schools

Live: Officials Holding Public Hearing on Proposed P.B. Ritch Phaseout

We will be live-blogging highlights of tonight's meeting, which began at 6:30 p.m.

8:57 p.m.: And that looks to be a wrap for Dallas-Hiram's Patch first live-blogging session...it only took about three months.

For those who could not make it to tonight's hearing, the second hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 31, again at 6:30 p.m. in the central office boardroom.

8:55 p.m.: Cole: The saved $800,000 a year in overhead for P.B. Ritch would help us in the wake of state funding cuts we're anticipating this year.

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8:35 p.m.: From another speaker: Phasing out the school would get rid of the "teams" of teachers and paraprofessionals that students want to learn from and who parents want to send their kids to. Phasing out might eliminate those instances where teachers who would be set to teach the children of students they had years ago would not ending up teaching that second generation.

8:14 p.m.: Skelton: Offers to donate goods or services to improve or repair schools isn't that simple. Firms and supplies have to be vetted, there is a process, etc.

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8:02 p.m.: Attendee Doris Simmons asks how so many kids can be watched in a large elementary school. She says larger schools are more likely to have students bringing drugs, it would take too long to get to places in the school in case of emergency, etc. Cobb responds that if facility matters were totally a local issue and not tied to state funding, the community may desire all small schools, but that is not possible in the economic climate.

7:56 p.m.: I'll take this minute to say I've been going back and forth from live-blogging to getting video of the presentation and speakers. Will be putting together highlights for tomorrow.

7:54 p.m.: Board Chairman Michael Skelton reminds those in attendance that P.B. Ritch had originally been built as a middle school.

7:46 p.m.: Board member Kim Cobb: "We're not seeing dollar signs" in relation to the phaseout proposal, but the phase-out proposal was necessitated because of funding cuts endured by the district. She says employees are the highest priority for the board behind students. She said the district is going to keep those employees who work to educate kids no matter if they're in an old building or new.

7:41 p.m. Another member of the public asks how many jobs will be lost by the phaseout. Otott says a projection on that matter has yet to be made, but those affected employees might remain in the district should positions become open or through attrition.

Superintendent Cliff Cole said he believes it will be a while before the district sees the growth it saw several years ago. The past few years have not seen growth.

7:28 p.m. Someone asked why the district claimed there would be nearly an $800,000 additional cost savings dealing with personnel in the phaseout. Otott says the teaching staff goes where the students are, but some positions would not have to be filled.

7:26 p.m.: Turner: The district does have plans to expand Hutchens Elementary.

7:20 p.m.: For those whom I quote tonight, please forgive me if I misspell your name. Will do my best to correct at the end of the nigh.

7:18 p.m.: In response to a parent's question, Otott says about 200 students would be redistricted to Hutchens Elementary; the rest, about 130, would go to Baggett.

7:17 p.m.: Janet Davis is curious about the possible usage of a phased-out P.B. Ritch. Otott said it could be used by community groups that are already using school facilities.

7:15 p.m.: Ann Green says P.B. Ritch is a great school, and that the community could chip in to help the school with its repairs and needs. She said she called Home Depot today, which said it would be willing to help.

7:07 p.m.: "The longer we keep it open, the more we'll have to spend" on repairs, Turner says.

7:05 p.m.: Marty Turner, executive director of Maintenance and Facilities for the district, answering questions from school board members. He says that if the need changes for the district, and officials choose not to close the school, the district can reverse the phase-out process. But he says that each year that the district waits to put the school on the phase-out track, it loses somewhere between $500,000 and $1 million in potential capital outlay funds.

6:58 p.m.: Timeline: Following March 31's public hearing, district officials would bring the phaseout proposal to the school board on April 12. If the proposal is not approved, the school would continue to operate. If the board approves the measure, officials would develop a plan to decommission the school within five years of the district's five-year plan. But officials do not have plans to close the school for the 2011-2012 school year.

6:54 p.m.: P.B. Ritch could still be used by the district should it be phased out for student use, with Otott saying that some possible uses include educational programming, administration, storage or community usage.

6:52 p.m.: Hal Hutchens and Betsy Baggett elementary schools currently have extra space for students who might be redistricted in the wake of the phaseout.

6:49 p.m.: Otott says it takes about $800,000 in additional funds a year to operate the school.

6:47 p.m.: Associate Superintendent Brian Otott: District would need to spend $3,989,581 on renovations and modifications to P.B. Ritch to keep it operating. There also would be additional annual costs involved.

6:30 p.m.: There are probably about 30 members of the public in attendance, not counting central office personnel.


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