County officials weigh school renovations

Albemarle County school officials are asking the public: Should the county renovate three small elementary schools — Yancey, Scottsville and Red Hill — or consolidate the schools?

The estimate for building a new school is $24 million, down from $28 million, said Joe Letteri, Albemarle director of building services. Renovating the schools would cost about $15 million.

“It’s either going to come down to building [a new school] on the Walton [Middle School] site, or making one of the current schools down there much bigger — or renovating each of the smaller schools,” said Carole Hastings, project leader for the school division’s 10-year master facilities plan. “Anything’s possible at this point.”

10-year master plan

Officials are asking the public to help them create a 10-year facilities master plan, said Pamela Moran, Albemarle superintendent of schools.

“In past years, you might not have even known that this work was going on behind the scenes until we were ready to roll it out,” Moran said.

A few dozen residents at a public meeting on Thursday created several long lists of questions they’d like to have answered by the county — the first step in a study to decide the future of the three schools.

Residents asked how building one big replacement school — as opposed to renovating the three schools that feed into Monticello High School — could affect student achievement, student-teacher ratios and per-pupil costs.

Albemarle Board of Supervisors member Lindsay G. Dorrier Jr. said research shows smaller schools have better learning environments. The county’s small schools also have community value, he said. “I think pulling schools out of a community is a poor idea.

“We’ll picket, if we have to,” Dorrier told a resident after the community meeting.

The school division hopes to have the project — whether it’s the renovations or building a new school — complete by fiscal 2013, Letteri said.

Studying the costs

The renovation costs include building additions to increase capacity. Other renovations include the replacement of gym floors and a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, as well as roof repairs and technology upgrades.

If a new school is built, the existing ones would require only minor renovations, Letteri said. “I would say it would be fairly minimal,” he said of the costs.

A 2007 study of the school division’s cost recommended the division look at the costs of small schools and small classes.

The report by the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University stated that paying for school administrators, clerical support, nurse and custodial services is three times more expensive per pupil at a 125-student school, compared with one with 625 students.

Red Hill, Scottsville and Yancey — which are the county’s smallest elementaries — have a combined 523 pupils this school year and are projected to have 596 pupils in 10 years. Of Albemarle’s 13 other elementary schools, they averaged 392.5 pupils last school year, according to enrollment figures.

If the schools were combined, the most likely site would be county-owned land at Walton Middle School. Residents have also speculated about the possibility of combining only two of the schools.

No decisions yet

Carole Hastings, project leader for the 10-year master facilities plan, said the school division is beginning a transparent decision-making process with no preconceived notions, and is seeking public feedback.

“We ultimately want to come out with a decision that’s best for our students, that the community also supports,” Hastings said.

School Board members Diantha McKeel, Brian Wheeler and Barbara Massie Mouly say they’re holding out judgment until more information is gathered and the public has an opportunity to weigh-in.

Stephen Koleszar, who represents Scottsville on the School Board, favors keeping the small schools, but said he’s glad that officials are soliciting “good, open, honest discussion.” 

“I strongly believe the benefits of the smaller schools … outweigh the cost disadvantages,” Koleszar said, adding that costs and benefits need to be vetted and clearly presented to the public.

Koleszar echoed statements by many at Thursday’s meeting who want to keep their “community schools.” One resident said she moved to the area from Henrico because a small elementary school better suited her son.

Officials said they plan early this week to post questions received at the community meeting on the school division’s Web site. Residents will continue to be able to ask more questions and have their answers posted online.

“We honestly want to get the community’s feedback about what to do here,” Letteri said. “We’re sharing all of the facts, as best we know them.”

A committee of school staff, principals and residents plans to make recommendations to Moran in May.

The 10-year facilities master plan also will include planning for schools that feed into Albemarle and Western Albemarle high schools. Hastings said officials hope to complete those studies by May 2010.