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About 56 percent of public respondents and nearly 65 percent of teachers favor K-5 model for NK schools
NORTH KINGSTOWN — The school department’s school configuration survey results are in and the numbers indicate the community wants change.
Almost three years ago, the town underwent a failed referendum, a school closing and a reconfiguration of its elementary schools. Back in November, the configuration sub-committee began an online survey to gather input from taxpayers, parents and teachers on their views of the current school situation.
“As a whole I wasn’t surprised with the survey results. We knew how the public felt. This just set it into stone,” said School Committee member April Brunelle. “We also knew from the beginning that these surveys would just be a small tool in helping us figure out the conclusion to the reconfiguration.”
The results from the elementary configuration and teacher / paraprofessional were made public last week, along with public and teacher / paraprofessional personal comments, but the results from the special education survey aren’t complete.
The elementary configurations asked 28 questions with the majority of questions being answered by over 1,110 people each.
One question asked people which elementary school configuration they favored. Out of the 1,162 respondents, 653 or 56.2 percent, choose K-5. 192 chose K-3 and 4-5.
Another popular question was ‘do you favor reopening Wickford Elementary School?’ Of the 1,164 people who answered, 438 said yes, if at all possible. 421 answered yes, only if the current schools are insufficient to house the elementary school population and 253 answered no to reopening the school.
“This survey really involved the community looking at several situations, the main one being is it possible to have a full day kindergarten, do we need it or not? And the other is Wickford Elementary, what’s going to happen to that building?” said Brunelle.
Bus transportation was touched upon in regards to the length that some students are spending on the bus traveling to and from school.
Five hundred fifty seven or 49.2 percent felt the longest elementary school bus ride (one-way) should be less than 30 minutes.
“When my youngest was at Hamilton last year, I drove him most mornings on my way to work so he could avoid the 50 minute bus ride in the a.m.,” wrote an anonymous parent. Brunelle was pleased that there was a separate survey for the teachers to take.
“During the last administration the teachers were afraid and intimidated to speak their minds, so this survey, I feel, is an important part. We need to hear from them to see how the teaching is being done,” she said.
Eighty-six teachers and 27 paraprofessionals took the survey in which 10 questions were asked. One question asked teachers, based on their experience working at the elementary level, what configuration model would best meet the educational needs of North Kingstown students. Of the 114 who answered, 74 or 64.9 percent, chose the K-5 model.
“K-5 configuration enables a school to have stronger continuum from grade to grade, a more solid community since you have students for six years and makes transitions from grade to grade (expectations) clearer,” wrote one teacher.
Two public forums will be held for the public to ask questions and offer comments in regards to the survey results.
“I’ve taken a look at the surveys but haven’t analyzed them in depth. What’s going to be important is to see who turns out for the two public forums and what the public has to say about the results,” said Superintendent Dr. Priscilla Feir. The first one will be held tonight in the Davisville Middle School cafeteria, 200 School St., from 7-8 p.m. and the second will be held Saturday at the North Kingstown Free Library, Boone St., from 11 a.m. to noon.
For the complete results please visit the North Kingstown school department’s Web site at www.nksd.net. |
