1. David G. Title August 26, 2008 1

2.  May, 2006 referendum included renovating 3 elementary schools at a total cost of $30 million  Under the original plan, all 3 schools would be brought up to code and remain as K-4 facilities 2

3.  New enrollment projections show a steady decline in elementary school population over the next ten years  Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School will have 60-65 Bloomfield kindergarten students in September, 2010  Maximum elementary enrollment in the next ten years is 800 students 3

4. All students would attend one school for K-2 and another for grades 3-4 as of September, 2012 (projected) One school houses grades K-2 with a maximum enrollment of 450 students One school houses grades 3-4 with a maximum enrollment of 350 students Model would have ongoing fiscal, educational and operational advantages 4

5. We compared the financial impact of operating 2 schools vs. 3 schools using today’s enrollments, programs and prices The only variable is the reduction from 3 schools to 2 We could then project the fiscal impact of the new model Savings are estimated conservatively and are in 2008 dollars 5

6.  Annual operating savings would be approximately $ 1,220,000  $ 1,150,000 from staff savings (salaries, benefits)  $70,000 in utilities (25,000 less square feet) 6

7. Facilities can be tailored to fit the needs of students of the age group (e.g., a science lab in the 3-4 school, playground equipment) Teachers now servicing students K-4 can be assigned to their strengths (e.g., special education teachers, music teachers may work better with one age group than another) Special education teachers can concentrate on fewer grade/level curriculum areas, becoming more expert All teachers of a given grade level at one school means better options for student assignment, easier to adjust the mix of students in a given classroom, less disparity in class sizes 7

8. Better consistency in curriculum, instruction and assessment with all grade level teachers in one facility Teacher collaboration and sharing opportunities increased at the grade level (data teams, resources) Professional development for each grade level can be delivered more often and efficiently School-wide rules can be tailored to a smaller grade span Parent workshops can be focused on the more specific age group of the school Opportunities for specialized classrooms at a grade level (single gender, looping, team teaching) 8

9. All special education children educated in their regular school – less stigma, van transportation and in compliance with law Early intervention resources can be concentrated in the K-2 building Media center resources can be targeted to the grade span of the building rather than duplicated across two or three schools Band program housed in one school will improve lesson delivery and whole ensemble practices 9

10. Smaller grade span on bus means less likelihood of discipline issues Décor and feel of the schools can be customized to fit the grade span (height of bulletin boards, e.g.) Supplies and materials can be specific to one school and not duplicated across schools Grade 2 students can feel “promoted” to the next school Outside speakers and programs can be tailored to the specific age span and not repeated at multiple schools 10

11.  One additional transition for families during the elementary years  Less opportunity for interaction between older students and younger students (limited grade span without transporting)  Involuntary transfers of staff 11

12. Single school district approach means no re- drawing of district lines Issues surrounding family preferences for one elementary school over another are eliminated CMT administered in only one school Class sizes can be modified in small increments with approximately 10 classes per grade level 12

13.  Bus transportation may require more fuel  Starting and ending times may need to be modified 13

14.  Moving from a three school (K-4) model to a two school (K-2, 3-4) model will have ongoing fiscal, educational and operational advantages that far outweigh the disadvantages in both the short- and long- term 14