It’s exactly what will happen if the fabric of Pioneer Valley Regional School District is dissolved in the name of merging with Gill-Montague Regional School District and possibly Warwick School District on Oct. 6 to create the Great River Regional School District.
Have the possible consequences of the merger been discussed candidly and transparently with the citizens? From my perspective and that of many others who have been to the “informational” sessions, watched their meetings, read through the documents — our answer is no! The unintended consequences can be predicted — so why is the Six Town Regional Planning Board (STRPB) silent on them?
Could it be because the Six Town Regional Planning Board’s goal is to get it passed, regardless?
For example, it became clear to the STRPB that a constituency from Warwick was not in favor of the Six Town Regionalization. Instead of taking a risk that the whole proposal could be voted down (all it takes is a majority from one town to vote the proposal down), the STRPB wrote into the legislation that even if Warwick votes it down (but all the other towns vote in favor of it), the regionalization would still happen, but it would be a Five Town Regionalization School District.
But that’s not all. There are still many questions and potential consequences to consider with this proposed merger.
Here are just a few:
Money
At what cost, literally and figuratively, will this have on the five or six towns if the merger happens?
There are no substantial cost savings provided this merger happens. Even the STRPB has pivoted away from the cost savings analysis. You can find all of the STRPB reports on 6town.org.
Curriculum and academics
This will not be decided by the Six Town Regional Planning Board, but rather the appointed transition school committee, with a part time/stipended superintendent (estimated $35,000 salary) and no director of teaching and learning. The STRPB can tell us families there will be more opportunities, but what specifically they are, they can’t say because it’s not their role. I have repeatedly asked this question and the answer boils down to “more opportunities, more students.” Like what?! What will be new, that we don’t already have? There is no answer.
Athletics
When there are separate middle and high school buildings (and different principals), middle school students do not have the opportunity to compete at the high school level — per the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. This merger would take away that current opportunity for middle school athletes. Let’s say an eighth-grader who is incredibly talented could play at the varsity level, they would not be able to compete at that level should this merger happen. Taking away opportunities students currently have is a consequence of this merger.
What about our current varsity and junior varsity teams? Pioneer and Gill-Montague have some great sports programs with solid rosters. What happens to the varsity players from Pioneer and Gill-Montague if they merge? Student-athletes will be cut. A team roster can support only so many kids and there can be only so many athletes on a field, court or course at a time, during a game.
Transportation
Do you know that a projected bus route for a high school student from Leyden to Turners Falls High School could start at 6:16 a.m. and have up to 28 stops? The longer bus rides are a definite consequence of this merger for our students. Are families aware of this?
Representation
Currently in the Pioneer regional agreement between Bernardston, Leyden and Northfield, each town has equal representation on the school committee — three school committee member seats per town. In the proposed Great River Regional School District, there are only two school committee seats from Bernardston — one from Leyden, two to three from Northfield (depending on whether a five- or six-town regional district is formed), one from Warwick, five from Montague, and two from Gill.
As a Bernardston resident, do I want my town to have less of a voice in a brand new experimental district?
I’m voting “no” on Oct. 6 against the merger of the six towns into the Great River Regional School District, and I hope you join me.
Doesn’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you have until it’s gone?
Melissa Gerry is a Bernardston resident and Pioneer Valley Regional School District parent.