PORT ANGELES — A task force that will make a recommendation for reorganizing Port Angeles elementary schools was approved Monday by the Port Angeles School Board — and no options are on the table.
A story on Page A5 Monday said a school closure was a possible option.
Superintendent Jane Pryne said she would not speculate on what options the task force will consider.
“We are at the very, very beginning,” Pryne said Tuesday.
“There has been no discussion of any kind,” she said.
A document given to the School Board said, “With less students to serve, the district has had to examine whether it can continue to afford the fixed overhead cost of keeping the same number of buildings operating.”
The committee will examine the enrollment trends, academic achievement, demographics and buildings to create a recommendation for the best way to deal with the district’s declining enrollment and funding issues.
The task force will meet for the first time at 3:30 p.m. next Wednesday at the Central Services Building, 216 E. Fourth St.
The meetings will take place either every other week or every week until the committee submits a report of its findings to the board Dec. 12, Pryne said.
The committee will research what other districts have done in similar situations, Pryne said.
Declining enrollment
The document presented to the School Board said that even after trimming $3,860,000 to balance the past four years’ budgets, “difficult decisions need to be made to ensure that the district will maintain an appropriate fiscal balance for the 2012-2013 school year and beyond.
“After an updated five-year strategic plan was reviewed and adopted in March 2011, the restructuring of elementary schools within the Port Angeles School District became a top priority.”
The December recommendation will reflect what the task force believes is best for educational process and for the students of the district, Pryne said.
The group is also tasked with recommending the challenges and possible changes needed to create desirable and affordable elementary school programs, services and operations.
Task force members
On the committee are Pryne, School Board member Sarah Methner, Dry Creek School Principal Kate Wenzl, Dry Creek staff member Lisa Lisk, Dry Creek parent representative Laura Levine, Franklin School Principal Amity Butler and Franklin staff member Cynthia Green.
Also, district multi-aged community staff member Claire Rausch, Franklin parent representative Walt Mozing, Hamilton School Principal Gary Pringle, Hamilton staff member Trent Pomeroy and Hamilton parent representative Pauline Marvin.
Also, Jefferson School Principal Michelle Olsen, Jefferson staff member Evan Murphy, Jefferson parent representative Gretchen O’Brien and food services representative Kathy Crowley.
And Roosevelt School Principal Doug Hayman, Roosevelt staff member Stacey Nickerson, Roosevelt parent representative Teresa Beckstrom, special-education staff member Anne Mitchell, Title I LST representative Coya Erickson, PE staff member Tim Ochs and music staff member John Kilzer.
Also, elementary para-educator Teresa Bond, maintenance and custodial representative Jim Varela, elementary school secretary representative Julie Smith, transportation representative Karen Ross, parent at-large Michele Haworth and Assistant Superintendent Michelle Reid.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.