1. The Changing Role of Local Education What is North Brookfield’s Future? How will we make it happen?

2. Master Plan Committee and Board of Selectmen identified elements which could impact how NB meets future responsibility for Educational mission. > Schools budget at 50% of town budget > School choice issues  Impending state legislation regarding forced school district consolidation

3. Assignment to Educational Taskforce from North Brookfield Board of Selectmen and School Committee 1.Determine known factors which will affect how North Brookfield meets its responsibility to provide public education. 2.Analyze the impact of these factors 3.Determine a range of options for North Brookfield 4.Recommend options and alternatives

4. What the Task Force did NOT consider School Operations School Committee Operations Solicitation of Merger Requests Interference with School Programs

5. 1. State and Federal regulations What are the plans and trends. Determinates – Ed Progress and Econ. Sustainability 2. Professional & Staff Input What is the vision of the next 5-10 years 3. Citizen Input What do the people want from the educational program 4. Educational organization options What other ways do schools deliver learning. Indiana Univ. Major global studies of Ed. Delivery systems.

6. North Brookfield in a Geographic Region Populations grades 7 - 12 School Systems Stand Alone Ware 493 Leicester 545 North Brookfield 305 Regional Quabbin 1007 (Hardwick, Oakham, New Braintree, Barre, Hubbardston) Quaboag 605 (Warren, West Brookfield) Prouty 545 (Spencer, East Brookfield) Tantasqua 930 (Brookfield, Sturbridge, Others) Wachusett 1934 (Holden, Paxton, Rutland, Others)

7. 2007 $ 9,935 $ 9,467 $ 11,830 $ 10,361 $ 9,585 $ 9,734 $ 10,386 $ 9,725 $ 12,377 $ 12,626 2008 $ 10,971 $ 10,195 $ 11,950 $ 10,889 $ 10,114 $ 10,357 $ 10,989 $ 9,698 $ 12,838 $ 13,104 2009 $ 11,607 $ 10,550 $ 11,481 $ 11,803 $ 10,812 $ 11,019 $ 13,587 $ 9,720 $ 13,101 $ 14,188 NBLeicesterWareProutyQuaboagQuabbinTantasquaHadleyWorcesterSouthbridge

8. Community Survey Choices for Education in North Brookfield (Number selecting choice as first or second) 1. Stay Unchanged 2. Regionalize 3. Small Town Assoc. 4. Charter District 5. Magnet School 6. College Partnership 7. Regional Administration

10.  Informational meeting on small schools in Hadley with Superintendent Nicholas Young  Attended statewide forum on consolidation  Explored geographic district configurations  Information Collected ◦ Comparison of local neighboring district profiles ◦ School Choice data ◦ Small & Rural School District Taskforce report ◦ Indiana Univ. National consolidation Study ◦ North Brookfield Community survey ◦ Public and school staff input forums

11. Data Analysis – What have we concluded What did the survey and public forums tell us. What is the future for education and economic sustainability. What leadership direction are we seeing from the School Committee. What is Happening in Public Education today. What Options are available to North Brookfield.

12. Public Forum Conclusions “Must haves in any future path” 1.Maintain a local community school culture 2.Personalize learning and schooling for each student 3.Focus on academics 4.Offer a variety of electives 5.Provide access to afterschool activities

13. Autonomous Community School Range of Hybrid Organizations And Educational Systems Consolidated Regional School Magnet School Admin District Academy Charter School District Co-op contract Innovative School College partnerships

14. 3. Ensure equity of opportunity for all children Defined - Moving beyond school- based eligibility requirements, it is a priority to encourage students through personalized educational planning to access learning and extracurricular opportunities based on student and parental choice. NB School Committee Priorities – Superintendent Search 1. Create a school that is unique, innovative and a center of excellence Defined - The students, parents and community of NB value the schools as an investment in the future of the town. In that regard the highest priority is to move the educational program in the direction of achieving an innovative, unique center of excellence which will educate all children to be able to compete and excel. 2. High level of student achievement and satisfaction Defined - In order to achieve an educational center of excellence which provides equity of opportunity for all students, minimizes choice out students and attracts students from area towns, the focus will be on establishing and maintaining a high level of student achievement in academic and extracurricular programs. Student, parent and community satisfaction is important to success and will be measured and evaluated. 4.Continue to improve education and growth Defined - The NB schools have improved in a number of areas over the past five years including curriculum, educational performance, educational offerings and fiscal effectiveness. 5.Personalized Education Plan for all students Defined - It is a priority to develop a process of focusing on the individual student by assisting the student, parents and educational staff in developing a student’s personal plan for education, extracurricular experiences and personal achievement. 6. Decrease choice out students/Increase choice in students Defined - It is a priority to apply corrective action to the problem of choice out students resulting in a significant increase in students not choicing out. It is a priority to distinguish the NB schools from area schools in a manner which attracts area students seeking an excellent education. 7.Continue as a community school system Defined - It is a priority to develop a program and sustainability to maintain the NB schools as autonomous community schools.

15. North Brookfield Educational Taskforce Conclusions 1.Economic sustainability is weak and must be addressed. 2.Community and School Staff are committed to the NB Educational Mission and how to most effectively meet our responsibility. 3.Public Forum input has focused on two primary paths for the future. a.Join a regional system - Dependent on another system - Capital costs could be beyond NB borrowing ability - Autonomy and community school culture is weakened b. Build community school to achieve an innovative center of excellence. -Function and focus need to be designed -Goal to reduce choice out by 50% to gain $300,000 -Teaching staff involvement in creating & developing innovative educational designs.

16. North Brookfield Educational Taskforce Recommendations 1.Recruit and Hire a superintendent who can lead the design and building of an innovative community school which is based on a community integrated magnet school concept, provides for early college programs, includes on-line learning to expand course offerings, integrated after school program and focuses on student personalized learning planning that includes student, parents and educational staff. 2. Create a formal process for School Committee (or a committee vested by the School Committee) to investigate regional options with surrounding regional districts (e.g., Quabbin, Quaboag, Spencer-EB, and Tantasqua.

17. How do we get it done?