Opening a school at either Slater or Whisman would bring back to the district students who would otherwisee join the 1500 attending private schools. For each such student the state gives a variable amount of funds ranging from $7000 to $8500 per year. Wow. Seems like that would help pay for a new school as well.


Next year, the state revenue to MVWSD will go up about $1000 per student. That's a big bump. Seems like that would help pay for a new school as well.

The state budget calls for a retroactive bump to the funding already paid to MVWSD for 2014-2015. Could be as much as $3 Million. Wow. Seems like that would help pay for a new school as well.

So much money and so little good ideas to use it.

It will become more clear as the next 12 months unfold.

"Opening a school at either Slater or Whisman would bring back to the district students who would otherwisee join the 1500 attending private schools. "

Wishful thinking? Why would people switch back to local?

It's not a question of "switching back". Every year is a new cohort of Kindergarden and 1st grade students, roughly 700 per age year. Each year what has been happening is that about 550 are choosing their assigned MVWSD school, and another 150 or so are choosing to pay extra for a private school. With a local school nearby, more of the 150 who typically choose a private school are more apt to go with one of the MVWSD elementary schools. Change won't come all at once.

Also consider that you have a fair number of move-ins and move-outs all the time, in all grades, including at the beginning of the school year. The choice is biased against any MVWSD school for those kids who are located far far away from the school for which they are eligible. This is just common sense.

How disappointing to read that the School Board has virtually eliminated the reopening of the Whisman School campus as a public school. The basic facility is much better than the Slater campus and the location is not only better, it's also safer as it is not on a busy intersection. Whisman School had a stand alone, dedicated library/computer lab and a virtually brand new multi-purpose room. All classrooms had been recently updated prior to its closing. Overall, the Whisman facilities are much better and would probably be less expensive to bring up to current standards.