Skip Navigation

RFH 2010, Cover Stories, HCS News

School Merger Study About to Begin

Fri, Dec 23, 2011

After more than a year of conversation and waiting, it appears the study of merging the HCS and Morrisville-Eaton school districts could be getting under way in the new year.

After sitting idle for much of the past year, it appears the study of a merger between the HCS and Morrisville-Eaton school districts could be getting into gear.

HCS Superintendent Dr. Diana Bowers Thursday said she has spoken with MECS Superintendent Michael Drahos as well as representatives from the state Education Department and the SES Study Team consultants about beginning the process of studying a possible joining of the two districts. She said there will also be other studies to offer insights into how to help both districts deal with deepening fiscal woes.

While the state had approved the money for the study to be performed by the SES Study Team from Canastota, the fund had never been released. Bowers said the state is creating a schedule by which to make payments as the study process begins.

Bowers expects to sign papers at the state Education Department sometime next month, at which time the 18-month timeline to study and either accept or reject a merger recommendation would begin.

She reiterated the importance of community involvement, and reminded district residents that this is the very beginning and no decisions can be made without their involvement.

"We are exploring options for the district," said Bowers. "No decisions will be made without full public input and voting."

She also urged residents to watch the school's website to find out how the selection process for the citizen committee will work.

The merger process requires involvement by district residents at every stage, and each district must vote twice to approve the merger.

The SES Study Team is made up of three former educators: Dr. Paul M. Seversky, Doug A. Exley and Sam A. Shevat.

This from their website:

"The common elements followed by the Team to achieve customized studies includes:

  • A focus on answering a set of questions by school district and community stakeholders;
  • Inclusion of, and sensitivity to, all points of view from the communities involved;
  • An approach that begins with the collection of data, a review of major findings, sharing of perceptions, recommendations based upon challenges and opportunities, and the modeling of potential options;
  • The central role of school district instructional, instructional support, and administrative staff in providing comprehensive data for the study to use to answer the study question(s) posed by the client district(s);
  • Public transparency of the work and data developed, compiled, and analyzed by the Study Team;
  • The creation of a study report that becomes the prime useable tool by members of the communities as they decide how best to educate their children in the future.

"The Study Team brings a combined 104 years of public education experience to working with and helping school districts identify options in serving pupils and their communities. Each team member has served as a teacher, principal and superintendent of a K-12 school district. Doug and Sam each has served as a superintendent of a reorganized district through centralization. Paul has served as a superintendent of a district that explored reorganization and in a regional capacity as a Deputy District Superintendent of a BOCES. Sam has worked for a college to administer programs for public school pupils; Paul has taught graduate level courses in educational administration for 23 years; and Doug serves as a council member at a local university. The Study Team Members have provided consultant services to public school districts since 1998."

SES is currently conducting the merger study involving four Mohawk Valley school districts: Herkimer, Illion, Mohawk and Frankfort-Schuyler.

Please login to post your comments.