HARDWICK — Another round of changes are in store for the Mountainview Union School District (MVU) as another reconfiguration was being planned for Lakeview Union School. Only Pre-K to grade three are at the school now and fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students have the choice to go to Hardwick Elementary (HES) or Woodbury Elementary (WES) Schools.
A transition to Pre-K was being planned for the 2025-26 school year following a vote by the board at the October 8 meeting, with a period during which one or more other grades would continue at Lakeview School. The board was unable to establish a transition plan at its January 14 meeting and the future configuration is now uncertain.
Prior to that, a report from the Lakeview Long-Range Planning working group at the October 8, 2024 MVU meeting recommended maintaining pre-K- 3 at Lakeview during a transitional period left to the board, allowing the building to transition to pre-K only. The board accepted that recommendation with five in favor, three against and one abstention
That proposal came about because the working group came to the conclusion that operating pre-K- 6 is not a viable option, agreeing to take that option off the table, while at the same time
hearing from the community that closing the school entirely at the opposite extreme did not represent the will of the community.
As the group explored gray areas between those extremes, they heard pre-K is a particular and more nuanced age to serve because of state regulations, use of space and student:teacher ratios.
Creating an environment to meet Pre-K needs at an expert level was identified as a great use of resources in response to that need.
The transitional period is meant to offer stability to the community and to staff, and to create a smoother transition.
The board agreed to create an action plan to clarify the dates.
Public comments were made about the cost of transitioning the building to accommodate Pre-K instruction, the availability of other options with Four Seasons in Greensboro Bend and Saplings expanding in Craftsbury and whether parents in HES and WES would want their children to go to Greensboro for Pre-K?
Public comments at the January 14 MVU Board meeting brought up many issues driving the proposed changes at Lakeview that will affect HES and WES.
Much of the discussion is driven by the hope for cost reductions and the declining student population at Lakeview, but it’s not clear where those savings will come from until a full plan is in place for what students will be where and when.
There is a safety concern at HES, with rooms closed pending a plan to address the presence of PCBs; at WES, a drinking water quality situation is being addressed and one of the teachers at Lakeview may be retiring, leading to the same staffing situation as last year.
Some did not think public education should take on child care. Beth LeCours presented a letter in which she expressed the proposed plan is not in the best interest of children and continues with the division of towns rather than coming together.
Hardwick teachers penned another letter that spoke about staffing shortages and other concerns there. Others expressed concern that the board is making decisions that will affect teachers without being clear about proposed changes.
Superintendent Baker said this discussion is an effort to make decisions in advance so parents don’t have to wait until June or July to know what their options are.
Many comments reflected the very clear message from across the communities that the proposal as-is, was not well received.
In the end, the administration’s proposal to move pre-K and K to Lakeview for the 2025-26 school year failed at the January meeting, with one vote for the proposal, five against and two abstentions.
Superintendent Baker asked the board if they wanted him to revisit the October motion and bring other scenarios to the board.
Options suggested include a pre-K program or all pre-K students at Lakeview; considering whether HES has the capacity to accommodate all pre-K students, post construction and free from PCBs and what building capacity is at all three campuses.
The board agreed to Baker’s suggestion he explore whether Hazen is amenable to moving sixth grade students to the Hazen campus, taking a look at the costs involved.
As the meeting ended, it was clear there was no final decision and even the October vote to move the district’s pre-K instruction to Lakeview was likely to be reconsidered.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
