School Committee Warns of Political Firestorms Over Forthcoming School Closing Study-October 21, 1981

Warning Issued Over Projected School Closings and Declining Enrollment

During a School Committee meeting last night, members praised the ongoing work of a volunteer long-range planning committee examining possible school closures, but issued a stern warning that the final report—due in January—could ignite severe political controversy.

Recalling a bitter political battle four years prior that resulted in three school committee recall elections following proposed school closures, committee members Charles C. Saraca and Richard Joseph urged the planning group to proactively inform parents about their progress to prevent the final recommendations from coming as a shock.

“Everything is going to be very emotional,” Saraca said. “(But) once parents are educated, most will agree with the decision.” Joseph added, “This thing is going to hit in January like a ton of bricks… You can’t live for two or three weeks.” Committee member Margery H. McKenna commended the planners’ efforts, though she noted that factual statistics often get disregarded amid heated public controversies.

Enrollment Trends and Planning Committee Progress

Presenting the progress report, long-range planning committee Chairman Ted Hansberry noted that the 23-member committee—comprising PTA members, teachers, and town officials—had reached no final conclusions. Over 10 months of study, the committee evaluated the condition of the town’s nine schools, mapped student enrollment projections through 1987, and began drafting redistricting plans alongside four potential grade configurations: K-6, 7-9, 10-12; K-5, 6-8, 9-12; K-6, 7-8, 9-12; and K-5, 6-9, 10-12.

Data presented to the committee highlighted a dramatic shift in local demographics:

• Historical Decline: Total student enrollment plunged from 7,000 in 1970 to 3,944, reflecting a loss of nearly 2,000 students over the preceding five years.
• Future Projections: Enrollment was expected to drop by another 834 students through 1987, though the pace of decline would slow significantly.
• Elementary vs. Upper Grades: Elementary school enrollment had largely bottomed out and would stabilize over the next five years, whereas about half of the projected drop would impact the two junior high schools and the high school.

Committee member Richard Weiner emphasized that action would be required to address plummeting enrollment at the junior highs, which were projected to be half-empty by 1985. However, Weiner pointed out that elementary facilities still faced space constraints regarding special needs education, and buildings—particularly the high school—required substantial renovations.

John A. Poce Sole Applicant for Junior High School North Principal Post

In other school district news, John A. Poce, vice principal of Junior High School North, emerged as the sole applicant for the school’s principal position. The post was vacated when James R. Savage was appointed superintendent the previous month.

Superintendent Savage noted that because the vacancy was advertised exclusively within the school system, Poce was the only candidate to meet the application deadline and was virtually assured of receiving the appointment, which was expected to be finalized on November 10.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger