Guest column:
Realignment of DCSC Elementary Schools - another perspective
By Pete Wagoner

In announcing a special upcoming work session of the Delphi Community School Corporation Board of Trustees to discuss realignment of DCSC elementary schools, Superintendent Ralph Walker indicated the public could attend, but would not be allowed to speak.

Mr. Walker has extolled the benefits he claims would result from this realignment. However, there are many residents of Jackson, Liberty, Rock Creek and portions of Deer Creek townships, whose children/grandchildren attend (or attended) Camden Elementary, who hold a very different point of view.

Mr. Walker has outlined four elementary school options being considered, but it is quite clear the most favored option is to have all K-1 students attend "Camden Childhood Center," and 2-5 students attend "Hillcrest Intermediate Academy." An alternative might be to use Hillcrest for K-3 and Camden for 4-5. Under either plan, Camden ceases to operate as a K-5 elementary school. The unwieldy bussing involved would cause this alignment to be disliked by many parents throughout the corporation, and it will be only a short-time before a "building project" can then be proposed/sold so all elementary students can come to Delphi and the Camden facility can be closed.

If Camden Elementary were only a "poor to average performing school" a reasonable case might be made to alter its use or close it down, but this clearly is not the situation. Camden Elementary has consistently performed well-above state norms, posted one of the highest set of ISTEP scores of any public elementary school in northcentral Indiana in 2006, and earned "Four Star" awards in 2002 and 2003. Having a history of strong performance should help secure Camden's future as a K-5 school. This is why so many people, who support this school, are very frustrated and strongly oppose realignment.

To dismantle, or close, an excellent K-5 school should require a well-documented set of very good reasons. Mr. Walker provides a lengthy list of "reasons/ benefits," but has offered very few details to support his claims. The board president (Bob Resler) cites Mr. Walker's past record with Lebanon School Corporation and indicates we should all accept whatever recommendations he has to offer. Let's take a look at the reasons Mr. Walker has cited to justify a total realignment of the Hillcrest and Camden elementary schools: Provides equal educational opportunities for all elementary students

Mixing all students together from first-day of kindergarten, bussing them between two locations, and increasing most class sizes will tend to equalize opportunities, but which students will benefit from all the moving around required? Certainly not those now attending Camden, and it's hard to imagine how this would benefit students from the Hillcrest area. Realignment would eliminate any future comparisons of performance metrics between Hillcrest and Camden, but pursuing realignment for this purpose surely runs counter to the intent of having state performance standards.

There might be legitimate reasons for ISTEP scores being somewhat higher at Camden, demographic differences may have some impact. These scores could be analyzed to take such factors into consideration. However, eliminating ISTEP comparisons is not a sound justification for realigning to provide "equal educational opportunities". Improves academic achievement for all students

Mr. Walker, please, explain to us exactly how realignment will do this. You intend to bus students crisscross the entire corporation, move them between Camden and Hillcrest, require many young children to spend an hour/day longer riding a bus; add more than a 100 students to Hillcrest building, dismiss 6 teachers, increase class sizes, and guarantee no child will spend his/her elementary school years at one school located in close-proximity to home. The state has no data clearly demonstrating any improvement in academic performance at school systems that have implemented this type of realignment. While Mr. Walker is credited with improving academic performance at Lebanon School Corporation, that system continues to operate four, traditional K-5 elementary schools. All this type of realignment can ensure is that students now attending Camden Elementary will be adversely impacted and students now attending Hillcrest would realize few, if any, significant benefits.

Equalizes class sizes

Realignment does offer an opportunity to better balance class sizes, and in some years might result in a slightly better utilization of teaching resources. However, there are other creative ways to balance teacher workloads on a year-to-year basis. Current class sizes at Camden are now comparable to those found at the very best elementary schools, nationwide, while most class sizes at Hillcrest are somewhat larger. Smaller class sizes allow more interaction with a well-qualified teacher and is the best way to improve a child's learning opportunity.

If DCSC is really serious about academic improvement, Mr. Walker should find a way to make class sizes at Hillcrest comparable to those at Camden.

This would mean not eliminating six elementary teacher positions and utilizing unused classrooms at Hillcrest by dividing students there into smaller classes. This would be a far better way to "equalize class sizes," and improve academic opportunities for all children.

Improves financial outlook

A potential savings in teacher costs is the primary motivation that causes some corporations to consider this type realignment. However, additional transportation costs are an off-set and a negative effect on student performance is a real possibility. It is also quite likely that extensive remodeling would be required at Camden to convert the building from a K-5 layout to one that can accommodate only K-1 students (more hidden costs?). There are certainly better places to seek a $250,000 savings (less than 3% of total budget). It is also clear the annual savings being touted are being considerably over-stated. Can offer full-day kindergarten

Mr. Walker now states that full-day kindergarten could not be offered at Camden. I was told by the new Camden Principal, Carol Coon, on Jan. 31, that, "with some rearrangement full-day kindergarten could be offered at Camden." I feel confident there is a way to offer this program at the Camden facility. Can have a Gifted and Talented program

DCSC had this program with the existing elementary configuration before it was discontinued due to funding limitations. It does not require realignment to re-instate such a program, it simply requires that priority be given to this purpose when allocating resources. Whether this type program warrants a top-priority for DCSC is a topic for another discussion. Improves collaboration, provides consistent staff development and improves rapport between teachers

Now we're talking about intangibles and more educational jargon. Effective leadership could make sure all these improvements are made with the current elementary school configuration.

Mr. Walker and Mr. Resler have made comments about how realignment may help to improve relations between students and parents from the two school communities. They continue to cite "a problem" that does not exist! There has never been any serious rivalry or unfriendliness between students or parents from Camden and Delphi since DCSC was created. However, there is no doubt the realignment being championed by Mr. Walker, and the manner in which this matter is being handled, is creating bad-feelings that have not been evident since the school consolidations of the 1960s. Camden Elementary has been an integral part of DCSC since the corporation was formed, and its name only relates to its location, not the territory it serves. Camden Elementary has always served families well beyond the Camden community. Students from Rock Creek and Liberty Townships have attended this school since its beginning, and in more recent years students were added from eastern portions of Deer Creek Township. Outstanding support from parents, and the community at-large, has always been a trademark of Camden Elementary, which contributes to making this school such a uniquely supportive place for children to learn. This elementary school has consistently demonstrated a highlevel of academic performance, and there is no good reason to try and fix (dismantle or close) a very good school that is not broken!

Anyone who supports leaving Camden Elementary as is, has been labeled as being against change, not supportive of improving educational opportunities for all children, and somehow being tied to the past. That simply is not true! We support well-reasoned plans/changes within DCSC to address declining graduation rates, declining standardized test scores and a need to better manage finances. However, the board of trustees should reject the elementary school realignment plan put forward by Mr. Walker, and instead focus its attention on other ways to better utilize and prioritize corporation resources that will enhance academic opportunities for all children.

Pete Wagoner is president of the Camden Town Council.