Dublin residents are looking to form a committee that would give direction to the ConVal School District regarding the future of fifth grade at Dublin Consolidated School.
Residents Karen Niemela and Alan Edelkind met with ConVal Superintendent Kimberly Saunders and Dublin School Board representative Bernd Foecking at the Selectmen’s meeting on Monday. The goal of the meeting was to discuss the past, present and future of Dublin Consolidated School’s fifth-grade class.
“There is no discussion on the table [to remove fifth grade from DCS] at this time,” said Foecking.
Concerns in town flared up after it was learned that all Dublin fifth-graders had been attending South Meadow School in Peterborough since February of last year, prompting questions about the future of fifth grade at DCS.
Selectman Sturdy Thomas said that if a committee was to form, Edelkind, Niemela and other interested members would have to approach the board with an objective or purpose, and a timeline.
Thomas said he would see the committee as a group of community members that would gauge the interest in town about keeping fifth grade at DCS. A recommendation would than be made to the School Board to give guidance about the continuation or removal of fifth grade.
Saunders said Monday that fifth grade will likely return to DCS next year, as only a few parents of current DCS fourth-graders have applied to have their students moved to SMS. Saunders added that even if one student remains at DCS, the district will find a way to make things work, which would likely involve the consolidation of two classes into a multi-grade class.
“We’ve always found ways to make class sizes work,” said Saunders, who said there have been class sizes as small as two in the past.
All current student transfers are required to submit appropriate documentation with the district, according to district policy. Saunders said each transfer is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Dublin Consolidated School is the only elementary school in the ConVal School District with a fifth-grade class. All other fifth-grade students currently attend South Meadow School or Great Brook School in Antrim based on their location within the district.
The Selectmen also spoke with the Cemetery Committee about a warrant article that would fund a new maintenance building.
After some discussion, the board unanimously voted to change the warrant article amount from $16,800 to $26,000, with the latter figure representing an architects estimate to construct the building. The board also agreed to add a two-year non-lapsing specification to the article.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.