The creation of an early childhood learning center will be a group�s primary recommendation to New Castle�s school board.

The ad-hoc committee charged with evaluating the district�s building needs concluded its work earlier this week. The plan is a hybrid of previous proposals and comes in with the lowest price tag to date � $15.2 million.

The proposal would expand the Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center to create an early childhood learning center housing the district�s kindergartners and first-graders. The West Side, Thaddeus Stevens and John F. Kennedy primary centers would be closed, and students in grades two through five placed at George Washington Intermediate Elementary School.

�Right now we�re at a crisis to help a child at (the) 5-, 6-year-old level,� said Principal Debra DeBlasio, who oversees Lockley and Thaddeus Stevens.

�We are part of their home life now, whether we believe it or not.�

The school board will determine what, if anything, will be done. Committee members will present their report at the board�s Dec. 14 work session.

�You have to balance what you can do with what you want to do,� said David A. Esposito of Eckles Architecture and Engineering. �The (kindergarten)-through-one early learning center � there seems to be a lot of passion about that.�

District business manager Joseph Ambrosini said the project must not be a financial burden to taxpayers.

� �What can we afford?� That question came up several times,� he said. �Financially, the district is strong.�

Ambrosini will rely on $4.8 million in state reimbursement and $3 million of the district�s reserves as one part of the funding formula. A $7.4 million bond issue, covering a 30-year period, will finance the remainder.

Superintendent George Gabriel and Ambrosini said no tax increases will be requested to pay for the project.

In order to accomodate kindergartners and first-graders, Lockley will be expanded to more than double its size, from 38,330 square feet to 82,130 square feet.

The school system�s three primary centers � John F. Kennedy, Thaddeus Stevens and West Side � will be sold.

Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades will form the New Castle Middle School and be placed in the junior high section of the junior/senior high school. Students in ninth grade and up will be located in the senior high portion of the building.

The realignment of classes among George Washington and the junior/senior high concerned committee members.

�I really haven�t heard from teachers, who would have to implement this,� said Terence Meehan, assistance to the superintendent. �I think the only certainty at this point is the K-1 center.

�That is a major benefit for the district.�

Gabriel agreed with Meehan.

�I�ve very concerned about grade configurations,� he said. �We need to do some extensive study on that.

�The feasibility study comes first and then the input from staff.�

Committee member Kimberly Koller-Jones viewed the plan as a starting point.

�It�s pretty much a consensus (that) K through one is where the focus needs to be,� said the executive director of The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts. �Maybe start with that and do the best you can to shuffle everything else around to make it work.�



HERE�S THE PLAN

Recommendations



Here are highlights of an ad-hoc committee�s recommendations to the New Castle Area School District. If the plan is accepted as presented, changes would be in place by the 2012-13 school year.

Buildings

�Closed and sold: John F. Kennedy Primary Center, Thaddeus Stevens Primary Center and West Side Primary Center

�Unchanged: Croton Pre-Kindergarten Center, which also houses the district�s administration offices

�Expanded: Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center becomes Harry W. Lockley Early Learning Center. The facility will be home to kindergarten and first grade. The building will more than double in size from 38,330 square feet to 82,130 square feet. The additions will be contained to the current site.

�Moving: Grades two through five will be placed at George Washington Intermediate Elementary School.

The New Castle Middle School will consist of sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Those students will be placed in the junior high section of the junior/senior high.

Freshmen through senior students will form the junior/senior high and operate in the senior high portion of the facility.

Costs

�Project cost: $15.2 million

�Funding: $4.8 million in state reimbursement; $3 million from district�s capital reserve fund; and $7.4 million bond issue, projected to cost the district $483,000 annually for 30 years.

�Taxes: No tax increase

�Savings: $250,000 to $500,000 over five years through attrition or furlough of 16 district employees; $100,000 annually from lower building operating costs.

�Variables: State and federal funding in addition to an expected increase within three to four years involving contributions to district�s employee retirement fund.

(Source: Eckles Architecture and Engineering and Joseph Ambrosini, New Castle Area School District business manager)