Brocton School Board prepares to unveil study of merger proposal
BROCTON — The Brocton Central School Board is hoping for a large turnout at Monday’s meeting to unveil the Brocton- Fredonia School District centralization feasibility study.
The study was tasked with answering the question: “Would instructional opportunity be enhanced for all students at a similar or reduced cost to taxpayers by combining the Brocton and Fredonia Central school districts?”
The Monday meeting begins at 7 p. m. in the Brocton school auditorium. Residents of both districts will learn details of the study, which was just released after a review by the state education commissioner’s office.
The study was done over several months by a committee of volunteers made up of 20 Brocton residents and school staffers and 20 representatives from the Fredonia district. The committee was facilitated by the Western New York Educational Service Council, which also compiled the study’s final draft. The not-for-profit council, with an office at the University at Buffalo, is made up of retired school district superintendents and professionals.
At Monday night’s meeting —at the conclusion of a presentation on the study and a question- and-answer period — the Brocton and Fredonia boards will consider a resolution to officially receive the centralization study. The study then will be placed on the Web site www.schoolstudy.wnyric.org , and hard copies of the document will be available at libraries and public offices in Brocton and Fredonia. Down the road, the two districts will have to decide whether to centralize. The study committee members will meet at 7 p. m. Wednesday in the auditorium to discuss the study. The meeting is open to the public.
In other matters, on July 1 the brand new Erie 2-Chautauqua- Cattaraugus BOCES central business office officially opens, renting space at Brocton Central School. The business office will process business operations for multiple school districts, including such services as payroll, accounts payable and claims auditing. Common software will be utilized. The office has been in the planning stages for the past three years.
Tracey Smith-Dengler, financial officer of the new BOCES service, said no school district staff will be cut for the central business office.
Superintendent John Skahill said Brocton will save $15,000 to $20,000 the first year of participation. This will increase in following years, he projects, due to greater participation by other districts and BOCES aid.
In other business:
• The board will meet in regular session at 7 p. m. June 18 in the high school. The board’s re-organizational meeting will be at 6 p. m. July 2.
• Graduation is scheduled for 10 a. m. June 27 in the high school.
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