By Jarret Liotta
In answer to class size balance and resource issues, students from Coleytown Middle School (CMS) and Bedford Middle School (BMS) will not be kept in separate teams next year when they are all attending the townwide 6-8 school at BMS.
New Interim Superintendent of Schools David Abbey (r) took his seat Monday night at his first Westport Board of Education meeting as schools’ head. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jarret Liotta for WestportNow.com
On Monday night Adam Rosen, BMS principal, explained to the Board of Education the reasons for combining the population of close to 1,300 students by grade level as part of his presentation on planning.
“We need to remove the internal division,” he said, citing the implementation of equitable class sizes, particularly where core classes were concerned.
“It’s always been my understanding that the two schools would be merged … because it’s very inefficient to run the two different schools,” BOE member Candice Savin said.
Noting that scheduling middle school is more complex than scheduling high school, Rosen said they had expanded from eight to nine class periods to accommodate the increased numbers, with five lunch waves to be in place in the cafeteria.
Asked about 2020-21, when the two schools would likely be separated into two buildings, Rosen said it was always easier to dismantle.
“We’re doing what we can to maintain relationships between adults and students,” he said, with Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services Tina Mannarino noting that most kids — particularly those with special needs or circumstances — will remain with the same guidance counselors, psychologists or social workers.
“I have a lot of confidence that whatever is the end of the journey, you guys will make it work well,” Savin said.
Rosen said the portable classrooms would be arriving this week through Thursday, with work underway on the foundation peripherals.
The BOE voted unanimously to move forward with a $325,000 request to the Board of Finance for interior alteration and addition work in the media center at BMS in order to create additional office and resource space.
“I think these are a little higher than we had hoped for,” said Anthony Buono, assistant superintendent, with the project originally expected in the range of $200,000 to $275,000, depending on whether they went with more extensive work involving removal of a staircase.
Four bids in response to the Request for Proposals ranged from just under $300,000 to almost $700,000. The BOE went with A.V. Tuchy, which offered to do the full project for $326,950.
Elio Longo, chief financial officer, said he was not entirely sure why the numbers were so different, but explained that some of the firms may be busier than others.
Buono said the higher costs reflect IT work that had not been taken into account, as well as some more extensive jackhammer work needed on the library floor.
“The extra space is highly desired by the staff at BMS and the administration,” Longo said.
“It’s an investment in the building,” BOE member Elaine Whitney noted, and would remain in place even after CMS reopened.
The BOE also unanimously approved moving forward with hiring Antinozzi Associates to create a master facilities plan, pledging $235,200 toward the work.
While there was some discussion as to whether the cost should be absorbed on the town side — or whether there would be overlap with a similar project the town intended to undertake — following some consultation with First Selectman Jim Marpe the BOE decided to act.
“I personally feel we have to move forward with it,” Whitney said.
“To me, ultimately it’s all town money,” she said, “and we have a responsibility to move forward with this.”
