MIDDLEBURY — The ACSD Board invites the community to participate in one of three community dialogues on “Building Our Future.” at Middlebury Union High School:
•  Monday, April 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
•  Tuesday, April 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m., (childcare provided; please RSVP ACSD central office 382-1277)
•  Wednesday, April 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The Board has been working for the last two years at developing a long-range, sustainable direction to better support all students across the school district. At the start of this year, it began the development of a facilities master plan, to assess the needs of all of the school buildings and to create a sustainable plan that guides investment over the next ten years and addresses building needs and enrollment patterns.
The upcoming dialogues are important next step in the continuing process the Board created to develop a long-range plan to guide its use of buildings and other facilities for the foreseeable future. This next round of community dialogues will focus on different scenarios that, in a broad sense, address declining enrollment, grade configuration and creating greater equity and opportunity for the students of our district.
“In our fall community meetings and comment period, the Board heard strong support for addressing these areas, as well as addressing the expectation that the unification process that created the ACSD would produce operational savings over time.” says ACSD Board Chair Peter Conlon. “That feedback was incorporated into further board discussions that took place during three retreats this winter. We are now ready to begin the next phase of this process.”
The upcoming events will ask citizens to look at addressing our school system in three levels:
•  Facility needs at Middlebury Union High School to address deferred maintenance and create a better 21st century learning environment;
•  Opportunities to increase equity and opportunity at Middlebury Union Middle School, as well as addressing its maintenance needs;
•  Configuring our elementary schools to improve equity and opportunity, along with addressing declining enrollment and demonstrating a commitment to effectiveness and efficiency.
Conlon says, “Your feedback will be key as the Board continues its work on creating the facilities master plan by the end of summer. The ACSD Board strongly encourages district residents to participate in this process, as we want the final document to reflect the goals and values of our community for years to come.”