A Plan for All ! !

By Carolan Dwyer, Co-Chair SOS Group (Hearing Meeting March 13, 2014)

We have to do something. We hear that phrase time and time again. Yes, we 
do have to do something, but it has to be the right thing, the balanced thing, 
the smart thing. A real solution leaves a school in each town. A real solution 
doesn’t spend 40-50 million dollars when we cannot be certain we have a 
viable region in 5 years. A real solution doesn’t ask towns to bear larger debt 
loads than they have ever bonded in an uncertain time. 

A real solution doesn’t dismiss people’s valid concerns regarding their taxes,
home values, and student’s safety and security. Do the research. After this 
fails, and it will, who is ready to solve problems creatively? If we cannot do 
that, then the death spiral this region is currently on will continue and we can 
all start looking into options of disbanding. If the student numbers continue 
at this rate, let’s not kid ourselves, we will be having a very different 
conversation in the near future. When times are uncertain, wise people use 
the assets that they have, they don’t create new debts and keep the old. ! !

We have a solution, one that here, over a year ago, gained more votes than 
the number of attendees here this evening. It leaves a school in every town, 
it uses the assets we currently own, it solves small class sizes and it takes 
into account the needs of all three towns, not just the largest. That solution 
is dubbed the K-2, 3-5 solution.

It, in essence, merges the younger grades at one school and the older grades 
at another. This solution allows for significant staff savings now not in the 
far off distant and uncertain future. And, it has flexibility as well. Bridgewater’s 
intent is to always have a school in our town. Always. There is an important 
symbiotic relationship between a small town and its school—one that has 
huge socio-economic impacts if that is changed. Could WPS fold into this 
scenario? Or, could WPS move to the SVS campus? Perhaps. If it is too far 
to travel for some students, which we know all to well, then do we need to 
collaborate to send to other schools like Warren? ! !

Now, how can we turn this around? While others have been working to 
forward their own agenda for over a year, we have been working to change
the equation. More students means more viability. More students means 
homes are filled and sold. More students means towns are healthier and 
more balanced. ! !

We have met with realtors and created ambassador lists of residents who 
have offered their time to answer questions about our community. We 
continue to promote our school through press releases. As a Town, we are 
working on a town showcase video.

We are working to centralize our EMS/Fire and Police into a hub next to the 
school. We asked over a year ago to have tuition rates lowered so as to fill 
empty spots. We are starting an After Care Pilot program in Bridgewater, 
something families tell us they need.

We are thrilled that, per our request, teachers now can send their own 
children to the Region. We know of families that want to move here but will 
not amidst the chaos. And, who can blame them? We need to put this to bed. 
We need to see positive headlines in the paper that help bring people into 
these communities instead of a constant quest in a flawed effort that will fail 
again and again. If we cannot do that, then we need to move on and allow 
these communities to prosper without this constant threat of upheaval. ! !!!