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Silver Consolidated task force finds consolidation feasible; formal recommendation expected this summer
Summary
Superintendent William Hawkins told the board the consolidation task force reviewed building capacity, transportation and boundary scenarios and found multiple feasible consolidation approaches; the group polled members and expects to present a recommendation by its fourth meeting this summer.
Superintendent William Hawkins updated the Silver Consolidated Schools Board of Education on the district's consolidation task force, saying the group has completed facility and financial reviews and believes consolidation of one or two buildings is feasible.
The task force reviewed building data, a facilities master plan (FMP) analysis, transportation estimates, and boundary concepts, then polled members on preferred scenarios. "The task force is well underway. They've had some incredibly tough, but responsible conversations, and they did a poll," Hawkins said.
Hawkins said consultants and staff found there was room in existing buildings under both a traditional neighborhood-school model and several grade-banding scenarios. He described grade banding as grouping grade levels (for example, K'2, 3'5, 6) into dedicated campuses and said the task force's analyses showed that each scenario could be implemented without crowding classrooms.
On transportation, Hawkins said the district's provider, Montoya Bussing, examined routes, ride times and costs and concluded consolidating one or two buildings would have a neutral or minimal cost impact in most scenarios. "If you eliminated one or two buildings, the same number of drop off points would remain the same," he said, adding adjustments to start and stop times could still be necessary.
Hawkins declined to preempt the task force's final recommendation but said the group's poll results will guide subsequent meetings. He told the board the task force intends to present a formal recommendation for the board to consider over the summer after its fourth meeting.
Board members asked whether they would receive the task force presentation materials; Hawkins said he would provide a copy on request. No formal board action was recorded during the update; Hawkins described the session as informational and left the floor for questions.
The task force work will continue, with the superintendent and staff preparing detailed recommendations and community engagement materials ahead of any formal board consideration this summer.
